Case Study: CalvertHealth reduces opioid prescribing with MEDITECH

CalvertHealth Makes Major Gains in Battling the Opioid Epidemic

CalvertHealth, a Maryland health system serving about 420 patients daily, faced a serious opioid crisis after being identified in 2015 as the top prescriber for the highest amount of morphine milligram equivalents in the area. To respond, the organization worked with MEDITECH and its EHR tools to help reduce overprescribing and support safer pain management.

MEDITECH helped CalvertHealth implement an opioid stewardship program that combined provider education, patient materials, updated order sets, and decision support in the EHR. The hospital also used CRISP data exchange through MEDITECH to flag red-flag behavior like doctor shopping and prompt CDC-guideline checks before prescribing. The results included a 94% reduction in Dilaudid prescriptions and a 46% decrease in other opioids, earning CalvertHealth recognition as the Health Quarterly Innovator of the Year in 2017.

CalvertHealth

Phil Campbell

Chief Information Officer, Vice President of Information Services