New CWCI App Allows Members to Examine & Compare California Workers Comp Rx Drug Data

Last month, CWCI published a study on California workers’ compensation prescription drug trends based on data from 12.5 million prescriptions dispensed to California injured workers from 2007 to June 2017.  That research measured changes in the prescription and payment distributions among major therapeutic drug groups used in indemnity claims, then took an in-depth look at the trends in the volume, cost, potency and types of opioids used.  The results showed that while opioids remain the most common type of prescription drug used to treat injured workers with indemnity claims, ongoing efforts to curb their use have paid off, as over the past decade opioids have declined from about one third of indemnity claim prescriptions to less than a quarter, while anti-inflammatories and anticonvulsants, which are often used as opioid alternatives, garnered an increased share of the indemnity claim prescriptions. 

As a corollary to the prescription drug study, the Institute is pleased to announce the release of our latest interactive tool, an online application that members can use to examine and compare industrywide prescription drug data dispensed between January 2007 and June 2017, derived from our Industry Research Information System (IRIS) database.  The app includes both claim level results so users can measure and compare prescription drug utilization by accident year at different levels of development, and service-level data based on all prescriptions filled within a given calendar year, regardless of the injury dates on the claims.   

The app is available to CWCI members who log on to our website, and contains a series of dashboards that can generate statewide or regional prescription drug data either for all claims or for just indemnity claims.  Global selection settings and drop down menus allow users to view results for different levels of development; for open and/or closed claims; for specific drug groups; by opioid drug name; for generic and/or brand drugs; for specific industries; and for specific accident years or service years.  Once the metrics are selected, the results automatically display in the accompanying tables and graphics, with regional data displayed in color-coded heat maps.  To guide users through the app, the Institute has put together an Interactive Research Report that reviews the data in each dashboard, including the options for generating customized views and screenshots of the data and exhibits available. 

How to Access the Interactive Research Report and Application

To access the Prescription Drug Interactive Research Report and the interactive tool, log on to our website (www.cwci.org) with your user name and password.  (If you haven’t set up a member account, select “Your Account” at the top of the home page, click “Add me as a Member User” from the pull-down menu, complete the form, then use the information to log in).  Once you are logged on, click Research and scroll down to “Prescription Drug Interactive Tool.”  Here you will find two buttons:

• Click the “Full Report” button for the report detailing the metrics included and selections available in the application; or
• Click the “Interactive Data” button to open the app and gain access to the dashboards.

The Prescription Drug Interactive Research application is part of our ongoing effort to provide members with analytical tools that allow a more comprehensive, interactive experience based on CWCI research.  If you have questions or need help accessing or using our interactive tools, call CWCI at 510-251-9470.

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