One-Year Reattendance Rates to the Emergency Department for Acute Illicit Drug Exposure in Western Australia: A Retrospective Registry Study.

OBJECTIVE

Determine 1-year emergency department (ED) drug-related reattendance rates of patients enrolled in the Emerging Drugs Network of Australia across five Western Australian hospitals.

METHODS

Index presentations and 1-year reattendances were extracted. Reattendance rates were calculated and stratified by confirmed novel or traditional illicit drugs.

RESULTS

Of 1141 patients, 5.0% (95% CI: 3.9%-6.4%) reattended the ED for drug exposure within 1 year. No statistical differences between novel and traditional illicit drugs were identified.

CONCLUSION

A conservative but discernible reattendance rate with confirmed illicit drug exposure was demonstrated. Objective data can inform hospital-based harm reduction services and reduce future drug exposure risk.