Video visits to help adults with alcohol use disorder in primary care

Harnessing telemedicine to improve alcohol use disorder outcomes in primary care patients

NIH-funded research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11103167

This project offers live video therapy through primary care to help adults with alcohol use disorder get and use effective treatments.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Ann Arbor, United States)
Project IDNIH-11103167 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have problems with drinking, this project would offer therapy sessions by live video (telemedicine) delivered through your primary care clinic. Therapists would use evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing adapted for video visits. The research team will compare this telemedicine approach to usual referral practices and track who starts treatment, how much they drink, and how daily life improves over time. Because the work expanded during COVID, they plan to use existing video technology so you can join from home and avoid the stigma of specialty clinics.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) with alcohol use disorder receiving primary care—especially those who have trouble accessing specialty addiction clinics—would be ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without reliable internet/video access or who prefer in-person specialty addiction care may not benefit from this telemedicine-focused approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If effective, this approach could make it much easier for people with alcohol use disorder to start and stay in treatment and reduce drinking-related harm.

How similar studies have performed: Telemedicine has worked well for many mental health conditions, but rigorous trials testing video-delivered therapy specifically for alcohol use disorder have been limited or absent.

Where this research is happening

Ann Arbor, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.