GrEma: an HTR model for automated transcriptions of the Girifalco asylum’s medical records

This paper deals with the digitization and transcription of medical records from the historicalarchiveoftheformerpsychiatric hospitalofGirifalco(Catanzaro,Italy).The digitization is carried out in the premises where the asylum once stood and the historical archive is stored. Using the ScanSnap SV600 flatbed scanner, a copy compliant with the original for each document contained within the medical records is returned. Subsequently the differenttrainingphasesofaHandwritten Text Recognition model with the Transkribus tool are presented. The transcription aims to obtain texts in an interoperable format, and it was applied exclusivelytotheclinicaldocuments,such as the informative form, the nosological table and the clinical diary. This paper describes the training phases of a customized model for medical record transcription,namedGrEma,presentingits benefits, limitations and possible future applications. This work was carried out ensuring compliance with current legislation on the protection of personal data. It also highlights the importance of digitization and transcription for the recovery and preservation of historical archives from former psychiatric institutions, ensuring these valuable documents remain accessible for future research and potential users.