By the end of September, 100 members of the Denver Health Medical Center emergency medicine staff will be conducting screenings and brief interventions (SBI).

"We are making it mandatory for all the emergency department (ED) nurses, residents, attendings, social workers and psych ED workers to attend one of the three training spots we are offering," said Kerry Broderick, Associate Residency Director in Emergency Medicine. "We will follow this up with some time spent in the ED, supporting and bolstering their learning."

Clare Hooper, RN, of Denver Health and Denver Demand Treatment!, said the group is using some of their Demand Treatment! funding to compensate the hospital for staff members' time, assuring that everyone can participate in the process.

Doctors Edward and Judith Bernstein conducted a well-received training session at Denver Health Medical Center on ED screenings and brief interventions last fall, backed by the directors of psychiatry and the ED. Afterward, organizers decided to customize the approach to fit the Denver Health system.

The hospital training department enlisted two consultants who devised a three-hour training curriculum for ED staff. Members of other hospital departments are now asking for training, and the program will be part of the ED staff orientation program.

Organizers are working with the psychiatric and social work departments so that ED staff are ready to refer patients when appropriate. For many patients, though, the brief intervention by ED staff will be all they need to reduce their problem drinking.

For more information, please contact Clare Hooper at 303-436-6000 or clare.hooper@denverhealth.org.