Does mandatory inpatient alcohol detoxification reduce emergency department recidivism, hospital admissions, and emergency medical services transports for patients with chronic, severe alcohol dependence?
BACKGROUND
In Massachusetts, patients with chronic alcohol dependence can be committed to 30 days of mandatory inpatient alcohol detoxification (MAD).


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of MAD on the number of emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions, and emergency medical service (EMS) transports.


METHODS
This retrospective study identified patients in our urban ED committed to MAD. We compared the number of ED visits and admissions to our hospital and Boston EMS transports to any facility in the 1, 3, and 6 months pre- and post-MAD, excluding the 30-day MAD period. Paired t tests were used for analysis of mean values across time.


RESULTS
Ten subjects were enrolled. Comparing pre- and post-MAD, the mean number of ED visits fell 6.5 to 2.7 (p = 0.05) in the first month, 14.2 to 9.3 (p = 0.18) in 3 months, and 25.6 to 17.7 (p = 0.15) in 6 months. Mean number of hospital admissions declined: 1.3 to 0.1 (p = 0.03) in 1 month, 2.3 to 0.9 (p = 0.06) in 3 months, and 3.2 to 1.9 (p = 0.08) in 6 months. Mean number of EMS transports fell 4.6 to 2.3 (p = 0.21) in the first month, 9.2 to 5.6 (p = 0.14) in 3 months, and 13.9 to 10.0 (p = 0.26) in 6 months pre- and post-MAD.


CONCLUSIONS
MAD was associated with an immediate reduction in ED visits and hospital admissions that did not remain statistically significant long term, and a non-significant reduction in EMS transports.
Duong
David K
DK
Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94110, USA.
Rathlev
Niels K
NK
McGrath
Meghan E
ME
White
Laura F
LF
Mitchell
Patricia
P
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies