Substance Use Screening Protocol: Implementation of a System for Patients With Cancer

Substance use by patients with a cancer diagnosis may have a detrimental effect on short- and long-term outcomes. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) has been recommended for all patients in primary care and emergency medicine.

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to train clinical providers and to implement an effective SBIRT program in a radiation oncology clinic in a comprehensive cancer center.

An interprofessional task force developed a staff training protocol that incorporated oncology-specific content. The team then piloted an SBIRT program in the outpatient clinic.

Staff training results were mixed, with only a few evaluation items showing significant improvement. Despite these results, staff training and the implementation of an SBIRT may be valuable in improving substance use screening in this vulnerable population.