Using Behavioral Health Consultants to Treat Insomnia in Primary Care: A Clinical Case Series

Cognitive-behavioral treatments for insomnia are as effective as medications and have longer lasting effects. The current study used a clinical case series design to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief behavioral intervention for insomnia delivered in a non-research, real-world family medicine clinical setting. Participants included 29 sleep-impaired patients who were seen regardless of their comorbid conditions. The treatment included three brief visits with a behavioral health consultant (BHC), plus the provision of a self-help insomnia-treatment book. At posttreatment 83% of participants achieved a mean sleep efficiency >85%, as compared to only 14% at baseline. Limited-contact behavioral treatment of insomnia delivered by BHCs within a collaborative care family medicine clinic effectively reduced symptoms of insomnia, regardless of comorbid medical diagnoses. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 65:294-304, 2009.