LONGTIME CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER "SHUTS DOWN" AFTER 29 YEARS

When David Massey began what would become a 29-year career at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, there were no personal computers, cell phones or Wireless transmitters on campus.

In fact, when Massey first joined the institution as a computer programmer in the early 1970s, the only desktop systems at UMC were mainframe-based terminals connected by cables to the State of Mississippi’s computer system. Security was a limited concern: the main focus of the Division of Computer Services, the forerunner to the Division of Information Systems, was developing software and application systems for the Medical Center.

The institution’s technological landscape has changed dramatically, especially since the advent of the Internet, electronic mail, palm pilots, and other daily “staples” of academic and professional life. But the one constant in the electronic sea of change at UMC has been Massey’s quietly confident leadership.

“David Massey has provided outstanding leadership for information technology at the Medical Center for many years,” said Dr. Dan Jones, UMC vice chancellor for health affairs. “He has done an amazing job of keeping us moving forward with limited resources. His greatest talent is communicating complex technical topics to nontechnical people. He will be missed.”

As the Medical Center’s chief information officer for the last 10 years, Massey has overseen such daunting challenges as the first electronic health record initiative, the institution-wide Y2K conversion and the establishment of UMC’s first campus-wide computer system. His retirement on June 30 will mark a significant shift in technology leadership at the institution.

“He is a true professional with the highest integrity and has exhibited tremendous leadership skills in guiding the Division of Information Systems,” said Dr. David Powe, associate vice chancellor for adinistrative affairs. “David will truly leave a rich legacy for his outstanding contributions to the Medical Center.”

Massey says his career has come “full circle” since his early days at the Medical Center developing software and application systems... “In the early 1990s, PCs came on the scene and changed everything,” he said. “Things turned from building our own applications to delivering those applications and supporting the PC desktops and network.

“In the early days, we had security systems, but nothing like we have today. What it costs to protect our systems today is unbelievable compared to those days.”

He fondly recalls the day the Medical Center “cut the cord” separating itself from the state’s computing system to establish the first computer center on campus. It proved to be a major milestone in the progression of technology at UMC.

“We were tied to the state regulations and guidelines for computing and were unable to build systems according to the wishes of the Medical Center,” Massey said. “When we became entirely stand-alone, it was like launching a whole new era of computing.”

In 1990, UMC became one of the first state institutions to connect to the World Wide Web. Massey became heavily involved in the delivery of Internet access and electronic mail systems campus-wide. But when he took the CIO reigns in 1997, he found himself staring in the face of the biggest potential roadblock to the information systems industry: the Year 2000 Problem (Y2K).

Some early computer program design that employed date-sensitive applications did not include four-digit numerals to mark years. The widespread concern was that critical computer systems would cease to operate at exactly midnight on Jan. 1, 2000 and on other critical dates that were called “event horizons.”

“When I took over as CIO in 1997, Y2K was the top item on the list of every CIO in the country,” Massey said. “During the three years prior, we literally spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in preparation for the year 2000. The night of Dec. 31, we all spent the night here, watching all the applications turn. I tell my staff that this was an event you can recall for your grandchildren.  

“I think the fact that we didn’t have any incident of major proportion across the country speaks volumes about the profession. When I look back on that time, the real cost was in what we weren’t able to do because we literally had to put all our focus on the Y2K problem.”

With Y2K resolved, the division returned to implementing much-needed systems on campus. Among the technological innovations the division introduced to UMC under Massey’s tenure include:

• the first student information system;

• the first hospital information system;

• the first electronic health record initiative;

• the first computerized pharmacy lab;

• the first private telecommunications system; and

• the first computerized university financial system.

But Massey’s contributions to the Medical Center weren’t limited to his CIO responsibilities. After observing how the Medical Center helped his son recover from an automobile accident, Massey decided he wanted to do even more.

His idea for a chili cooking competition as a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital Fund was met with skepticism at first. A weekday activity that required so much energy and preparation looked to some like a failure waiting to happen. Yet what started as a small intradepartmental event consisting of seven cooking teams has grown to become one of the most popular - and fun - fundraisers on campus.

“I always wanted to start a volunteer activity that everyone in the division could participate in,” Massey said. “After the first event, people got excited about it. We moved it from the DIS large conference room to the School of Nursing auditorium to the Student Union gym. I get e-mails throughout the year from people who want to have a team.

“Now it’s very orchestrated, we have a project plan and a kick-off meeting, and it raises between $3-4 thousand each year.”

Massey said the success of the Chili Challenge exemplifies the outstanding teamwork that has been crucial to the division’s accomplishments during his tenure. He points to that camaraderie as one of the biggest reasons for his success – and one of the things he’ll miss most about the Medical Center.

“We have been blessed with a staff of professionals who love their work, love the University and exhibit that love every day by delivering exemplary support,” Massey said. “The diversity of the systems and applications that we have at UMC is one of the reasons I’ve stayed here, and it’s what attracts folks from the IT community to the University. But the outstanding staff we have on campus is dedicated to serving our customers.

“They do their best to help each and everyone succeed every day.”

 —Bruce Coleman (6-18-07)

2007-06-18 00:00:00 17029