The Current State of Alcohol Screening and Management in Virginia Primary Care Practices

Guidelines recommend screening, counseling, and treatment for unhealthy alcohol use (UAU). The authors sought to identify how well this preventive service is delivered in routine primary care by evaluating electronic health record (EHR) documentation and surveying patients about their office visit. Sixty patients from sixty-three practices were included. Based on EHR documentation, only 10.8% of patients were screened using the recommended instrument and 9.6% were identified as having risky drinking. However, on the survey, 24% of patients reported risky drinking. Few patients were referred for behavioral counseling or received medication treatment. Opportunities exist to better screen and treat people for UAU.