INSPIRE

INSPIRE is a research study that supports and evaluates the implementation of screening and treatment interventions for patients with unhealthy alcohol use.

INSPIRE uses evidence-based quality improvement (QI) support to increase screening, brief intervention, treatment, and referral to treatment in the primary care setting. Practice staff and recruited providers receive online and in-person education promoting the use of related workflows in electronic health record (EHR) systems.

A minimum of 125 (up to 160) small, primary care practices and health centers in Wisconsin and Illinois will be involved. INSPIRE builds on the practice facilitation infrastructure developed through the AHRQ-funded Healthy Hearts in the Heartland (H3) research study.

The Wisconsin and Illinois region has some of the highest excessive and binge drinking rates in the country.

Evaluation:
INSPIRE will evaluate the effectiveness of the education and its impact on screening and treatment of patients with unhealthy alcohol use. Other tracked outcomes include: 1) Effects of the amount of practice facilitation provided, 2) Experiences of practices using their EHRs, 3) Impact of practice characteristics on the intervention, and 4) Health equity among underserved groups.

Co-Principal Investigators:
Abel Kho and Theresa Walunas

NU Central Team Leads:
Lauren Echols, Project Manager
Mercedes Nodal, Research Coordinator
Jenn Bannon, Practice Facilitation
Eva Winckler, Outreach & Communications
Rick Chagnon, Data Infrastructure

Funding:
CHIP was awarded $2.2 million for INSPIRE. The Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grant (R18) is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Timeline:
INSPIRE has a 4-year grant period, beginning September 30, 2019.

Collaborators:
ACCESS Community Health Network
AllianceChicago
Altarum Institute
American Institutes for Research
MetaStar, Inc.
Northwestern Medicine
Northwestern University
Oregon Research Institute