Provider Training in Increasing Patient Tobacco Cessation Counseling and Referrals for Patients With Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine if training providers on tobacco cessation resources increases the frequency
of counseling and referrals at initial and follow-up consultations for cancer patients who
use tobacco and are scheduled to receive radiation at Oregon Health and Science University
(OHSU).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Increase provider frequency of tobacco use quantification and type. II. Increase frequency
of provider assessment of tobacco cessation readiness in current users.

III. Increase frequency and types of tobacco cessation resources and medicines offered and
utilized.

IV. Increase frequency and type of follow-up planned if referred to cessation resource.

OUTLINE:

MEDICAL CHART REVIEW: Medical charts from patients with diagnoses of head and neck cancer,
lung cancer, prostate cancer, or breast cancer are reviewed at months 1-12 to determine the
frequency of tobacco assessments and documentation of discussions with patients regarding
tobacco use and utilization of cessation resources as before and after the proposed training.

PROVIDER TRAINING: Providers undergo training to use patient coaching such as the 5A's (Ask,
Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange), to conduct regular tobacco intake assessment using
motivational interviewing techniques. Providers also undergo training to use public/community
tobacco cessation resources for patients ready to quit within six weeks, and have access to
pharmacy residents for ad-hoc prescribing questions.

PATIENT COACHING: Patients attend 4 phone or in-person motivational interviewing coaching
sessions over 30-45 minutes for 6-8 weeks or longer as needed.

Inclusion Criteria:

- MEDICAL CHART REVIEW

- Pre-intervention: 200 patient records between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016
are subject to review; the first 50 records with a diagnoses of each cancer type: head
and neck, lung, prostate, or breast will be utilized for the review

- Post-intervention: 200 patient records receiving care beginning six months post
training are subject to review; the first 50 records with a diagnoses of head and
neck, lung, prostate, or breast will be utilized

- PROVIDER TRAINING

- OHSU Radiation Medicine department has agreed to participate as pilot department for
this project; all active Radiation Medicine providers are requested to participate in
the training; providers have the option to not participate

- TOBACCO CESSATION COACHING

- Patients who are at least 18 years of age

- Speak English

- Report tobacco use within the past 7 days

- Willing to consider quitting smoking

- Patients must be willing to meet four times in person or on the phone to discuss
tobacco use

- Patients must be willing to be audio recorded during the sessions

- Patients who meet this criteria will be referred to OHSU Health Promotion Sports
Medicine researcher, Carol DeFrancesco, to complete assessment using stages of change
tobacco use readiness ruler and question set

- Patient smoking status will be documented in their electronic health record, per
routine care

Exclusion Criteria:

- Vulnerable Populations

- The following groups will be excluded from participation:

- Children

- Decisionally impaired adults

- Prisoners

- Pregnant women