The University of Texas at Austin has developed a tool for EHRs that allows providers to connect smokers who want to quit with the Texas Quitline with the click of a button.
The eTobacco Protocol tool integrates directly into the EHR system to refer patients to the state-funded Quitline, through which a counselor calls the patient to begin the process of tobacco cessation efforts. The tool helps providers avoid paper fax referrals and engages tobacco users in the process of quitting while saving time, according to the university's website.
The eTobacco Protocol has the potential to help providers meet meaningful use metrics by improving patient outcomes through risk reduction. The software prompts healthcare providers to assess a patient's readiness to quit tobacco use within 30 days, and with the patient's approval, the provider can refer the patient to the Quitline, according to the university's website.
Providers can contact the university to learn how to obtain a copy of the software through the university's Tobacco Research and Evaluation Team.