Table 7 Potential research topics relevant to patient care and JCAHO quality measures

Screening and assessment

•Is there reason to use more than a single heavy drinking day question to screen for unhealthy alcohol use?

•Is there a better strategy than screening all admissions?

•How should screening be integrated with electronic work flows?

•What is the role of newer alcohol consumption biomarkers?

•What is the optimal assessment method in the hospital?

•What training will hospital-based clinicians require to enhance their skills and confidence in diagnosing alcohol use disorders?

•How do patients feel about assessment during hospitalization?

Treatment

•What patients are most likely to respond to brief intervention?

•How can the beneficial effects of brief intervention on alcohol use be increased?

•How do we enhance the success of referral?

•Does pharmacotherapy for relapse prevention work in this population?

•What is the role for joint detection and treatment of other drug and mental health co-morbidities?

•Can computerized support enhance treatment?

Measuring performance

•What are the effects of brief intervention on other outcomes such as progression of alcohol problems and hospital readmission?

•What are the most pertinent patient-centered outcomes?

•What is the optimal method for assessing the quality of hospital-based SBIRT?