Berg B J, Dhopesh V
Substance Abuse Treatment Unit (SATU), Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1996 Nov;22(4):589-93. doi: 10.3109/00952999609001683.
On the inpatient substance abuse service of the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Hospital, we found that patients who were admitted to the hospital "unscheduled" had a disproportionately higher incidence of subsequent AMA (against medical advice) discharge, particularly if they were alcoholic. This finding calls into question the cost-effectiveness of hospitalization as an initial treatment strategy for substance abusers who enter treatment impulsively and points out the need for additional study to determine the most cost-effective treatments for addicts whose primary motivation for treatment may be to obtain relief from precipitating stressors.
