ABSTRACT
The abuse of alcohol and other drugs represents one of society’s greatest challenges to health care. Many serious medical and psychiatric disorders are caused or exacerbated by substance abuse. For example, the incidence of accidents, myocardial infarctions, strokes, seizures, birth defects, hypertension, liver failure, and cancers are all heavily impacted by chemical use. Managed care organizations (MCOs) and other organized systems of care are in a unique position to make an impact on the prevention of substance use disorders.
