As the opioid crisis continues to spread nationwide, it’s requiring an all-hands-on-deck effort to turn the tide. Health information technology – electronic health record customizations, predictive analytics algorithms, e-prescribing tools – is proving to be a valuable weapon in the fight.

As part of National Health IT Week, a HIMSS Media webinar on Tuesday detailed the efforts of two HIMSS Davies Award-winning providers, Ochsner Health System and Bon Secours Mercy Health to leverage technology to stem opioid addiction in their patients.

While both are large health systems, the lessons they’ve learned in putting data science and EHR optimization to work point to some strategies and best practices for other hospitals facing the same battle: the largest drug epidemic in U.S. history, with opioid overdoses having more than quadrupled over the past 20 years.

“We’re in the midst of the most challenging public health concern facing healthcare professionals and first responders today,” said Jedediah Tuten, director of acute pharmacy operations at Bon Secours Mercy Health.