Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 29, Issue 4 , Pages 313-319, December 2005

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

  • Shadi S. Saleh, Ph.D., M.P.H.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 518 402 0299; fax: +1 518 402 0414
    • ,
  • Steve E. Szebenyi, M.D., M.M.M.

      Affiliations

    • Foundation for Health Living, 30 Century Hill Drive, Latham, NY 12110, USA

Received 4 March 2005; received in revised form 10 August 2005; accepted 23 August 2005.

Abstract 

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.

Keywords: Alcohol, Resource use, Emergency department

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PII: S0740-5472(05)00174-1

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2005.08.007

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 29, Issue 4 , Pages 313-319, December 2005

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