Smoking Cessation Advice/Counseling
Why is this important?
All forms of tobacco are dangerous. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in approximately 440,000 deaths each year. Smokers die early. Research has shown smoking reduces life expectancy by seven to eight years. Heart disease, stroke, cancer and emphysema are among the causes of death experienced by smokers.
How WellSpan Compares
Last year, York Hospital and Gettysburg Hospital treated 750 patients with heart attack. The following shows the percentage of patients who were admitted to a WellSpan hospital for treatment of heart attack, who were smokers and who were given professional advice on how to quit smoking before leaving the hospital.
Unit of Measurement:
Percentage
A higher score is better than a lower score.
What we are doing to improve our performance.
WellSpan has formed a special team, known as the “Heart Attack Clinical Effectiveness Team,” to work with doctors and nurses who care for heart attack patients at York Hospital and Gettysburg Hospital. This group meets regularly to analyze current medical literature on heart attack and to assess WellSpan’s performance in treating it effectively. This group recommends strategies for improving treatment.
All patients admitted to the hospital are asked about tobacco use. WellSpan has a dedicated Tobacco Cessation Team comprised of respiratory therapists and counselors who ask all tobacco users admitted to the hospital if they would like to quit and provides important assistance in doing so. Counselors initiate care in the hospital and provide outpatient follow-up.