Alcohol and Other Drug Problems among Hospitalized Trauma Patients: Controlling Complications, Mortality, and Trauma Recidivism

Conference Recommendations for Trauma Centers to Improve Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Substance Use Disorders:

• Disseminate evidence about intervention efficacy and effectiveness.
• Make SBIRT for substance abuse disorders routine practice in trauma centers even as appropriate implementation studies are being conducted.
• Fund implementation research that involves the trauma community.
• Make SBIRT for substance abuse disorders an essential component of trauma care.
• Develop better systems of reporting substance use problems to improve surveillance.
• Change insurance regulations (e.g., UPPL).
• Insurers should reimburse trauma center staff for SBIRT for substance abuse disorders.

Published conference proceedings (Journal of Trauma, revised supplement, September 2005 (Volume 59, Number 3) are available from the Innovators Awards Program.  To request a copy e-mail us at innovatorsawards@jhmi.edu