alcohol problems in the acute hospital
DESCRIPTION
Presented for discussion about meeting the needs of people with alcohol use disorders in North West London Hospitals TrustTRANSCRIPT
Alcohol Pathways in the Acute Hospital
Dr Alex Thomson Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist
1 2
3 4
The Problem The Evidence Base
Current work / services Proposals/discussion
1 The Problem
Alcohol affects every part of the body
Emergency Dept
High rates of attendances, Frequent users, Reattendances, “Mental Health”, Violence & aggression
Ambulance
High callout rates, Frequent users
Wards
Complications, Higher mortality, Longer stay, Readmissions
Surgery
Complications, Higher mortality, Longer stay, Readmissions
Outpatients
DNA rates, poor compliance, poor response, higher morbidity
Obstetrics
Poor antenatal engagement, complications, parenting issues
Alcohol also affects every part of the hospital
...but it’s hard to know the extent of the issue
Because alcohol problems are so pervasive and widespread, no specialty or dept takes an interest or responsibility
...except Addiction Psychiatry – but in traditional models of care this is usually located away from the hospital, possibly with an “inreach worker” or two
All these different conditions are recorded – but not specified as “caused by alcohol”
Alcohol problems are not coded in Hospital Episode Statistics
1
2
3
Emergency Dept Attendances
Non-dependent (high risk) hospital admissions
Alcohol dependent hospital admissions
Here’s what we know about
acute & unscheduled care
We can look at the ED Hospital Episode Statistics 2011-12 from the Health and
Social Care Information Centre
1 Emergency Dept Attendances
210,525 Total ED attendances per year
4,050 Total ED attendances per week
Alcohol-attributable fraction not known ?
NPH and CMH combined have
9.8% of attendances were alcohol-related
Between 21:00 and 09:00, this rose to 19.7%
45% Alcohol was involved in
of “mental health” attendances
Kelly G et al. Emerg Med J 2013
York ED did a casenote review and found:
“Although 553 patients had evidence of alcohol in their attendance, it was only coded as such in 46 computer records”
These attendances get coded as “falls”, “chest pain”, “seizure”, “collapse” etc.
Unless you LOOK for alcohol problems you won’t find it in the statistics
40-70% of ED attendances are alcohol-related
The Institute of Alcohol Studies did a National ED Survey (2004) and estimated that:
397 Alcohol-attributable attendances per week 9.8%=
210,525 Total ED attendances per year
4,050 Total ED attendances per week
Applying these rates to our figures, we get:
Estimates come from the Local Alcohol Profiles for
England 2010-11
2
3
Non-dependent (high risk) hospital admissions
Alcohol dependent hospital admissions
7,095 Alcohol-specific and Alcohol-attributable admissions per year
25 Alcohol-specific admissions per week
110 Alcohol-attributable admissions per week
97 Acute hospital beds occupied by people with alcohol-attributable conditions every single day
35,628 Alcohol-attributable bed-days per year
Across our two boroughs there are:
3 Alcohol dependent hospital admissions
There are some data on clinical outcomes / length of stay from a
small audit
Delirium Tremens / Seizures
People who develop delirium tremens should be offered oral lorazepam as first-line treatment. 5 / 13
People who develop withdrawal seizures during treatment for acute alcohol withdrawal should have their withdrawal drug regimen reviewed. 1 / 1
Phenytoin should not be offered to treat alcohol withdrawal seizures. 1 / 12
DT on Admission
5
Developed DT in
Hospital 8
Did not have DT
13
DT Treatment reviewed
4
DT Treatment
not reviewed
9
People who develop delirium tremens during treatment for acute alcohol withdrawal should have their withdrawal drug regimen reviewed.
Length of Stay
0
2
4
6
1 - 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 - 8 9 - 10 11+ Length of Stay
Median 5.5 days Mean 6.25 days Range 1-28 days
0
2
4
6
1 - 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 - 8 9 - 10 11 +
Duration of Detox
Median 4.5 days Mean 4.5 days Range 1-7 days
Prolongation of admission by detox
0
2
4
6
8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >7
Days from Last Non-detox Treatment/Investigation to Discharge
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 >=1
Days from End of Detox to Discharge
So needing alcohol detox prolongs LOS
Reattendance / readmission rates also likely to be high
In Summary...
400 135 25
?
ED attendances every week
Alcohol-related admissions / week
Admissions directly due to alcohol
•High complication rates •Longer stays •Poor engagement with community services
2 The Evidence Base
1
2
3
ED Attendances
Non-dependent (high risk) hospital admissions
Alcohol dependent hospital admissions
0
5
10
15
20
25
0m 6m 12m
To avoid one ED attendance in subsequent 12m: -9 needed to be screened -2 needed to be referred
Mean units per drinking session
ED – Identification and Brief Advice 1
Wards – Brief Interventions
2
Wards – Alcohol Dependence
3
Transfer pathways to specialist addiction unit
4w: 71% Engaged with community alcohol team; 43% with Mutual Aid 3m: 51% Engaged with community alcohol team; 28% with Mutual Aid
3
“All patients presenting to acute services with a history of potentially harmful drinking, should be referred to alcohol support services”
“A multidisciplinary Alcohol Care Team, led by a consultant with dedicated sessions, should be established in each acute hospital and integrated across primary and secondary care.”
National guidance recommends on-site provision of addiction services for alcohol
“Each hospital should have a 7-day Alcohol Specialist Nurse Service... to provide comprehensive physical and mental assessments, Brief Interventions and access to services within 24 hours of admission”
3 Current work / services
Current Staff One liaison psychiatrist One alcohol specialist nurse (across both hospitals!) 0.4WTE alcohol liaison nurse (Compass – Harrow patients only)
Current Projects
Review of alcohol detoxification guidelines Transfer pathway to specialist addiction unit Psychiatric Assessment Lounge Frequent Attenders Project Training – junior doctors Audit – NICE Guidance
4 Proposals/discussion
Next Steps
1. Formal Partnerships with community addiction services 2. Establish alcohol steering group / forum 3. 7-day Alcohol Nurse Specialist Service in both hospitals 4. Alcohol Care Team with dedicated consultant sessions 5. Establish detox pathways – addictions unit /
ambulatory care 6. 7-day Identification and Brief Advice Team in ED 7. Psychosocial programme in hospital