HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7706 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7706
,,St T I A ea April 6, 1993
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Subject:
VITAL CHEK CREDIT CARD OPERATION FOR THE HEALTH
STATISTICS AND INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION
PURPOSE:
Plans are being made to implement Vital Chek, a service that allows citizens to
purchase birth and death records by credit card.
BACKGROUND:
The Health Statistics and Information Services Division sells birth and death records.
At this time, citizens are required to pay,f6r-.the se,records 1,e-t1*hdr by check, cash, or
money order. Implementation of the VitkChek service will enable a citizen to charge
their credit card for the cost of the certifi6ate ordered, The system will work in this
manner: Vital Chek will install a simple transcribing and verification station in the
Health Statistics and Information Services Division -The public can initiate a request
for vital records by telephone or in person. TheZ/formation that must be provided
includes the following:
1. Visa, MasterCard or Discover - Name, number and expiration date.
2. Type of certificate requested. Full name at birth, date and place of birth.
3. Full name of father and mother's maiden name.
4. Daytime phone number and address where the certificate can be mailed.
5. How the customer wants the certificate mailed. Overnight mail service is
available.
The cost of the certificate ordered,the overnight fee if requested, plus the handling fee
of Vital Chek, $5.00, appears on the customer's next statement from Visa,
MasterCard, or Discover.
Vital Chek certifies funds for payment and authorizes a check payable to the City of
Fort Worth. This check is immediately issued through the terminal on site as the staff
is providing the requested record.
Implementation of the Vital Chek service will enable the Vital Records staff to respond
immediately to telephone requests, eliminate collection problems for bad checks and
work more efficiently.
Presently over 40 state government vital records agencies and over 200 local
governmental agencies participate in the Vital Chek Network. There is never a cost
of any kind to the government agency that offers Vital Chek Network services to the
public. Vital Chek provides all equipment, maintenance, supplies, an trainiag at no
charge. OFFICIAL RECORD
a
CITY SECRETARY
FT, WORTH TEX
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER — 110"I -WeRfil,,TEEX4,61
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7706
T I A pril 6, 199
Fof foer�� To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Subject:
VITAL CHEK CREDIT CARD OPERATION FOR THE HEALTH
STATISTICS AND INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION
RECOMMENDATION:
Unless otherwise directed,the Public Health Director proposes to implement the Vital
Chek Network credit card service in April 1993.
,t
b
ATerrel d
1amity Manager
BT:mi
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS