title: Alcoholism treatment and medical care costs from Project MATCH.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper examines the costs of medical care prior to and following initiation of alcoholism treatment as part of a study of patient matching to treatment modality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study with pre- and post-treatment initiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total medical care costs for inpatient and outpatient treatment for patients participating over a span of 3 years post-treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three treatment sites at two of the nine Project MATCH locations (Milwaukee, WI and Providence, RI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and seventy-nine patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment modalities: a 12-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a four-session motivational enhancement therapy (MET) or a 12-session Twelve-Step facilitation (TSF) treatment over 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total medical care costs declined from pre- to post-treatment overall and for each modality. Matching effects independent of clinical prognosis showed that MET has potential for medical-care cost-savings. However, patients with poor prognostic characteristics (alcohol dependence, psychiatric severity and/or social network support for drinking) have better cost-savings potential with CBT and/or TSF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Matching variables have significant importance in increasing the potential for medical-care cost-reductions following alcoholism treatment.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cisler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longabaugh
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Treno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zweben
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis