Do electronic health records used by primary care practices support recommended alcohol-related care?

https://academic.oup.com/jamiaopen/article/7/4/ooae125/7916533 Significant shortcomings in electronic health records (EHRs) used by primary care practices hinder the delivery of evidence-based care for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and unhealthy alcohol use, according to an AHRQ-funded study published in JAMIA Open. An evaluation of 21 EHR systems across 167 practices in seven states found that only 3 percent of practices could generate reports on preventive measures like brief interventions, and just 7 percent could report on treatment initiation and engagement for AUD. These findings highlight critical barriers that limit the ability of primary care providers to address a major public health issue, with alcohol use contributing to over 140,000 U.S. deaths annually. The study emphasizes the need for systemic improvements in EHR functionality to enhance alcohol-related care and offers actionable insights for policymakers, technology developers and healthcare providers.