Addressing the Substance Abuse Epidemic Through Primary Care Visits

Pictured above, Anita Tammara, MD, medical director of primary care at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, conducts a substance abuse screening with a patient.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

All patients coming in for a doctor’s visit at the Primary Care Center at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center are asked the same routine intake questions about their health, medical history, and symptoms—plus a few questions about how often they drink alcohol and use recreational drugs.

Three years ago, questions about alcohol and drug use were not part of routine doctor’s visits. But since the implementation of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment program, screening for substance abuse is now the norm for primary care patients. And it’s helping more of them get the help they need.

“Knowing that we ask every patient the same questions regarding drug and alcohol use helps patients feel more comfortable answering openly and honestly,” says Anita Tammara, MD, medical director, Primary Care at MedStar Franklin Square. “And if they screen positive, we can provide the appropriate support and resources.’”

MedStar Health first implemented this program into its Baltimore-area emergency departments as a way to help identify drug and alcohol abuse, address it with the patient, and connect the patient with resources that can help. After seeing the program’s success in emergency departments, it was expanded to Primary Care at MedStar Franklin Square in 2016.

“All 25 resident physicians at the primary care center have been trained in how to address substance abuse concerns in a way that makes the patient feel comfortable and supported,” Dr. Tammara says. With the training, physicians are now more aware of the various treatment resources available to their patients.

Prior to the program, doctors wouldn’t be able to identify substance abuse unless the patient mentioned it or they were demonstrating clear signs of addiction.

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Integration. SAMHSA.gov/Clinical-Practice/SBIRT

Medical Director Dr. Tammara agrees. “The sooner we identify the problem, the sooner we can get patients into treatment, and avoid hospitalization,” she says. “We not only refer them to treatment, we follow up to ensure successful outcomes.”

Since its implementation, the Primary Care Center at MedStar Franklin Square has conducted more than 8,000 screenings through the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment program.