IBM is in a unique position to uncover new insights to address the opioid epidemic. Its Science for Good program focuses on analyzing the relationship between factors surrounding an initial opioid prescription and a subsequent diagnosis of addiction. The goal is to identify causal (and not merely correlated) factors that lead to an addiction diagnosis.
IBM’s work represents the beginning of a long and potentially far-reaching mission to make inferences about undiagnosed individuals in order to offer guidelines on opioid prescriptions.
“Overall, our vision is to draw upon the richness of IBM’s claims and other healthcare data to deliver insights tailored to the needs of different stakeholders. With an epidemic of this magnitude, such joint efforts are clearly needed.”
You can read more about IBM’s work here.