Tobacco Cessation Assessment & Toolkit

Based on your answers, we have prepared the following personalized recommendations for you to review and then complete the fillable action plan with your team.

Do patients in your health system have access to a cessation program within the institution?

NO

Here is what we would recommend your team consider in the absence of an institution wide cessation program. 

Active Referrals of your patients to state/national quitlines

  • The ideal process would be to take a few minutes and help your patients enroll in an evidence-based phone or text-based program. It’s a good idea to know about what services are offered by the quitline, as services vary state-to-state. Quitlines typically offer ‘real time’ counseling. Some will offer starter packs of nicotine replacement therapy – check the following map to learn more about what your state quitline offers.
  • About 1-800-Quit-Now (download PDF guide)
  • Interactive Quitline Map – see what state quitlines offer, utilization of services, and financing.

Phone-Based Support:

    • Create a QR code for the quitline link. The QR code can be easily added to a kiosk at check-in or paper-based check in sheet. Patients can add their information alone or with your support. – see what state quitlines offer, utilization of services, and financing.

Text-Based Support:

    • Some people may prefer an interactive text to quit program in addition to real time counseling support. The ideal process would be to take a few minutes and help enroll them in SmokeFreeTxt [smokefree.gov], evidence-based quitline program while educating them on the free resources of smokefree.gov.

Passive referrals of your patients to state national/national quitlines

  • Give patients the information on how to enroll in state/national quitlines or SmokeFreeTxt [smokefree.gov], quitline program. While this is a much easier method, it is rare that patients call on their own. Building this into your workflow at the point-of-care increases the likelihood of getting cessation support.

Provide information on National Quitline – FAQ

  • If the patient receives primary care within the health system, you can send a message through the electronic health record indicating that your patient would be interested in smoking cessation support.
    • An example of an electronic health record message:
      “your patient [insert name] would be interested in smoking cessation support”. Also include the link and the phone number of the national quit line in the message to the provider.
  • Give patients the information on how to enroll in SmokeFreeTxt [smokefree.gov], quitline program.

Watch this instructional video

Note: Please check out our Resources tab “For Patients” for various community level resources

In addition, many county level programs offer tobacco cessation classes – so please check with your local health department for more information.

The SmokeFree Txt Program and Your Patients.
Watch Dr. Erin Sutfin as she shares how to integrate the SmokeFree Txt Program in your radiology facility

Does your radiology facility have a navigator or coordinator?

YES

As you think about the role of the navigator and their interactions with patients, consider the following:

A Navigator may serve in these distinct functions/roles

  • To identify a tobacco center specialist and training offerings for someone in house.
  • To provide cessation support, consider this a “warm” hand-off (connection to pharmacy, connection to long term cessation support)
  • Recommend Nicotine Replacement Therapy or hand out samples (permission may be needed for this)

A navigator/coordinator will likely have several encounters with the patient.

  • When scheduling the appointment
  • At the screening appointment
  • Follow-up with screening results (this is another opportunity to have a touch-in about cessation during this time) – cessation language and material can be added to the letter
  • Upcoming annual screens

Does your radiology facility have a tobacco cessation champion?

YES

Great. Then let’s take a minute to review their role.

A Cessation Champion is someone who:
  • is interested in helping patients quit smoking
  • engages with the radiology facility on a regular basis if not daily. It’s very likely the person works with the lung screening team but there may be certain situations where an external person could serve in this role.
  • can work with the staff of the radiology facility to keep cessation going on a regular basis.
  • takes initiative to make things happen.
  • wants to play a leadership role.


Note: Can be physicians and administrators who can open doors to cessation support and publicize cessation program to colleagues and senior leadership.

Important reminder: Please connect your cessation champion with this toolkit resource!

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SAMPLE ACTION PLAN

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