More than 350 American healthcare organizations have endorsed a set of voluntary standards for the treatment of substance use conditions, the National Quality Forum (NQF) recently announced. Adoption of these standards by healthcare providers will dramatically improve the diagnosis and treatment of substance use conditions in the United States.

“Drugs, alcohol and tobacco are a huge part of America’s healthcare problems,” says Dr. Eric Goplerud, a research professor in the Department of Health Policy at The George Washington University Medical Center and a member of the NQF advisory panel that developed the new practice standards. “If we can do a better job of diagnosing, treating and managing substance use conditions, millions of lives and billions of dollars will be saved.”

According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 20 million people meet the diagnostic criteria for substance use dependence or abuse. Of that number, more than 17 million have a problem with alcohol. Yet, according to data from 250 health plans analyzed by Dr. Goplerud, less than one percent of people with an alcohol problem are diagnosed by a healthcare provider.

“Because we do a poor job of diagnosing substance use conditions, drugs, alcohol and tobacco remain a hidden component of the major health conditions affecting Americans today: heart disease, diabetes, reflux, cancer, and depression,” states Dr. Goplerud. “By more effectively treating substance use conditions, we can reduce the prevalence of other diseases, cut healthcare costs, and improve lives.”

The new standards announced by NQF call on healthcare providers to employ evidence-based practices to better diagnose, treat and manage substance use conditions. A copy of the NQF news release is available for download at the bottom of this page. More information about the new standards is available on the NQF web site.       

For more information about the impact of alcohol problems on employers, children and health plans, visit Ensuring Solutions' alcohol cost calculator web site.