Abstract
Anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) have uses that extend far beyond automatic anesthesia record-keeping. After initial experience with the development of monitoring technology, the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, began the installation of the Arkive anesthesia information management system in 1987. The system was installed hospital-wide in 1992. AIMS played an integral role in determining the cost of pharmaceutical agents used during an anesthetic procedure. Clinicians targeted areas of high cost in which anesthetic practice could be modified. Establishment of an educational program followed by the institution of practice guidelines allowed for an annualized savings of more than $900,000 on drug costs with no effect on the quality of care provided. Future generations of AIMS need to be more fully integrated into hospital information management systems.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 77-83 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | CRNA: Clinical Forum for Nurse Anesthetists |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - May 30 1997 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- anesthesia
- anesthesiology
- anesthetics
- automated anesthesia record keeper
- computer
- costs and cost analysis
- economics
- equipment
- health care costs
- health expenditures
- hospital information systems
- medical
- medical informatics
- medical record
- practice guidelines
- records
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nursing(all)
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine