34th AM (2023) - Poster Session-Characteristics of Patients Who Leave Against Medical Advice

Characteristics of Patients Who Leave Against Medical Advice

Pdf Summary

A recent study conducted at an academic urban tertiary care hospital aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients who leave against medical advice (AMA) and the potential factors that contribute to this decision. The study involved a retrospective chart review of patients who had AMA discharges from December 17, 2022, to April 12, 2023. The preliminary data analysis indicated that approximately 2% of hospital admissions resulted in AMA discharges. <br /><br />The study found that AMA discharges have several negative implications for the healthcare system, including increased hospital readmission rates, financial burden, resource burden, and risk of mortality. Patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) were more likely to leave AMA, potentially due to untreated or undertreated withdrawal symptoms. The study also aimed to examine whether patients with SUDs were more likely to leave AMA on weekends when Addiction Psychiatry services were unavailable. The data showed that patients with SUDs were indeed more likely to leave AMA on weekends compared to those without SUDs. <br /><br />The study included 52 AMA discharges, with 63% being males and 37% females. The mean age of the patients was 52 years old. Substance use disorder was the most prevalent among the documented drivers of AMA discharges, followed by capacity assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, unmanaged pain, and delayed discharge. Among the SUD discharges, cocaine, opioids, and tobacco were the most common substances involved. Withdrawal symptoms, addiction psychiatry services, and general psychiatry consultations played a role in the decisions of these patients to leave AMA. <br /><br />This study provides valuable insight into the factors associated with AMA discharges, particularly among patients with substance use disorders. By understanding these factors, healthcare providers can potentially implement interventions to reduce AMA discharges, improve patient outcomes, and alleviate the burden on the healthcare system.

Keywords

AMA discharges

patients

substance use disorders

withdrawal symptoms

Addiction Psychiatry services

weekends

males

females

mean age

interventions

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