Improving Tobacco Treatment Rates for Outpatient Cancer Patients Who Smoke

"Investigators will use the Best Practice Alert functionality within the EMR as the conduit to the point of decision-making. Epic currently fires a BPA for each new patient presenting to ACC within the Medical Assistant check-in and vital sign workflow, requiring that medical assistants assess tobacco use status within the past 30 days and satisfy the alert with one of three possible answers. Upon opening the Epic Order tab at a patient's next visit after the screening encounter, clinicians will receive the implementation strategy, placed directly over the order interface. The clinician will be required to acknowledge or opt-out when presented with the order. Opting-out will require clinicians to acknowledge a reason for opt-out using a checklist or free text."

Patients will receive a message sent through myPennMedicine following establishment of their smoking status (at the screening encounter). In all cases, the message will include information specific to the upcoming appointment with the oncology clinician.