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NTCC Priorities

• 1. Increase consumer demand for evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments and services
• 2. Link tobacco control public policy changes to increase cessation and treatment use and demand
• 3. Promote the inclusion and use of tobacco control and cessation content in electronic health records (EHRs)
• 4. Increase national, state and local longitudinal surveillance of tobacco-use cessation, including quitting motivation and behaviors, treatment beliefs and use, services, and policies
• 5. Expand access to proven, effective treatments for tobacco addiction
• 6. Support an expanded research agenda to achieve advances in the reach, effectiveness and adoption of tobacco cessation interventions across both individuals and populations
• 7. Launch an ongoing, extensive, national paid media campaign on cessation to help Americans quit using tobacco
• 8. Support the increase in the federal and state excise tax on tobacco to expand assistance for tobacco users who want to quit
• 9. Build capacity for quitlines in order to provide universal access to evidence-based counseling and medications for tobacco cessation

National Priority #3

Promote the inclusion and use of tobacco control and cessation content in electronic health records (EHRs)

The PHS Clinical Practice Guideline calls for systems-level tobacco intervention efforts. Electronic health records (EHRs) allow for integration of the tobacco cessation guidelines into the practice workflow, facilitating system-level changes to reduce tobacco use.

NTCC Activities for 2009-2010

The first steps for NTCC related to promoting the inclusion and use of tobacco control and cessation content in electronic health records would be to gather more information about the current state of the field.

• Do background assessment to determine what research studies have been conducted on cessation and EMR
• Explore existing models, including the VA system, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Wisconsin Health Systems and identify lessons learned
• Determine what other groups are currently having similar discussions on EMR. Explore the possibility of participating in or communicating with an advisory group making decisions regarding the stimulus funds for EMR
• Explore potential audiences, targets, clinicians, intervention points, vendors, etc. to determine best course of action

Partner Activities

NTCC partners are currently conducting many activities related to this priority. For a list of these NTCC partner activities, click here.

Other NTCC Activities

• Finalize and promote the provider CME-course microsite.
• Provide support, as needed, to Donna Warner of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program and the newly formed multi-state collaborative organized to promote and support sustainable changes in the healthcare system to address tobacco use.