New Study on Implementation of Alcohol Screening in Primary Care

Despite the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen adults for unhealthy alcohol use, the implementation of alcohol screening in primary care remains suboptimal. An article titled "Agile implementation of alcohol screening in primary care" published in BMC Primary Care, offers a promising approach to addressing this issue. Dawn Bishop, a Quality Improvement Advisor on Altarum’s Population Health team, is a contributing author to this important work. This publication highlights Altarum's ongoing commitment to improving population health through innovative methodologies.

The article focuses on a quality improvement study implemented at Indiana University Health, where the team employed Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to integrate alcohol screening into primary care practices. These PDSA cycles, along with Agile methodology, were essential in successfully embedding the screening process and served as the foundation for the implementation strategy. 

This work builds upon the Michigan Sustained Patient-Centered Alcohol-Related Care (MI-SPARC) program, an initiative funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). MI-SPARC supported primary care practices across Michigan in integrating behavioral health into clinical workflows, specifically focusing on evidence-based approaches to alcohol-related care. Through this program, providers received training on recognizing and treating unhealthy alcohol use, along with technical assistance for implementing screening, brief preventative counseling, and referral to treatment (SBIRT). Altarum developed the Alcohol and Health Implementation Guide for Primary Care, a comprehensive guide with SBIRT protocols, tips for addressing risky drinking with patients, and information about treatment options. The guide also offers tools and resources to facilitate the integration of these practices into daily workflows. The guide is available for free for primary care and beyond, helping to ensure the continued dissemination of these valuable resources. 

Altarum has decades of experience operating training and technical assistance programs for federal agencies such as HRSA. Learn more about our capacity-building and impact-driving Training and Technical Assistance capabilities. In parallel, Altarum’s behavioral health experts have worked to promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and foster recovery for more than 20 years. We’re achieving tangible results by expanding peer recovery support services, providing training and technical assistance to the behavioral health workforce, seamlessly integrating behavioral health care with other essential services, and ensuring equitable access for underserved populations. Explore our Behavioral health expertise.