Title: Beating Joe Camel: The American Society of Anesthesiologists Smoking Cessation Initiative
1- Beating Joe Camel The American Society of
Anesthesiologists Smoking Cessation Initiative
2Beating Joe Camel
- Why bother?
- Barriers
- The ASA Smoking Cessation Initiative
- How to help in three minutes or less
- How to get paid for helping (under some
circumstances) -
3Why bother?
4Tobacco Cessation Improves Surgical Outcomes
- Cardiovascular complications
- Respiratory complications
- Wound related complications
5Short Term Cardiovascular Benefits of Smoking
Cessation
- Nicotine
- Half life of 1-2 h
- Decreases in heart rate and systolic blood
pressure in 24 hrs - Carbon Monoxide
- Half life of 4 hours
- Level near normal at 12 hrs
- Preoperative abstinence decreases the frequency
of intraoperative ischemia
Woehlck et al, Anesth Analg 89 856, 1999
6Smoking Cessation Reduces Postoperative
Complications
- 120 Orthopedic patients randomized to tobacco
intervention or control, 6-8 weeks prior to
surgery - 80 of intervention patients were able to quit
or reduce smoking
Moller, Lancet 359114, 2002
7Why bother?
8Surgery Promotes Tobacco Cessation
- Opportunity to intervene
- Contact with healthcare system
- Forced abstinence
- Major medical interventions improve quit rates
- Occurs even in the absence of tobacco
interventions - May also improve the effectiveness of tobacco
interventions
9Smoking Cessation After Surgery
10Perioperative Smoking Cessation Barriers
- Quitting just before surgery increases pulmonary
complications - Nicotine replacement therapy is dangerous
- Surgical patients are already too stressed
- Patients dont want to hear about their smoking
they have enough to worry about
11Recent Smoking Cessation Does Not Increase
Pulmonary Complications
- 300 patients for lung cancer resection
- Recent quitters 1 week, months
- Past quitters 2 months
Barrera et al, Chest 1271977, 2005
12Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Wound Healing
- 48 smokers randomized to continuous smoking or
abstinence, with or without nicotine replacement - Standardized surgical wounds over a 12 week
period
Sorensen et al, Ann Surg 2381, 2003
13Perioperative Stress in Smokers
- 141 smokers, 150 non-smokers for elective surgery
- Perceived stress measured from before surgery up
to one week postoperatively - Smoking status does not affect changes in
perceived stress - No evidence for significant cigarette cravings
Warner et al, Anesthesiology 1991125, 2004
14What do smokers expect?
- Essentially all smokers are aware of general
health hazards - Most are not aware of how it might affect their
surgery and want to know! - They want information and options
- Almost all will not be offended if you discuss
their smoking - But they do not want a sermon
Warner et al, Am J Prev Med 35S486, 2008
15The Real Barriers to Intervention
- I dont know how
- I dont have time
- Its not my job
16What are we doing now?
- Survey responses from 329 anesthesiologists and
299 general surgeons - Proportions that always performed intervention
- Actual patient perceptions may differ (e.g., 30
of patients recall being advised)
Warner et al, Anesth Analg 991766,2004
17ASA Smoking Cessation Initiative Rationale
- Smoking cessation improves perioperative outcomes
- Sustained abstinence produced by this teachable
moment produces an average 6-8 years of life
gained - Demonstrate to the public that anesthesiologists
are perioperative physicians who care about
patient health - Recent CMS changes make it possible to bill for
tobacco interventions lasting three or more
minutes
18ASA Smoking Cessation Initiative Vision and Goals
- Vision
- Every smoker cared for by an anesthesiologist
will receive assistance in quitting as an
integral part of care - Goal
- Increase the involvement of ASA members in
smoking cessation efforts, thus increasing
abstinence rates for their patients who smoke
19ASA Smoking Cessation Initiative Strategies
- Encourage all anesthesiologists to consistently
apply the ASK, ADVISE, and REFER technique - Develop anesthesiologists who can serve as
leaders for local efforts to provide tobacco
intervention services in perioperative practice - Educate the public regarding the importance of
perioperative smoking cessation - Create partnerships with other healthcare
professionals to promote a comprehensive
perioperative strategy for patients who smoke
20What should we do for smokers who need surgery?
- ASK
- Assess tobacco use at every visit
- ADVISE
- Strongly urge all tobacco users to quit
- REFER
- To a tobacco quitline or other resources
21What are Quitlines?
- Free via telephone to all Americans
- Staffed by trained specialists
- Up to 4-6 personalized sessions
- Some offer free nicotine replacement therapy
- Up to 30 success rates for patients who complete
sessions
Most providers and patients know nothing about
quitlines.
22ASK every patient about tobacco use
- Ask even if you already know the answer
- Reinforces the message that as a physician you
think their tobacco use is significant
23ADVISE all smokers to quit
- Why quit for surgery? Talking Points
- Quit for as long as possible before and after
surgery - Day of surgery especially important fast from
both food and cigarettes - Benefits of quitting to wound healing, heart and
lungs - Great opportunity to quit for good
- Many people dont have cravings
- Need to be smoke free in the hospital anyway
24REFER smokers to quitlines or other resources
- What are quitlines? Talking Points
- Quitlines are free
- Talk with a specialist, not a recording
- Free stop smoking medications may be available
- Can call anytime, even after surgery
- Can help you stay off cigarettes even if you have
already quit - Can also use proactive fax referral
- 1-800-QUIT-NOW
25ASA Quitline Card
26ASA Patient and Provider Brochures
27Other Patient Resources
- Tobacco treatment specialists
- Available in many practice settings
- Often hospital-based
- Web sites
- www.smokefree.gov
- www.asahq.org/stopsmoking
- Insurers
- E.g., Blue Cross/Shield, BluePrint for Health
stop smoking program
28Tobacco Intervention CMS Reimbursement
- Who is covered?
- Patients who use tobacco and have a disease or
adverse health effect found by the US Surgeon
General to be linked to tobacco use - Patients who take certain therapeutic agents
whose metabolism or dosage is affected by tobacco
use as based on FDA-approved information - CPT Codes
- 99406 Smoking and tobacco-use cessation
counseling visit intermediate, greater than 3
minutes up to 10 minutes - 99407 Smoking and tobacco-use cessation
counseling visit intensive, greater than10
minutes
29Tobacco Intervention CMS Reimbursement
- Cessation counseling attempt occurs when a
qualified physician or other Medicare recognized
practitioner determines that a beneficiary meets
the eligibility requirements and initiates
treatment - Two attempts, up to 4 sessions, allowed every 12
months - No credentialing requirements
30ASA Smoking Cessation Initiative Task Force
Pilot Program
- Identified 14 practices nationally, both private
practices and academic - Implemented Ask-Advise-Refer strategy from Oct.
Dec. 2007 - Practices surveyed after this period to determine
feasibility and gather feedback
31Pilot Project Highlights (n94 responses)
- 50 expressed increased self-efficacy
- 75 agree that they would incorporate AAR in
their practice - High acceptance of materials
- 80 agree that the ASA should encourage
32Rates That Anesthesiologists Performed
Ask-Advise-Refer Elements
frequently or always
Baseline data from 2004 national survey of ASA
members, Warner et al, AA, 991766, 2004
33Bottom Line
- You can make a difference in the lives of your
patients who smoke - You can help without being an expert in tobacco
control and get paid for doing it - The ASA is working to provide you with the tools
needed to do this effectively
34What about Joe Camel?