Technology and Information Systems

Gerry Segal, Director

The Department of Technology and Information Systems (TIS) is responsible for formulating and implementing a strategic design for an institution wide information infrastructure for workstations, network topology, databases, and security.

The Psychiatric Institute has a wide area network of over 1,300 computers connected to a network backbone. Each machine has full access to the Internet including E-Mail, Calendar, Groupware and World Wide Web Services. All facilities within the Institute are connected via a fiber optics backbone Utilizing OC3 ATM protocol and 100 megabits per second (mbs) Fast Ethernet protocol to the desktop. This allows for the high-speed transfer of graphics including PET, SPEC and other medical imaging. Planning is in place to migrate to gigabit Ethernet that will allow for even greater throughput.

In addition TIS has established the Computer Training Center a small drop-in center and group training facility composed of 12 networked PC's. Located on the L2 level of the Kolb Annex, the center Classes are provided throughout the year for the faculty and staff who are interested in statistical and application software.

TIS maintains and upgrades PI’s Web Site and is actively supporting the creation of PI’s Intranet site.

TIS in conjunction with the Columbia University Department of Informatics established the Institute's first Psychiatry Informatics Fellowship.

TIS is responsible for the creation of a Research Subject Management Program to be implemented in April 2003.

TIS was instrumental in major institutional initiatives including the move to the new building in 1998, the Y2K preparedness project in 1999, and the Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act (HIPAA) Security implementation in 2003.

The department provides technical preparedness and support for the following OMH Initiatives including:

• NIMRs (New Incident Management Report System)
• FM1/CMMS Facility Management Work Order System
• Mental Health Automated Record System (MHARS)
• MedSolutions Pharmacy System
• Cerner Lab System

Support for funded research programs including technology, web and data support for the following PI Initiatives:

• The Telepsychiatry Project funded by the Department of Agriculture (William Tucker, MD)
• The Cogent Support Grant (Jack Gorman, MD)
• The Jerusalem Project (Dolores Malespina, MD)

This year TIS:

• Installed the first institutional firewall
• Installed CaseSentry Alert System and Helpdesk Application
• Upgraded the Aperture Facility Management Program
• Installed an Institute-wide anti-virus protection program

The Department also publishes the TIS Newsletter which provides current information about applications, procedures and initiatives central to computing at the Psychiatric Institute.