Safe opioid prescribing: a prognostic machine learning approach to predicting 30-day risk after an opioid dispensation in Alberta, Canada.

Machine learning classifiers, especially incorporating hospitalisation/physician claims data, have better predictive performance compared with guideline or prescription history only approaches when predicting 30-day risk of adverse outcomes. Prescription monitoring programmes and health departments with access to administrative data can use machine learning classifiers to effectively identify those at higher risk compared with current guideline-based approaches.