Big data is helping lawmakers and healthcare providers find solutions to the nation's opioid epidemic, freelance technology writer Jerry Bowles wrote in a diginomica op-ed.
Prescription drug monitoring programs — state databases that gather information from pharmacies on dispensed controlled substances — require standardized rules and mandatory use, Mr. Bowles writes. Thirty states currently mandate physician use, while 20 make PDMP usage voluntary. The goal of these statewide programs is to prevent "doctor shopping," Mr. Bowles writes.
Other data tools, like interactive maps, have also helped to address the opioid epidemic. In particular, public health and safety workers have used these tools to target patrols in neighborhoods with overdose hotspots.
Mr. Bowles says that big data tools, like these two examples, showcase trends in opioid use and allow policymakers and concerned citizens to respond in real-time. PDMPs and other data-sharing programs also enable pharmacists and physicians to take corrective action and be proactive in their prescribing decisions.
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