Alcohol Screening, Intervention & Referral For Health Professionals

Health professionals play an important role in alcohol screening to help assess the level of at-risk drinking among their clients and provide further supports and referrals as needed.

Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral: Screening & Assessment Protocol

  • A healthcare provider can identify patients who drink alcohol beyond low-risk consumption levels and further assess their at-risk status based on reported alcohol use and other relevant clinical information.
  • Interventions should be selected based on this assessment.

Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral: Brief Intervention and Review Protocol: 

  • A primary care brief intervention is composed of one or more short visits with a patient.
  • The central focus of these visits is to motivate and support the patient’s efforts to change drinking-related behaviour and reduce alcohol-related harms.

Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral: Follow-up and Support Protocol

  • It is important to continue to follow up with patients and review goals and progress at each visit.
  • If the patient is receiving medication for alcohol dependence, medication management support should also be provided.

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