Anesthesia Information Management Systems

Adoption of AIMS is increasing as governmental, regulatory, and institutional forces push for EMRs. Anesthesiologists can benefit by proactively identifying features that they consider desirable, participating in institutional selection processes, and contributing to system configuration. The advantages of automated record keeping suggest that once an AIMS is used, few users have an interest in returning to paper. The evolution of these systems should not only help with clinical documentation but ultimately assist clinicians in providing care. Familiarity with how these systems capture, store, and retrieve data is essential in understanding the medicolegal significance of EMRs.