Healthcare providers helping smokersHealthcare providers can be extremely influential in intervening with smokers and encouraging them to quit smoking. However, physicians and other healthcare providers too often fail to ask patients about their smoking status or to talk about cessation. The reasons are likely many and include, at a minimum, lack of time during an office visit, focus on an immediate health issue or need (i.e. the presenting illness), and discouragement about relapse rates among smokers. There are many resources available for healthcare providers who wish to intervene with their patients who smoke. Moreover, there are more resources than ever before available to smokers who wish to quit, including telephone and face to face counseling and support and medications, much of which is currently covered by many insurance companies. |
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