Brief interventions conducted by alcohol treatment specialists reduced alcohol-affected readmission rate by nearly half among patients admitted to a French emergency department when drunk or in need of withdrawal.

Key points From summary and commentary
• A French emergency department organised brief interventions by alcohol treatment specialists for patients admitted when drunk or in need of withdrawal.
• Compared to standard care, over the following year proportionately 45% fewer patients offered brief interventions returned to the department with the same alcohol-related conditions.
• The study adds to others which show that emergency/trauma units can reduce their future workloads by offering brief interventions to patients with medical or other reasons to moderate their drinking.