Opioid Use Disorder

Drug overdose is an epidemic Healthcare providers need to combat in US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that on an average, 116 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose & 11.5 million people are reported for misusing opioid prescriptions. National Safety Council conducted a national survey of physicians spending over 70% of their time seeing patients for pain.

National Safety Council Survey Revelations:

99%
of doctors

prescribe highly addictive opioids for longer period than recommended by the CDC (three days)

74%
of doctors

incorrectly believe morphine and oxycodone – both opioids – are the most effective way to treat pain.

67%
of doctors

are, in part, basing their prescribing decisions on patient expectations

The last point above highlights an alarming feedback loop at work. When doctors say that they are making prescribing decisions based on patient expectations, what they mean is that patients have learned to associate quality of care with liberal use of pain killers. Fixing this damaging misperception will require extensive education, as well as targeted efforts to curb excessive opioid usage. (Source)

What is happening?
- Americans consuming more opioids than any other country and facing fatal health problems as a result
- Providers being indirectly penalized as their patients become victims of opioid abuse
- Payers bleeding though opioid overdose related reimbursements
Why is it happening?
- Doctor Shopping (Carrying multiple prescriptions)
- Prescription misuse by Patients or their family (after death or otherwise)
- Lack of recommended prescription guideline education among providers
- Doctors facing pressure to see & treat patients quickly & efficiently

Important Statistics

Source: ¹ 2016 National Survey on Drug Use & Health. ² Mortality in US, 2016 NCHS Data Brief No.293, December 2017. ³ CEA Report: The underestimated cost of the opioid crisis,2017

Healthcare IT to the rescue

As the opioid epidemic escalates, clinicians are actively seeking tools and resources to detect and prevent opioid misuse. Technology can be of considerable assistance to clinicians with improved adherence to both controlled substances prescription guidelines and underlying treatment protocols. Below are a few ways technology could be leveraged to address some of the challenges that exist in this regard.

Integrations with PDMPs
Collect Data from pharmacies across your state to understand prescription Hx
- - PDMP is a state-run electronic database that collects data from pharmacies on controlled prescription drugs dispensed to patients.
- - PDMP integration can get providers bonus points under Medicare Programs in 2019. It also prevents misuse by avoiding patient re-visits for prescription renewals before due.
Education:
Keep sharing content around the effects and the use of MATs with patients
- - Educating patients about the side effects of opioid Drug overdose through a medical adherence app, or maybe a patient portal.
- - Providers should Add Date of Death field within the EHR and send auto-reminders to family members for Drug take-back & Mail back programs
CDS Tools in EHR
Take help from CDS for keeping you aware of the repercussions before prescribing any OPIOID to the Patient.
- - Physicians must stick to standard protocols by adhering to CQMs identified by NCQA.
- - Algorithms in EHR mandating all the checks before opioids prescribing and Patient education
- - Saves the physicians from any calamities in the future.

Telehealth
Help patients living without an access to Authorized OPIOID practitioners
- - To allow community mental health and addiction treatment centers to register with DEA to treat patients through the use of telemedicine.
- - Allow qualified centers to register with DEA to treat more patients, particularly those living in rural areas that lack qualified providers.
Improve MIPS scores
With the ecosystem sprinting towards VBC, make sure you do every bit to improve your quality score
- - In ACI category, earn bonus by completion of training & receipt of approved waiver for provision opioid medication assisted treatments.
- - Consultation of Prescription Drug monitoring programs
Predictive analytics:
Have your system inform you about what you might face in the future
- - Providers can leverage patient demographic and social data, compare it against proven models to predict incidents of prescription abuse and make changes to the treatment plan for at-risk individuals.
- - Prescribing habits of providers through the year could revel opportunities for provider education.

For a problem that has existed for some time now, nobody has a magic-bullet. However, with our experience in the ecosystem, we can help you with a mitigation plan. Drop us a note!

Prevent OPIOID Abuse!

Let's move to value based care

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Opioid Use Disorder

National Safety Council Survey Revelations:

What is happening?

Why is it happening?

Important Statistics

Healthcare IT to the rescue

Integrations with PDMPs

Education:

CDS Tools in EHR

Telehealth

Improve MIPS scores

Predictive analytics:

Let's move to value based care

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