VA-ALCOHOL ABUSE SCREENING (10)    EDUCATION TOPICS (9999999.09)

This topic represents the inquiry process done by a clinician to determine
The data collected in PCE reflecting activity related to the Problem
Drinking Screening reminder, or your local sites equivalent, will be used
by the National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in
preparation of an annual report to Congress.
 
This screening topic is considered the "minimum" requirement for
clinicians to reflect the clinical activity.  If the clinician actually
provides education, the appropriate Education topic should be recorded,
reflecting the education given.
if the patient should receive Alcohol Abuse education. This topic was
created as an example of a screening topic that could be used on an
Encounter Form, for check-off by the clinician.
 
Clinicians at sites will be required to document activity related to the
"Problem Drinking Screening" PCE reminder, or your local sites
equivalent. The "Problem Drinking Screening" reminder was defined by
the National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCHP).

This standard is actually a guideline.  Clinicians could use this
You may want to ask the CAGE questions as well.  Affirmitive answers on at
least two of the four may be a trigger for counseling.
 
  CAGE questions are:
 
  Have you ever felt you ought to Cut down on drinking?
  Have people ever Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
  Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
  Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your
      nerves or get rid of a hangover (Eye-opener)?
guideline as an example of the type of questions to ask the patient
when the clinician needs to determine whether the patient should
receive Alcohol Abuse education.
 
Ask the patient how many days a week he or she usually has alcohol and how
many drinks the patient usually has each day.  Three or more drinks a day
are usually a trigger for counseling.