Resource use of elderly emergency department patients with alcohol-related diagnoses

This study evaluates resource use associated with alcohol-related admissions through the emergency department (ED) by older adults. Data from 11 states were extracted from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases.

The study results revealed that the presence of a secondary alcohol-related diagnosis significantly increased resource use (37–119% for length of stay and 126–343% for charges; p < .05) associated with the top 10 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification Clinical Classifications Software diagnoses. They also showed that admissions with an alcohol-related primary diagnosis had lower associated charges ($2,172; p < .05) and longer lengths of stay (0.3 days; p < .05) than other types of ED admissions. Proper linkages to substance abuse treatment services should be instituted and coupled with medical treatment to limit the additional resource use burden of alcohol-related admissions.