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Highmark Health says progress made, new efforts underway to tackle opioid crisis

PITTSBURGH — The war on opioids waging on with the help of Highmark Health.

It was a year ago when Highmark Health announced it was taking on the opioid crisis and Tuesday morning, officials said so far their efforts have been successful.

The company has lowered opioid prescriptions with its members by 15 percent.

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Officials also announced Highmark, Allegheny Health Network and Gateway Health are launching a new holistic program that will utilize a range of therapies to help patients find alternative ways to manage pain.

“Our problem our job is to figure out what that patient needs and then put them into the appropriate treatment plan.  Not everyone needs medical massage, not everyone needs acupuncture, not everyone needs physical therapy, but some patients do,” Dr. Jack Kabazi, from Allegheny Health Network, said. “So to streamline the process, we have nurse navigators who work with our physicians to put these patients in the appropriate treatment plan and then follow them through that treatment plan.”

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