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CSAM Presentation on Impact of Inpatient SUD Treatment on Emergency Department Use

The 2025 CSAM Presentation by Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC) on Emergency Department Use had a substantial impact on the conference attendees. At the 2025 California Society for Addiction Medicine (CSAM) Conference, TTC shared significant new findings on the “Impact of Inpatient SUD Treatment on Emergency Department Utilization.”  

The session was led by Amanda Martinez-Cutler, MPH, CHES, with on-site support from Dominic Shafer, BA, and research guidance from James D. Sorg, PhD. The in-depth presentation emphasized how inpatient treatment is essential in decreasing future ED visits among people with substance use disorders (SUD). Indeed, the presentation offered solution-oriented approaches to ongoing issues.

CSAM Presentation
Amanda Martinez-Cutler and Dominic Shafer at the 2025 CSAM Presentation
Emergency Department Use is High Among SUD Patients

 Individuals with SUD often rely heavily on the emergency department. Emergency Department Use by these patients strains hospital systems across the country. Many arrive due to overdoses, severe infections, or injuries tied to substance use. Others come because they lack regular access to healthcare.  

According to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine, “Substance use- and mental health-related ED visits are rising and are associated with increased resource utilization. Increasing mental health support will continue to be needed in the ED, along with support for ED clinicians in the management of common substances of abuse, especially sedatives and stimulants.” 

Furthermore, data from the 2024 SAMHSA Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report strengthened these concerns. For instance, this data shows a clear upward trend in both the number and severity of substance-related ED visits. Therefore, there is no obvious end to the problem of emergency department use by drug users and abusers. 

How SUD Treatment Reduces Emergency Department Use

TTC’s study investigated whether patients who completed inpatient treatment reduced their reliance on the emergency department. Researchers used a retrospective cohort design, reviewing patient records from myAvatar, Epic (Care Everywhere), and LANES among patients admitted in 2024 (N=227). Only patients with at least one ED visit in the six months before treatment were included in the data.

The main question was straightforward: Did Emergency Department Use decrease after treatment? A paired t-test compared the average number of visits in the six months before admission with the six months after discharge. The results were clear. Inpatient treatment led to a significant reduction in emergency visits, demonstrating the stabilizing effect of structured care combined with ongoing support.

Key Findings and Implications of the TTC Study:
  • Patients showed fewer emergency visits after treatment, highlighting the effectiveness of inpatient programs. 
  • Predictors like homelessness, chronic illness, and polysubstance disorders continue to be important to monitor, but demographic factors such as age, gender, and race were not statistically significant in this study. 
  • More research is required to better understand how socioeconomic and demographic factors may influence recovery outcomes.

These findings reinforce TTC’s long-standing belief that comprehensive treatment saves lives and eases pressure on hospital systems. While this study focused on short-term ED outcomes, it also underscores the importance of ongoing investment in inpatient and follow-up care for lasting recovery. In fact, SUD inpatient treatment, such as the programs at Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), proves to be an effective approach for tackling this issue.

Emergency Department Use and Looking Ahead

TTC’s leadership at CSAM emphasizes the organization’s position at the forefront of behavioral healthcare research and practice. By decreasing unnecessary emergency visits, inpatient SUD treatment not only supports individual recovery but also benefits entire communities.

The evidence indicates that inpatient SUD treatment is more than just crisis care. It serves as a pathway to stability, ongoing support, and better futures — both for patients and the healthcare system that cares for them.