Initially risk management was driven by insurance and litigation, however, recent focus has shifted to a holistic approach that recognises the important role of risk management in balancing stability and innovation. Today management of risk is an integral part of health care sector reform.

An organisation wide view of risk, both corporate and clinical, is essential to provide safe, quality health care that is also sustainable. Risk information supports informed decision making for optimal resource allocation and risk prioritisation. A structured approach to risk management promotes: accountability at all levels of the organisation, patient focused service, innovation in management practice and health delivery, improved ability to manage competing obligations, better management of patient care decisions and transparent decision making.

The AIMS Risk Register is an optional add-on to the AIMS Data Manager - to integrate risk and incident management for an evidenced based, multi-level organisation wide view of risk. Based on the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4360:1999 Risk Management, the AIMS Risk Register captures detail about specific organisational risks such as; risk type, ratings, costs, occurrence history, owners and treatments.

The AIMS Risk Register includes three sections:

1. Risk Assessment: Capture of information about the location, type, nature, and severity of risk then analyse and evaluate.
2. Risk Treatment: Record decisions about how to respond to an identified risk, eg accept, avoid, monitor, reduce, reduce/monitor or transfer. Evaluate risk costs and both tangible and intangible benefits.
3. Review: Define post implementation reviews and key performance indicators (KPIs).