Marine CorpsService Treatment RecordScanning Program

Case Study

Program OverviewIn the early 90’s, Service Treatment Records (STR) became the official Veteran health record used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support the continuity of care, administrative, business-related and evidentiary needs of VA. STRs are a chronological record documenting the medical, dental, and mental health care and treatment received by Service members primarily outside of a hospital (outpatient), but may contain a synopsis of any inpatient hospital care and mental health treatment related to the Armed Forces members’ service.

STRs are the property of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and ultimately the U.S. Government. All Military STR documentation is used by VA to determine eligibility for service-connected compensation and pension benefits, should a claim be filed. The STR is the most complete available record of the Service member’s treatment.

Beginning January 1, 2014, DoD Military Services uploaded STR content in an electronic format into the DoD electronic data repository called the Healthcare Artifact and Image Management Solution (HAIMS). DoD charged the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) with the responsibility of converting all paper records combined with substandard electronic documents into a searchable electronic format. As well as, uploading the STRs into HAIMS and certifying them as complete by using the DD Form 2963 within 45 calendar days following a Service members’ separation or retirement from the Military.

As of February 1, 2016, the USMC and Evoke Consulting team reached Full Operational Capability (FOC) for scanning operations independent of the Navy’s scanning facility and contractor staff.

We Design, Execute, and Deliver.

Manual verification of an adjusted percentage

of records in batch.

Extraction AutomaticValidation

ManualValidation

Attach metadata andextract batch level fieldsobtained at time of scan.

Automatic verification of an adjusted percentage

of records in batch.

DocumentAssembly

Barcode information is applied to folders and

prepped for review.

USMC STR Central Cell’sSTR Scanning ProcessFrom Receiving Records to Submitting and Validating STRs.

Receipt ofRecords Document Prep Scanning

Folder Import

Create Three Copies;Original, Backup,

and Working.

STRCC unloadsand secures recordsfrom the Mailroom.

Review

Review and confirm 100%of all converted images

for content quality.

Prepare receivedrecords for scanning.

PageProcessing

OCR Image Processing,Document Cleanup, and

Barcode Reader Creation.

Paper records becomeelectronic documents.

Export

Documents are grouped,and prepped for export

to STR Share Folder.

Upload toHAIMS

STRShare Drive

Barcode information is applied to folders and

prepped for review.

SecureStorage

Legend: Manual Process Automated Process

SolutionSince reaching FOC for the USMC scanning facility, the STR Central Cell (STRCC) has established a procedure for accurately scanning, reviewing, and validating each STR that is scanned into a digital format. In addition, the STRCC has automated the process of uploading electronic STRs into HAIMS.

The USMC STRCC is the first military service branch to have the ability to query the HAIMS database to ensure that the files submitted for upload have been accurately stored. STRCC staff is Lean Six Sigma certified, providing techniques that create a continuous improvement process for the STR program.

These continuous process improvements have lead to the elimination of backlogged inventory at FOC down to a functional zero in less than 40 business days. This inventory reduction of nearly 4,000 records was accomplished while still receiving and processing over 10,000 new records in the same period of time.

STRCC is now able to process records the same day they arrive in the mail.

ResultsThe process takes advantage of automation while not eliminating the human touch.

• Careful document preparation in order to ensure successful scanning

• Customized document barcodes in order to ensure records are uploaded and stored in the proper format

• Document enhancing to sharpen images and clear out background noise

• 100% Human review of ALL records in order to ensure only the best quality images are uploaded

• Human review on 10% of records, verifying all paper content to the new electronic content

• Backup electronic copies in a secure server• Automated HAIMS capture verification to ensure

records sent are successfully uploaded and stored before final disposition

Benefits Due to the fact that the STRCC is processing records at such a fast rate, at such a high level of quality, with multiple quality control checks, and with a HAIMS upload verification by Marine, by record, AND by individual document; the USMC is requesting permission from DoD to dispose of STRs once they have been backed up in a secure, encrypted server and verified in HAIMS. This action will save millions of dollars per year in storage costs.

The USMC STRCC is the first military service branch to have the ability to query the HAIMS database to ensure that the files submitted for upload have been accurately stored.

Number of Records Processed by STRCC

Active Duty STR Upload Timeliness (Days)

Number of Records in Inventory

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For More InformationDavid Dastvardavid.dastvar@evokeconsulting.comcell (202) 497-8848

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