Reduction of health care use with and alcoholism treatment programme

Abstract

The objective of our study was to evaluate the use of medical care resources in a general hospital after an outpatient alcoholism treatment programme. 46 outpatients who initiated the programme were included. We compared the use of outpatient care in hospital, days of hospitalization, and use of emergency room, between patients who remained in alcoholism treatment for six months with those who did not. We calculated a medical care index for outpatient, inpatient and emergency use on the basis of the follow-up time for each patient. Patients who had spent 6 months undergoing alcoholism treatment had a significant reduction in the number of days of hospitalisation and emergency use in comparison with their pre-treatment levels and with those who had not remained 6 months. There were no differences in outpatient care in hospital. Therefore, alcoholism treatment programmes are beneficial in reducing the utilisation of certain health resources.