Screening and treating unhealthy alcohol use during surgical care
Leveraging Alcohol Use Disorder Screening for Treatment in Routine Perioperative Care: AllUsCare
This project will offer alcohol screening and treatment to people having surgery to help reduce risky drinking and improve recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195537 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are having surgery, you would be asked simple questions about alcohol use during your preoperative visit so clinicians can identify risky drinking. Patients who screen positive would be offered brief counseling, treatment options (including referrals or medications), and connections to follow-up care as part of routine perioperative services. The team will pilot ways to embed these steps into regular surgical workflows so more patients can get help without separate visits. The work will be carried out at surgical clinics affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to test feasibility and acceptability.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults scheduled for surgery who drink alcohol or who screen positive for unhealthy alcohol use or alcohol use disorder are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not drink alcohol, are not undergoing surgical care at participating sites, or who decline screening or treatment are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase access to treatment for alcohol use disorder and reduce alcohol-related complications around the time of surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows treating alcohol use can improve health outcomes, but embedding routine screening and treatment into perioperative care is a relatively new approach being piloted.
Where this research is happening
Omaha, United States
- University of Nebraska Medical Center — Omaha, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bartels, Karsten — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bartels, Karsten
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.