Abstract

Background: There is a high rate of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in the United States and this poses a substantial burden on the medical system due to health complications. Medications to treat AUDs have been proven to have efficacy in reducing the number of drinking days, amount of alcohol consumed at a time, and in achieving overall abstinence from alcohol. Medicare studies, as well as other researchers, have shown that alcohol abstinence medications (AAMs) are underutilized. Method: A retrospective chart review of records from a large urban hospital system was undertaken to establish the number of patients discharged with a AUDs as well as the prescription rate for AAMs. This was followed by a 17-item questionnaire distributed hospital-wide to attending and resident physicians that aimed to identify barriers to prescribing AAMs. Results: In the Department of Psychiatry during the year reviewed, out of 3,402 admissions, 759 patients were diagnosed with an AUD at the time of discharge from the hospital. Only 100 prescriptions for AAMs were ordered in the entire hospital system; 83% of these orders were written by psychiatrists. The commonly cited barriers to prescribing AAMs identified by the survey were patient medication adherence, lack of knowledge about the medications, cost, and lack of consideration for utilizing AAMs. Conclusions: AAM utilization remains very low for the treatment of AUDs. Education about AUDs, the various treatments and their efficacy, the impact of under-treating, and reimbursement would improve the quality of care for this patient population and would help to reduce comorbidity and the financial burden associated with AUDs.

Authors and Affiliations