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 nonresearch, 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. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session, 65:1–11, 2009.