Initiating Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Hospitalized Alcohol Use Disorder Patients: A Pilot Study of Recovery Coaches

Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are susceptible to a variety of medical, psychiatric, and social complications, and utilize acute health services frequently; the prevalence of hospitalized patients with AUD is estimate to be between 16% and 26%. While the treatment for the acute complications of AUD such as withdrawal or seizures are treated adequately in the hospital setting, there is a growing recognition that hospitalizations should be utilized as opportunities to initiate treatment for the underlying substance use disorder that likely played a role in the hospitalization in the first place. A large majority (90%) of individuals with active AUD are not engaged with any formal treatment. A promising approach so far in engaging AUD patients has been Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), particularly for at-risk drinkers (i.e. binge drinkers but not meeting criteria for AUD). However, studies of SBIRT alone is insufficient in reducing alcohol use in heavily dependent, hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder. Engagement with hospital-based addiction consultation services is helpful with linkage to treatment after discharge, but nearly half of the referred patients never make it to their first appointment. Given the complex medical and psychosocial needs of hospitalized AUD patients, more research on care management interventions that focus on the transitions of care for AUD patients may be needed. There is a growing body of evidence for the benefits of recovery coaches, who provide peer-delivered support services, to help SUD patients in the community. Tracing their origin to mutual support groups to supplement traditional clinical services, recovery coaches are individuals with lived experience of recovery, and are referred to by a variety of names in the literature (i.e. consumer providers, peer support specialists, peer workers, peer mentors). Recovery coaches typically provide services in four domains: 1) emotional (demonstrate empathy, bolster confidence, and foster hope), 2) informational (share knowledge and help skill-building), 3) instrumental (provide assistance with housing, employment, transportation, etc.), and 4) affiliational (create community and sense of belonging). Studies of recovery coaches have demonstrated greater treatment retention, reduced substance use, and reduced inpatient utilization. However, no prior studies have examined the impact of recovery coaches specifically in improving hospitalized AUD patients link with outpatient treatment. As such, the aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a in-hospital recovery coach intervention on rates of post-discharge treatment retention and alcohol use among hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder.