What should a provider do when a patient screens positive for alcohol misuse or unhealthy drinking?
Patients in a general medical or mental health setting who screen positive for alcohol misuse or unhealthy drinking should receive 5-15 minutes of brief counseling (i.e. a brief alcohol intervention) about their drinking. Risk of alcohol dependence increases as AUDIT-C scores increase. Patients with a prior history of alcohol treatment or AA are at especially high risk for alcohol dependence and should be considered for further assessment and/or offered referral to a substance use treatment program.
