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Provider training for patient-centered alcohol counseling in a primary care setting
J K Ockene1, E V Wheeler, A Adams
1Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, USA.
Objective:
To assess the impact of a brief training program on primary care providers' skills, attitudes, and knowledge regarding high-risk and problem drinking.
Design:
Training plus pretesting and posttesting for program efficacy.
Setting:
Ambulatory primary care clinic; academic medical center.
Participants:
Fourteen attending physicians, 12 residents, and 5 nurse practitioners were randomized by clinical team affiliation to a Special Intervention or usual care condition of a larger study. We report the results of the training program for the Special Intervention providers.
Intervention:
Providers received a 2-hour group training session plus a 10- to 20-minute individual tutorial session 2 to 6 weeks after the group session. The training focused on teaching providers how to perform patient-centered counseling for high-risk and problem drinkers.
Main Outcome Measures:
Alcohol counseling skills; attitudes regarding preparedness to intervene and perceived importance and usefulness of intervening with high-risk and problem drinkers; and knowledge of the nature, prevalence, and appropriate treatment of alcohol abuse in primary care populations.
Results:
After training, providers scored significantly higher on measures of counseling skills, preparedness to intervene, perceived usefulness and importance of intervening, and knowledge.
Conclusion:
A group training program plus brief individual feedback can significantly improve primary care providers' counseling skills, attitudes, and knowledge regarding high-risk and problem drinkers.