Re-Hospitalisation of Alcohol Use Disorder Patients with and without Qualified Withdrawal and Rehabilitation Treatment

Abstract: Aims: This study (a) evaluates re-hospitalisation among alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients receiving different treatments and (b) simulates avoided re-hospitalisation if more patients received rehabilitation treatment. Methods: Electronic health records (2016 – 21) from patients living in Hamburg were obtained from two statutory health insurances (AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, DAK – Gesundheit) and pension funds (Deutsche Rentenversicherung Nord, Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund). Analysed were patients receiving either (1) inpatient alcohol treatment (IAT, n = 306), (2) qualified withdrawal treatment (QWT) only ( n = 487), or (3) QWT with rehabilitation ( n = 101) after first outpatient F10.2-F10.4 diagnosis. Using weighted regression modelling, we compared re-hospitalisation during 12-months follow-up. Results: Patients entering QWT with rehabilitation had higher odds of not being re-hospitalised from any (OR: 1.84, 95 % CI [1.15, 2.95]) or alcohol-specific causes (OR: 1.87, 95 % CI [1.13, 3.10]) within 12-months follow-up compared to those with QWT only. There was no statistically significant difference in receiving IAT versus QWT only. If every second patient were to receive rehabilitation treatment, the number of patients without any all-cause re-hospitalisation during follow-up could have been increased from 45.8 % (95 % CI [42.6, 48.9]) to 50.7 % (95 % CI [47.5, 53.9]). Conclusions: Rehabilitation treatment seems critical to achieving measurable health improvements in AUD patients.