AI-tool helps in Early Detection of Opioid Addiction

Machine learning is used to develop a model for early diagnosis of opioid use disorder, as per the study in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives. The model was created using data in a commercial claim database from 2006 through 2018 of 10 million medical insurance claims from 550,000 patient records.

Data like demographics, chronic conditions, diagnoses and procedures, and medication prescriptions were collected.

The tool led to a diagnosis of opioid use disorder 14.4 months earlier than it was diagnosed clinically.

"Opioid use disorder has led a very serious epidemic in the U.S. and many other countries, with devastating rates of morbidity and mortality due to missed and delayed diagnoses. The novel ability of our algorithm to identify affected individuals earlier will likely save lives and health care costs," said senior author Gideon Koren, MD, of Ariel University, in Israel.

Source-Medindia