Patients at Dunedin Hospital emergency department are being asked how much they drink, and referred for help if necessary.
From this week, Project Ease Up, which has also been introduced in Southland, will involve patients being asked about their alcohol consumption.
A statement from the Southern District Health Board said women would be asked how often they consumed more than four standard drinks in one sitting. For men, the figure was six standard drinks.
''If anyone answers that they do so on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, then they are identified as being at risk of hazardous drinking.''
Once identified, they would be referred to a GP or primary care provider by their ED discharge letter, for further assessment.
DHB medical officer of health Marion Poore said about a quarter of people aged 15 and over in the health board's population were estimated to be ''hazardous drinkers'', the highest in the country.
''This new project will be a real help in assisting clinicians to easily address alcohol-related presentations at ED and improve the identification of hazardous drinkers, while also giving patients direct access to services that may support them to reduce their consumption,'' Dr Poore said.
