SUB-2 Alcohol Use Brief Intervention Provided or Offered and SUB 2a Alcohol Use Brief Intervention

The measure is reported as an overall rate which includes all hospitalized patients 18 years of age and older to whom a brief intervention was provided, or offered and refused, and a second rate, a subset of the first, which includes only those patients who received a brief intervention. The Provided or Offered rate (SUB-2), describes patients who screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use who received or refused a brief intervention during the hospital stay. The Alcohol Use Brief Intervention (SUB-2a) rate describes only those who received the brief intervention during the hospital stay. Those who refused are not included.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Measure Info

NQF 1663 CMS SUB-2 NQF Endorsement Removed
Measure Type
Process
Measure Steward
The Joint Commission
Clinical Topic Area
Prevention and Wellness
Substance Use

Care Setting
Inpatient
Data Source
Electronic Health Records
Paper Medical Records

ACP does not support NQF measure #1663: “SUB-2 Alcohol Use Brief Intervention Provided or Offered and SUB 2a Alcohol Use Brief Intervention.” While this measure represents an important clinical concept, it is unclear whether delivering the intervention will improve alcohol consumption rates. Developers present evidence to support the benefit of performing this intervention in the outpatient setting on improvements in consumption rates, but they do not present any evidence to support the benefit of performing this intervention in the inpatient setting on improvements in alcohol consumption rates. Also, implementation has the potential to detract from care directed towards the primary indication for admission. Furthermore, “referral to Alcoholics Anonymous” should satisfy the measure requirements for providing a brief intervention. Otherwise, implementation could unfairly penalize clinicians who practice in rural areas where patients have limited access to counseling services.