Abstract 5042: Using a statewide collaborative approach to improve tobacco cessation referral rates for cancer patients

Abstract Purpose: Though tobacco use by cancer patients is associated with poor therapeutic outcomes, most oncologists do not regularly provide tobacco cessation support for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if dedicated statewide services could substantially enhance delivery of evidence based cessation support to broad cancer patient populations across many oncology clinics. Methods: The Michigan Oncology Quality Consortium (MOQC) collaborated with the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Cancer Consortium to identify and address tobacco cessation support that could be improved for cancer patients. A statewide Tobacco Cessation Demonstration Project was developed to reduce patient barriers to access by increasing education, identifying all cancer patients who use tobacco, referring them to the Michigan Tobacco Quitline, and providing funding for free Quitline telephone counseling services and nicotine replacement therapy for cancer patients. Reported are results in 19 clinical practices. Results: Implementation of this project resulted in tobacco assessments in more than 98% of patients and increased tobacco cessation referral rates for participating practices from 15% in May 2013 to over 60% in July and September of 2013 (p < .001). Total statewide referrals to the Quitline increased by between 32% and 60% over the first 6 months, with an increasing proportion of patients (between 31% and 50%) being cancer patients referred by MOQC participating sites. FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctTotal Michigan # Referrals140153153202233245238220210MOQC # Referralsn/an/an/a628812397104102MOQC Referrals % of Total Michigann/an/an/a31%38%50%41%47%49% Conclusions: Reducing patient barriers to access to tobacco cessation services and supplying clinic teams with scientific evidence, standard workflows, and lean tools improved the referral rate to a tobacco cessation program for oncology patients. Critical factors for success included strong physician leadership, adoption of an auto referral process, and front line staff accountability for identifying all patients who use tobacco and assessing their tobacco cessation status at subsequent clinic visits. Citation Format: Jane Severson, Hilary Baca, Douglas Blayney, Karen Brown, Grayce Galiyas, Mara Minasian, Joan Schmidt, Anna Schulze, Graham Warren. Using a statewide collaborative approach to improve tobacco cessation referral rates for cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5042. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5042