A new report by experts at the University of North Carolina highlighted a new useful tool for patients with eating disorders.
Known as the NCEED Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Eating Disorders (SBIRT-ED) tool, it allows providers to administer fast and simple screening tests for eating disorders. If screened positive, conversation guides and resources may be used to ensure the condition is addressed.
“Adapting the model for eating disorders creates a flexible tool that can be implemented in various clinics and delivered to patients in a range of ways,” said one of the study’s authors who helped create the tool.
“It’s also feasible to use for every adult patient and facilitates referrals to specialty treatment—a key component of eating disorder management.”
According to one of the authors, the SBIRT-ED tool was built as a result of trust between primary care physicians and their patients. The tool may be effective for eliciting discussion about eating disorders and getting people treated who are in need of it.
You can learn more about the SBIRT-ED tool by clicking here.