Case Study - Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records

Industry

Public Sector

Challenge

Paper-only records created slow retrieval, storage risk, and security/compliance exposure.

Results

Retrieval time reduced from ~10 minutes to ~3 minutes; improved audit readiness and safer access to sensitive records.

Outcomes

10-12M Images digitized & indexed

24 Months to complete on-site scanning at scale

70% Faster retrieval from 10 minutes down to 3 minutes

Overview

Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics needed a faster, safer way to access vital records still locked in paper files. DataBank digitized and indexed 10 to 12 million images, then used AI powered document processing to improve accuracy and searchability across varied formats. With built in validation and recovery checks, the Registry received trustworthy data, not just scanned images. The result was a 70 percent reduction in retrieval time, stronger security, and an analytics ready dataset that supports better planning.

Challenges

Information accessibility: Records existed only on paper; finding one took manual searching.

Security & compliance exposure: Physical documents were vulnerable to damage or loss and were harder to audit.

Inefficiency: Average 10 minutes per request slowed service delivery and tied up staff time.

Physical storage burden: Growing storage needs and risk from environmental events.

Implementation

01

Digitize at Scale, Onsite

On-site scanning converted 10–12M images in 24 months, with simultaneous indexing for rapid, reliable retrieval.

02

Content Intelligence with Multiple Engines

Using several Intelligent Document Processing engines, we increased accuracy across formats while experts handled exceptions to keep throughput high.

03

Governed Data Quality & Recovery

Automated checks flagged missing or mislabeled records, and subject-matter experts performed human-in-the-loop validation to recover and correct.

04

70% Faster Data Retrieval

Retrieval time reduced by 70% as secure role based access and tuned search cut from 10 minutes to 3.

Key Takeaways

Paper digitization, AI validation, and automation deliver accuracy, efficiency, and scalability for future-ready operations

Useful & Secure Records

Reduce physical storage risk and unlock searchability.

Speed + Accuracy

Retrieval time reduced 70% from 10 minutes to 3 minutes.

Operational Wins

Measurable time savings, better audit readiness, fewer re-requests to cities or towns.

Analytics Ready

Governed dataset enables trend analysis and better public health decisions.

Results

01Analyze trends in public health data on top of clean, structured records
02Promote long-term population wellness with faster, more reliable access to statewide records
03Target investments in services based on evidence from longitudinal vital data
04Extend automation into adjacent processes (e.g., corrections, amendments, certified copy fulfillment)

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Learn how Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics partnered with DataBank to address a critical challenge and deliver measurable results.

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September 4, 2026

Case Study – Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records