A Patient-Centered Approach to Alcohol Use Disorder in a Primary Care Setting

This online CME module provides a comprehensive overview of diagnosing and managing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the primary care setting. It uses a narrative-based format, following the real-life story of a patient, James, and his wife, Tonya, as they navigate his journey from severe AUD to recovery. Learners will listen to two 30-minute podcast episodes featuring interviews with the patient, his wife, and an addiction medicine expert, Dr. Stephen Holt. The course will cover the biopsychosocial development of AUD, diagnostic frameworks like the "3 Cs," effective communication strategies using motivational interviewing, and a detailed review of management options, including outpatient withdrawal protocols, FDA-approved medications, and the role of social support. The activity is designed to equip clinicians with practical, evidence-based tools to screen, diagnose, and treat patients with AUD, emphasizing a patient-centered, non-judgmental approach

Target Audience

This activity is designed for primary care physicians, residents, medical students, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other frontline healthcare professionals who screen and manage patients with substance use disorders in primary care, emergency department, and inpatient settings.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to the development of an individual's relationship with alcohol.
  • Apply a simplified diagnostic framework to identify and diagnose Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in a clinical setting.
  • Utilize effective, non-judgmental communication techniques to screen for unhealthy alcohol use.
  • Implement key principles of motivational interviewing to help patients explore their ambivalence about alcohol use and move toward a commitment to change.
  • Identify patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal and describe an evidence-basedoutpatient management strategy.
  • Compare the mechanisms of action, benefits, and ideal patient profiles for the three FDA-approved medications for AUD.

Additional Information

Provided by: 

Course summary
Course opens: 
03/26/2026
Course expires: 
03/25/2027
Cost:
$0.00

Part One

  • Chapter 1: Early Development of a Relationship with Alcohol
  • Chapter 2: Diagnosing AUD
  • Chapter 3: Approaching the Conversation
  • Chapter 4: Motivational Interviewing

Part Two

  • Chapter 1: Managing Alcohol Withdrawal in the Outpatient Setting
  • Chapter 2: Medications for AUD
  • Chapter 3: Recovery Group/Social Support

​​​​Joshua Onyango, MD MEd - Course Director
Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Jessica Barenboim, MD
Addiction Medicine Fellow, The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University

Helen Cai, BS
Medical Student, Yale School of Medicine

Stephen Holt, MD, MS, FACP, FASAM
Associate Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine

Denise O’Connell, MSW, LCSW, CCM
Associate Director, Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine

Brendan Prast, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Lindsey Smith, PhD, MSW
Director, Substance Use Research and Evaluation

Disclosure Summary of Relevant Financial Relationships

MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Mass General Brigham has implemented a process to mitigate relevant financial relationships for this continuing education (CE) activity to help ensure content objectivity, independence, fair balance and ensure that the content is aligned with the interest of the public. 

The following planners have no reported relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company:

Joshua Onyango, MD, MEd
Denise O'Connell, MSW, LCSW, CCM
Lindsey Smith, PhD, MSW
Brendan Prast, MD, MPH
Stephen Holt, MD, MS, FACP, FASAM
Helen Cai, BS

The following speakers have reported no relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company:

Stephen Holt, MD, MS, FACP, FASAM
Jessica Barenboim, MD

In support of improving patient care, Mass General Brigham is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation Statement

AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
Mass General Brigham designates this enduring material for a maximum of XX AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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