Quantitative and qualitative outcomes associated with inpatient addiction consultation: a scoping review
Given the high rates of hospitalizations and emergency department visits related to substance use disorders such as intoxication, withdrawal, or medical complications, experts advocate for improved hospital programs and services with dedicated addiction specialists.
This study is the first to examine broad outcomes related to addiction specialist consultations in hospitals. Overall, patients’ use of medications improved, although follow-up and treatment retention rates were low. Addiction consultations reduced stigma among healthcare providers and improved the experiences of patients in hospitals. In some individual studies, specialist consultation was associated with lower overdose rates and reduced 90-day mortality.
Because treatment was generally not sustained, and follow-up outside hospitals was limited, there is a need to understand how social factors like housing affect services and how hospital programs can effectively transition care to the community setting. This study provides a comprehensive view of outcomes by integrating qualitative findings to contextualize the quantitative clinical results.
