Help Your Patients Quit

A brief tobacco intervention conducted by a health professional can dramatically improve a person's chances of quitting successfully

As a health professional, you are a trusted source of information. You can play an important role in helping your patients and clients to quit by connecting them with free tobacco cessation resources:

  • Brief tobacco interventions conducted by health professionals can double the chances that a patient or client will quit successfully.

  • Referring your patients or clients to resources that combine counseling and medication can further increase the chances of a successful quit attempt.

  • Research demonstrates that telephone-based tobacco quit lines can provide effective treatment for tobacco dependence and can serve as convenient referrals for busy health professionals.

For more information on how to conduct a brief tobacco intervention with your patients or clients, go to www.2AandR.org.

Consider these tips for a quick intervention

  • Encourage people to call the Washington State Tobacco Quit Line toll-free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) or 1-877-2NO-FUME (3863) in Spanish.

  • It can be intimidating to make that first call. That's why the quit line has developed a system that removes that barrier. Complete a fax referral form with your patient - and the quit line will call them.

  • Direct patients to www.quitline.com for helpful quit tools and information about what they can expect when calling the quit line.

What your patient can expect when calling the quit line

The quit line is a proven, evidence-based approach to quitting smoking. More than 110,000 people in Washington have already called the quit line for help, doubling their chances of quitting successfully. When your patient calls the quit line, they'll receive the following support:

  • Quit coaches will speak directly with the caller about their smoking history and help them identify personal triggers that cause the desire to smoke. Together, they will develop a plan to prepare for the quit date and beyond.

  • Quit kits are mailed to callers after they speak with a quit coach. Each kit includes helpful information on:

    • Making a decision about quitting

    • Getting ready to quit

    • Knowing what to expect when you quit

    • Coping with withdrawal symptoms and stress

    • Asking friends, family members or co-workers for support

    • Avoiding relapse and staying tobacco free

Download a brochure about the Washington State Tobacco Quit Line to learn more about what your patients can expect when they call.

The Tobacco Cessation Resource Center (TCRC)

The Tobacco Cessation Resource Center (TCRC) is a program of the Washington State Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Control Program that provides tobacco cessation-related training, mentoring and resources to health care providers, health delivery systems and those who educate health care providers. The goal of TCRC is to increase the number of health care providers who effectively intervene with their patients who use tobacco.

TCRC's health care provider website offers comprehensive information on brief intervention techniques, details about the Washington State Tobacco Quit Line, information on the fax referral program and tools for clinics, health systems and organizations who want to address tobacco use. The website also includes online trainings, CME courses, and a location to request further assistance.