Industry need to prove treatment is effective, says AAC president
American Addiction Centers (AAC) is breaking new ground in the treatment of addiction with the release of its first patient outcomes study.
Joining the ranks of only a few national treatment centers, AAC has decided to measure outcomes and release their subsequent findings. AAC utilized three years of study, tracking, and public research in order to produce proof of the effectiveness of treatment.
With the help of Centerstone Research Institute (CRI), the study analyzed treatment at AAC centers and its effectiveness on impacting the lives of patients.
“The treatment industry hasn’t done a good job of proving that treatment really works,” said Michael Cartwright, CEO of American Addiction Centers.”That’s why we felt it was critical for American Addiction Centers, as a leader in the industry, to invest in patient outcomes studies. Our findings show our treatment model is making a difference in the lives of our patients, even months after treatment ends. We are also using this new data to improve our services as part of our ongoing commitment to clinical excellence.”
As for the study, over 4,000 patients were tracked from intake to discharge, with follow-up at two, six, and finally 12 months. Outcomes measures included substance use, medical problems, mental health challenges, employment and legal issues. Preliminary results indicated a 78% decrease in ‘drug problem’ days and a 81 % decrease in ‘alcohol problem’ days.At the 12-month follow up, 57% of subjects were able to report abstinence from use.
“Addiction is a chronic disease that affects every aspect of a person’s life, from family functioning to mental and physical health,” says Dr. Tom Doub, AAC’s Chief Clinical and Compliance Officer. “We wanted to analyze those aspects as well in determining the effectiveness of our treatment model. It turns out our comprehensive approach made a significant difference in patients’ overall quality of life.”
