The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research & Education

The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research and Education's mission is to promote excellence in clinical care through research and education.


Clinical Information Management

The Burlingame Center supports quality management and program evaluation activities, monitors clinical care (e.g., evidence-based practices), maintains practice guideline documents, and conducts research related to hospital operations.

The Clinical Evaluation and Monitoring System (CEMS)

The Burlingame Center operates the hospital's computerized clinical decision support system CEMS. This automated decision support system, first developed by John W. Goethe, M.D. and Bonnie L. Szarek, R.N., supports the goal of assuring the optimal outcome for every patient.

The components of the system are:

  • Psychotropic Guidelines: This on-line document summarizes key information about the use of selected psychiatric medications (dosages, therapeutic serum levels, indications and side effects). It also presents "decision trees" to guide drug selection. (more)
  • Information Alerts: These computer-generated messages notify clinicians of events that do not conform to practice guidelines and medication protocols. Clinicians may respond to these notices by changing the treatment plan/diagnosis/laboratory orders to comply with "usual practice" (defined in the Pharmacotherapy Guidelines) or by documenting the reason for alternative treatment, using a standard form to record the response. (The response is then automatically entered as a progress note in the patient’s medical record.)
  • Diagnostic Checklists (DCLs): The DCLs provide an automated method for assuring documentation of the key symptoms and behavioral issues that support the assigned diagnosis and for noting the degree of change in each symptom/behavior at subsequent evaluations (e.g., at discharge). There is a separate checklist for each psychiatric diagnosis that reflects DSM criteria for that diagnosis.
  • Outcome Assessment Program (OAP): Clinical staff interview every patient at admission and discharge, using a brief questionnaire to assess items related to functioning and productivity. The patient is contacted at one, six, and twelve months post-discharge to assess functional status and subsequent psychiatric treatment received. Manager: Steve Woolley, M.P.H., D.Sc. Coordinator: Brenda Woznicki.

Investigational Therapies Service

The service offers access to psychiatric medications that are currently in development but not yet approved for use in routine clinical care. These medications can only be administered to individuals who participate in a formal research study. Click here for information about current studies.


  • The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research & Education
    200 Retreat Avenue
    Hartford, CT 06106


Institute of Living Locations:

  • Institute of Living

    Institute of Living (IOL) is one of America's leading not-for-profit centers for comprehensive patient care, research and education in the fields of behavioral, psychiatric and addiction disorders.

  • The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research & Education

    The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research and Education's mission is to promote excellence in clinical care through research and education.

  • Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center

    The Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center at the Institute of Living, was founded in 2001. The mission of the Center is to be at the forefront of research in brain disorders.

  • Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    The Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides state-of-the-art treatments with proven effectiveness and conducts meaningful research on the nature and treatment of anxiety to educate mental health professionals in research and treatment.

  • Anxiety Disorders Center

    The Anxiety Disorders Center provides state-of-the-art treatments with proven effectiveness and conducts meaningful research on the nature and treatment of anxiety to educate mental health professionals in research and treatment.

  • The Braceland Center for Memory & Aging

    Established in 1987, the Braceland Center for Mental Health and Aging at The Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, conducts research and education to improve the health and well-being of older persons.

  • Family Resource Center

    The Family Resource Center (FRC) provides education, support, referral services, and treatment to persons or families dealing with a major mental illness.

The Burlingame Center for Psychiatric Research & Education