How Anthem Helped Cut Opioid Prescriptions by Half

The fight against prescription opioid addiction requires a collective effort to make the biggest impact.

With Anthem Whole Health Connection (AWHC), Anthem is able to make a big difference in that fight and help network providers do their part by giving them the full view of patients' health information.

AWHC taps into the power of a different type of integration that not only connects products and plans, but also technology, tools, information and people to improve the health of Anthem members.

Reducing Prescription Opioid Abuse

AWHC powers an ongoing, multi-year collaboration between Anthem and network dentists and pharmacists to reduce opioid prescriptions for dental care by:

Educating dentists on effective alternatives (with additional education for dentists who issue more opioid prescriptions or for longer durations than their peers).

Implementing the CDC prescription opioid guidelines* including limiting new prescriptions for short-acting opioids to a seven-day supply.

Launching Anthem's HIPAA-compliant Dental Patient Health History tool for dentists to see patients' health profile including previous prescription opioid use.

The results so far:

• 50% decrease in opioids prescribed by Anthem dentists**
• 90% reduction in opioid prescriptions exceeding a seven-day supply**

Learn more about how connecting Anthem dental and medical plans helps lead to better care, lower costs and a better overall experience.

Two-way Sharing of Patients' Dental and Vision Health History

Not only do network dentists and eye doctors need to see relevant patient health information, they also need to be able to add to it. So Anthem also updated the functionality of their Patient Health History tool so they can post clinical notes and exam findings for other network providers on the patient's care team, including primary care physicians, pharmacists and care managers.

This enhancement helps providers see the big-picture view of their patients, catch health issues earlier and deliver more holistic care. Find out more here.

For questions or help with an Anthem quote, please contact a member of your B&P Sales Team - 888.722.3373.

*cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm

**3.5 years (2015 – July 2019) of opioid pharmacy claims data prescribed by dentists was examined for members with an Anthem pharmacy plan.