New Hampshire SBIRT IPE Training Collaborative

Approximately 20 to 25% of primary care patients are likely to have a current substance use problem or health problem related to tobacco, alcohol, or drug use (Madras et al., 2009; Pilowsky & Wu, 2012). Providing components of screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) to all patients is effective in reducing alcohol, drug, and tobacco use (Agerwala & McCance-Katz, 2012; Pilowsky & Wu, 2012). Brief intervention in primary care is an effective and cost-efficient approach to reduce patients' alcohol use (Seale et al., 2010; Madras et al., 2009). SBIRT was originally designed for patients with alcohol and tobacco use, but there is growing evidence that brief intervention for illicit drug use may also lead to positive patient outcomes (Compton, 2009). Unfortunately, PCPs screen less than half of their patients for tobacco use and less than a third for alcohol use (Roche & Freeman, 2004; Seale et al., 2010). Brief interventions happen even less often than screening (NDCP, 2008). In patients who screened positive for substance use, less than 75% received a brief intervention. A lack of adequate training is the most frequently reported barrier to screening and brief intervention (Le et al., 2015). Appropriate follow-up is also happening less often as well (D'Amico et al., 2005). Only 48% of people with excessive alcohol use reported receiving follow-up, with most simply being told to "stop drinking". There is also a practice gap in referral to treatment. Less than one-fifth of PCPs make a referral after screening positively for substance abuse or risky substance use (Madras et al., 2009). Primary care physicians need to understand the different types of specialty treatment so that they can make appropriate referrals for their substance abuse patients (SAMHSA, 1997).