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Machine learning tool may determine opioid use disorder risk

By Janet Miller Using data found on health care claims, researchers developed a machine learning tool that resulted in a “high level of predictive accuracy” to determine who is at risk for future opioid use disorder in the next 12 months, according to findings presented at PainWeek. “Manual review of health care records by pain practitioners for […]

How big data can identify doctors who overprescribe opioids and avoid potential costs

By Blake Farmer The opioid crisis has put a spotlight on physician prescribing practices, especially since studies show a quarter of chronic pain patients misuse opioids. One startup in Nashville has become a sort of watchdog for health insurers who spend far more when a patient is abusing opioids. “It’s billions of dollars in amenable, avoidable health

As Tennessee pain clinics close, some desperate patients may switch to heroin, experts say

By Brett Kelman One of Tennessee’s largest pain management companies is closing clinics throughout the state this month, sparking concerns that rural patients who abruptly lost their source for opioids will be left with few options and may turn to heroin. Comprehensive Pain Specialists, known widely as CPS, is closing at least 16 clinics in Tennessee and

Announcing the NBJ's 2018 CFO Awards finalists

By Alison Nash The Nashville Business Journal is pleased to announce the finalists for our 2018 CFO Awards. To assemble our list of honorees, we accepted nominations from the public. Nominees then filled out questionnaires, which were scored by an independent panel of judges. Click through the slideshow with this story to meet this year’s honorees. We’re also

Highmark sees early results in war on opioid epidemic

By Paul J. Gough Highmark Inc. has seen a double-digit decrease in the amount of opioid prescription fills and a substantial decrease in the duration of opioid use among its membership over the past year. That’s among data the Pittsburgh-based health insurer released Thursday along with a report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association detailing

Has Tennessee Turned The Corner On Drug-Dependent Babies?

By Blake Farmer The tide may be starting to turn on the number of drug-dependent babies in Tennessee. After an alarming 5-year rise, the number of infants going through withdrawals from opioids is down by more than a quarter from the same point last year. Tennessee was one of the first states to start weekly monitoring of

AHIP 2018: Digital innovation discussions run deep in this year's agenda

By Matt Kuhrt As the entire healthcare ecosystem becomes increasingly digital, this year’s America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) conference features plenty of opportunities to dig deeper into new, cutting-edge tools. Digital innovation and high-value disease targets such as diabetes and opioid addiction will be among the topics on tap at concurrent sessions held during the

How A Recovering Addict Convinces Doctors To Rein In Opioid Prescribing

  By Blake Farmer Physicians who seem to be over-prescribing painkillers or working with addicted patients may now get a tap on the shoulder from a Nashville startup working on behalf of insurors. The company uses sophisticated algorithms to identify problem patients and providers. But since this is such a delicate issue with doctors, they’ve

Addressing the Opioid Crisis

By Conor Green Opioid addiction is in the news every day, arguably after a too-long period when not enough attention was being paid. Our wake-up call was during the 2016 Super Bowl, when AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo decided that an ad for a medication to treat opioid-induced constipation made financial sense, at a reported price of $10M.

In Good HLTH: Reflections on the Newest Industry Gathering

The inaugural HLTH conference took place in Las Vegas May 6-9 and the TripleTree platform was active throughout the event. Whether it was participating as a conference sponsor, moderating two separate panel discussions or engaging with industry leaders, our professionals were energized by the concentration of industry players and the dialogue occurring over the four days. With

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