Computerized Substance Use Screening in Primary Care

This research will develop and pilot test a voice-interactive computer for assessing risks ofsubstance abuse among patients presenting for routine primary care. A pre-recorded voice speaksquestions and directs the patients to respond using the touch tone telephone keypad. The patient cancomplete the assessment from existing telephones in the waiting room or examination room. If thepatient is seen on an inpatient basis, the patient may complete the assessment from the telephone nextto the hospital bed. Since any touch tone telephone can be used, the patient could also call prior to theclinic visit from home, work, a pay phone, or other convenient phone. The computer completes a riskassessment profile for each patient which is immediately generated at the practice site, either at anon-site printer, or by fax if the computer is located off-site. The system alerts physicians of high riskpatients. The ultimate goal of the effort is to improve the rate of physician intervention in the contextof primary care, by making identification quick, convenient, and cost-effective. A secondary goal is toassist primary care physicians in tracking patients who receive interventions.