JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Healthcare has been transformed by computerization and the use of electronic health record systems has become widespread. Anesthesia information management systems are commonly utilized in the operating room to maintain records of anesthetic care delivery. The perioperative environment and the practice of anesthesia generates a large volume of data that may be reused to support clinical decision making, research, and process improvement. Anesthesiologists trained in clinical informatics, referred to as informaticists or informaticians, may help implement and optimize anesthesia information management systems. They may also participate in clinical research, management of information systems, and quality improvement in the operating room or throughout a healthcare system. We describe the specialty of clinical informatics, how anesthesiologists may obtain training in clinical informatics, and the considerations particular to the informal subspecialty of anesthesia informatics. Management of perioperative information systems, implementation of computerized clinical decision support systems in the perioperative environment, the role of virtual visits and remote monitoring, perioperative informatics research, perioperative process improvement, leadership, and change management are described from the perspective of the anesthesiologist-informaticist.