SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Alcohol Use Disorder and the Inpatient Treatment Landscape

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This Mayo Clinic report examines inpatient opportunities to improve treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) by increasing prescribing of medications for AUD (MAUD). AUD affects millions of Americans, yet only about 5% receive treatment, despite evidence that the three FDA-approved medications—naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram—are effective.<br /><br />The study reviewed adult AUD encounters across three major Mayo Clinic centers from April 2018 to October 2023. After exclusions, 14,382 inpatient encounters were analyzed. Researchers assessed prescribing patterns for newly initiated MAUD and compared rates across patient and hospitalization subgroups using chi-square analysis.<br /><br />Overall, 92% of encounters resulted in no MAUD prescription, 5% in a new prescription, and 3% involved patients already on MAUD before admission. The findings showed significant differences in prescribing rates by demographic and clinical factors. MAUD initiation was more common among White patients than non-White patients, and among men than women. Older patients also received MAUD more often than younger adults.<br /><br />Hospital-related factors strongly influenced prescribing. Patients on teaching, medicine, psychiatry, or family medicine services, as well as those receiving care management or psychiatry consults, were more likely to be started on MAUD. Prescribing was also higher when AUD was the primary diagnosis and when length of stay exceeded five days. Emergency encounters had especially low initiation rates compared with inpatient admissions.<br /><br />The authors conclude that inpatient hospitalization is a critical but underused opportunity to start evidence-based AUD treatment. They identify notable disparities in prescribing and emphasize the need for targeted quality improvement efforts to increase MAUD use, especially in groups and settings with lower prescribing rates.

Asset Subtitle

Neela Nataraj

Meta Tag

Author List John Ratelle, Neela Nataraj

Category Research

Concept Alcohol Use Disorder

Concept Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder

Concept Hospitalized Patient

Concept Naltrexone

Concept Acamprosate

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Mayo Clinic

Presenting Author Neela Nataraj

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

alcohol use disorder

MAUD

naltrexone

acamprosate

disulfiram

inpatient treatment

prescribing disparities

Mayo Clinic

hospitalization

quality improvement

Alcohol Use Disorder

Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder

Hospitalized Patient

Naltrexone

Acamprosate