Effective Smoke Screens—Coaching Smokers on How to Quit

A Genetics unit-based team had the goal to increase from 0 to 50 the percentage of patient visits where team members give identified patients smoking cessation screenings over a six-month period. By including questions regarding smoking on registration slips, smokers identified themselves up front. When patients handed in their materials, the counselors could provide smoking cessation information. The team screened identified smokers 71 percent of the time within three months. Within eight months, 93 percent of identified smokers were screened.

Here's What Worked

• Printing out registration slips with questions regarding smoking, so smokers can identify themselves up front
• Attaching the registration slips to clipboards, so when patients hand the materials to the genetics counselors, the counselors can provide smoking cessation information

What can your team do to help members know what type of programs are available to them?