Intervention to decrease leaving without treatment among intoxicated emergency department patients

ObjectiveApproximately 15% of the >4000 patients presenting each year to our emergency department (ED) with a chief complaint or discharge diagnosis related to alcohol were leaving without treatment (LWT). If they are not clinically sober at the time of departure, these patients are at risk for falls or other injury. Our goal was to create an intervention to decrease this rate of early departure.MethodsA stakeholder group identified the reasons...