| Abstract
| - Aims: To measure physicians' use of the alcometer (breath analysis test) and their documentation of alcohol-related findings among their patients. Methods: Over one weekend, during which 100 adults attended the emergency clinic of a university hospital, data were collected on patients' alcohol consumption, physicians' use of an alcometer and alcohol-related documentation. Heavy drinkers were defined by the patient's response to a written questionnaire: Five-Shot total score ≥3 points, and/or ≥7 drinks per one occasion. Results: The questionnaire was filled in by 96 patients; 26 (27%) were heavy drinkers. The alcometer was used in 7% of patients including 5 of 26 (19%) of the heavy drinkers. For only 12/26 (46%) heavy drinkers was there written information on alcohol use in the medical record. For 6 of the 20 patients whose visit was primarily considered by the physician to be alcohol-related, no documentation on alcohol appeared in the records. When documentation was present, drinking quantities were not usually recorded. Conclusions: It is a challenge to increase the emergency clinic staff's activity in detection and documenting alcohol abuse.
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