Headache and alcohol withdrawal are common emergency department (ED) complaints. On average, nearly 84,000 patients present to EDs across Canada with headache complaints. In Ontario alone, between 2013-2016, this number was over 765,000 for substance misuse/withdrawal. Wait times and treatment delays for both these complaints lead to repeated visits, avoidable admissions and increased lengths of stay, negatively impacting the health-care system. Costs associated with substance use issues alone add an estimated $5.4 billion annually in health-care costs.
