A telephone follow-up procedure for increasing the effectiveness of a treatment program for alcoholics.

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Abstract
Former patients (mean age 48) of a Veterans Administration hospital alcoholism treatment unit were randomly divided into control and experimental groups (20 in each). All were offered outpatient follow-up care after inpatient treatment of 6-8 wk. The controls received no phone calls during 3 mo. after discharge from the hospital. The experimental group received 6 calls over a 20 wk period following discharge (10 received calls from the same staff member, 10 from different members of the staff; this had no significant effect on the test results). Callers inquired about the patients'' welfare and encouraged them to use the outpatient services. Patients who received follow-up calls made about 72% greater (P < .03) use of outpatient services during the 3 mo. that records were kept than those receiving no calls. There were no significant differences in marital or job status between the control or experimental groups. The rehabilitative status of the experimental group was also better after 3 mo. Of all patients who made high use of outpatient care 90% were abstinent (vs. 60% for low users), and 95% had maintained or improved their living conditions (vs. 70%).

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