PCSS-MAUD Webinar: Integrating AUD Treatment in Specialty Care-Slides

Slides

Pdf Summary

This webinar, presented by Dr. Gene Im under the Providers Clinical Support System – Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder (PCSS-MAUD), focuses on integrating alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment into specialty care, particularly for patients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Funded by SAMHSA, PCSS-MAUD aims to equip healthcare professionals to better identify and treat AUD.<br /><br />Integrated care is defined as a coordinated, patient-centered approach combining medical, behavioral, mental health, and social services to improve outcomes and resource use. Integration is especially vital in managing ALD and AUD due to patient barriers like poor communication and fragmented care. Successful models include co-located multidisciplinary teams across inpatient and outpatient settings, as demonstrated by programs at the University of Michigan and Cleveland Clinic.<br /><br />Key elements facilitating integration include provider expertise, leadership support, infrastructure, and addressing local AUD/ALD prevalence. Brief intervention strategies, motivational interviewing, and psychosocial therapies such as SBIRT, 12-step programs, and cognitive behavioral therapy can be readily incorporated into specialty clinics to engage patients.<br /><br />Medications for AUD (MAUD)—including acamprosate, naltrexone, baclofen, and gabapentin—play a crucial role but remain under-prescribed due to lack of provider training. Studies show MAUD can reduce liver disease progression and hospitalizations. Tools like transient elastography aid in bridging hepatology and addiction care to motivate patient behavior change.<br /><br />Integrated ALD care improves abstinence rates, liver outcomes, reduces relapse, and supports liver transplantation success. It lowers stigma by framing AUD treatment as a medical intervention within trusted specialty care environments. Guidelines now recommend integrated interdisciplinary programs as the standard for managing ALD and AUD.<br /><br />Dr. Im emphasizes developing multidisciplinary teams, standardized referral pathways, clinic workflows, and performance metrics to advance integrated care. Starting with simple evidence-based interventions in clinical practice can enhance patient outcomes immediately.<br /><br />In summary, integrated AUD and ALD care is the new gold standard that improves patient health and experience. Specialty providers are encouraged to adopt collaborative models and MAUD to address this complex, common disease effectively.

Keywords

Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Integrated Care

Medications for AUD

PCSS-MAUD

Multidisciplinary Teams

Brief Intervention

Motivational Interviewing

Hepatology and Addiction Care

Patient-Centered Treatment