Tufts University's overall goal is to create an organizational mechanism to more effectively manage the knowledge of the health sciences and to provide for a system of comprehensive information access for its academic health sciences center. The objective is to develop an integrated network of computer-based systems and services to include institutional clinical, scholarly and administrative data bases. The purpose of this request is for support to complete a strategic plan leading to the implementation of an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS). Considerable groundwork has been done toward this goal including the development of a needs analysis, development of an institution information policy, identification of staff and faculty leadership for IAIMS planning, involvement of all sectors of the academic medical center and establishment of a planning process which has already identified certain strategic outcomes. What remains to be done are development of certain technical policy issues, completion of an implementation plan and a detailed budget for implementation. Using a planning organization comprised of senior administrative leaders, faculty/staff user representatives and information services providers, the following specific areas are to be addressed. 1)To establish technical specifications, cost, funding sources and a time table for the Health Sciences campus network. 2)Develop plan for sharing information resources with the Tufts associated hospitals. 3)Further develop the application of information technology to the education of health science professionals, and, 4)Establish policy and procedures for access to institutional clinical and administrative data bases.
