These results have timely implications for the development of EHR systems and collection of “common data elements” or health indicators for SUD screening and intervention to improve patient care (Brown et al. 2001; Ghitza et al., 2011a; Ghitza et al., 2011b). Current practices generally rely on a two-step strategy (Whitlock et al., 2004). Individuals are assessed initially by a single-item screener for either alcohol or drug use status; the subset of users then is screened for SUD-related problems (e.g., CAGE, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT], DAST). However, in addition to screening for substance use and SUDs, a long list of health conditions has been recommended for screening and intervention by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These competing priorities, plus the complexity of patients’ conditions, constitute barriers to screening completely for various conditions as each screener takes time to complete. Therefore, brevity and accuracy in detecting SUDs are critical considerations for adoption, as seen in the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act and the PPACA, which encourage the development and meaningful use of EHR to improve
