All patients arriving at Irish hospitals with alcohol-related problems and illnesses would in future be seen by psychiatrists and addiction counsellors before being discharged, if new guidelines are implemented.
The guidelines, to be published next week, have been produced in an attempt to stem the cost to the health of patients and the healthcare system in general of alcohol- related problems.
Their publication will coincide with the release on Wednesday of the results of the first study on the effects of alcohol on admissions at a regional hospital.
The study found an estimated 15,000 admissions, or one in six admissions, every year at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, are alcohol related, costing the hospital at least €5 million a year.
These admissions range from young men involved in alcohol-fuelled brawls to alcohol-related road traffic accidents and those whose internal organs are failing because of their habit.
Dr Garry Courtney, a consultant surgeon at St Luke's, said the new protocol would aim to ensure patients' alcohol problems were attended to so the vicious cycle of patients leaving hospital only to start drinking again and being readmitted could be tackled.
"Patients sometimes come in, are patched up and sent back out. This can be as a result of pressure on beds or because they want to leave," he said.
He emphasised that alcoholism is a disease and that alcoholics are entitled to be treated. "Drinking isn't a crime so we can't lock them up. What we need to do is turn off the tap rather than mopping up the floor all the time," Dr Courtney said.
A study last year at Dublin's Mater Hospital found one in four admissions were alcohol related, and some 13 per cent of patients admitted to its casualty department were intoxicated. That study was carried out by Dr John Sheehan of the Mater Hospital, who has pioneered research into alcohol and hospital admissions in the State. He has been instrumental in drawing up the new guidelines.
Dr Courtney said alcoholics cannot be treated as pariahs. "They are entitled to come to hospital and entitled to be treated and if they are just booted out, they lose self- esteem and drink again but if they are treated like a person and offered help, some of them will take it," he said.
"I think there is a percentage of alcoholics that you can help but you must put in the effort. We have had good success with them here in Kilkenny," he added.
The new guidelines will be launched by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, on Wednesday.
Alcohol-related problems are estimated to cost Irish society about €2.4 billion a year and in an attempt to address rising consumption levels, Mr Martin recently announced that the Department of Health was considering tough new laws to restrict alcohol advertising.