The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) seeks to digitize paper records and automate current paper-based records management processes to make information across all offices more accessible and interoperable. The existing paper-based processes make it challenging to react and respond to requests, which greatly increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These inefficiencies result in time-consuming manual searches for records and could cause delays in processing. The physical space needed to house the records is significant and growing, which requires resources and consumes valuable space. Digitizing and automating outdated paper-based processes will enable employees to work more effectively and efficiently, and better serve Virginians. Since many records are currently only maintained in paper form, there is no contingency plan should the records be lost or damaged by fire, flood, or other natural disaster.

Over the last three months, VDH has made significant progress across the three pilot Records Management Offices – Office of Drinking Water (ODW), Office of Licensure & Certification (OLC), and Office of Vital Records (OVR). The scanning vendor for ODW began scanning records within the Richmond Field Office. These records will be uploaded to a SharePoint digital storage solution that is customized to meet the office’s unique records management needs. Purging and document preparation continue across the remaining ODW Field Offices.

VDH issued an RFP for a scanning vendor for OLC and OVR and is working to finalize the list of file types for digitization across the offices in preparation for when vendors are chosen. VDH also issued an agency-wide records assessment survey and launched a Purging Communications Campaign to prepare other VDH Central Offices for eventual digitization.

In the next quarter, VDH will initiate preparation activities within the remaining ODW Field Offices, procure a scanning vendor for OVR and OLC, and prepare offices for digitization and digital storage. This will also include an effort to develop processes and policies for the pilot offices to maintain digital recordkeeping and prevent the future buildup of paper once records have been digitized. The agency will continue encouraging records purging across all remaining VDH Central Offices and sequence the next phase of offices for digitization. These accomplishments have set the Records Management Initiative on the path to successfully digitize VDH’s paper records within the ARPA SLFRF funding window.

Objective(s)

VDH aims to digitize existing paper records, destroy unnecessary paper records, and streamline paper-based records management processes to:

• Allow for easier and more efficient access to data across the organization and to customers

• Allow for integration and interoperability of data across central offices and local health districts (LHD)

• Eliminate the time and effort associated with retrieving paper documents in multiple locations

• Free physical storage space across VDH facilities by digitizing or destroying paper records and removing the file storage containers