Episode four: Alcohol Use Disorder Part One: Practical Tools for a Complex Condition
| Dr. Randal Mason | Dr. Randal Mason is a family physician and addiction medicine specialist serving as Regional Medical Director for Addiction Medicine and Substance Use at Island Health. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, he completed his UBC Family Medicine residency at the Indigenous Training Site in Ladysmith/Nanaimo, and later established innovative primary care models, including high school-based wellness centers and First Nations health clinics. He has served as Medical Director of AVI Health's Westshore clinic and advocates for expanded safer-supply drug programs to address BC's overdose crisis. Dr. Mason focuses on reducing health-care barriers for underserved populations through team-based care models— integrating primary care and addiction services. |
In this first episode of a two‑part series on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in British Columbia, addiction medicine physician Dr. Randal Mason explores the scale of alcohol‑related harms in Canada and why current approaches to screening and treatment remain inconsistent. He outlines common barriers clinicians face—discomfort raising the topic, uncertainty about which screening tools to use and challenges integrating these conversations into busy workflows—and offers practical ways to make these discussions more routine and supportive.
Dr. Mason breaks down the new risk‑based alcohol consumption guidance, explaining why even low levels of alcohol use are now associated with increased cancer risk and how risk escalates with higher weekly intake. He reviews tools such as the SASQ, AUDIT, AUDIT‑C and DSM‑5 criteria, describing how each fit into a straightforward, stepwise approach to identifying high‑risk drinking and diagnosing AUD.
Credits
Season one of CPD In Practice is accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). To claim your credits, you must enroll in the CPD In Practice+ learning activity.
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