title: Using the electronic health record to connect primary care patients to evidence-based telephonic tobacco quitline services: a closed-loop demonstration project.
abstract: Few smokers receive evidence-based tobacco treatment during healthcare visits. Electronic health records (EHRs) present an opportunity to efficiently identify and refer smokers to state tobacco quitlines. The purpose of this case study is to develop and evaluate a secure, closed-loop EHR referral system linking patients visiting healthcare clinics with a state tobacco quitline. A regional health system, EHR vendor, tobacco cessation telephone quitline vendor, and university research center collaborated to modify a health system's EHR to create an eReferral system. Modifications included the following: clinic workflow adjustments, EHR prompts, and return of treatment delivery information from the quitline to the patient's EHR. A markedly higher percentage of adult tobacco users were referred to the quitline using eReferral than using the previous paper fax referral (14 vs. 0.3 %). The eReferral system increased the referral of tobacco users to quitline treatment. This case study suggests the feasibility and effectiveness of a secure, closed-loop EHR-based eReferral system.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, 1930 Monroe Street, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53711 USA.
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Adsit
authors.affiliation: Epic Systems Corporation, Verona, WI USA.
authors.forename: Bradley M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Epic Systems Corporation, Verona, WI USA.
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsiolis
authors.affiliation: Dean Health Systems, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ogland
authors.affiliation: Dean Health Systems, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simerson
authors.affiliation: Dean Health Systems, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vind
authors.affiliation: Alere Wellbeing, Seattle, WA USA.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, 1930 Monroe Street, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53711 USA.
authors.forename: Amy D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Skora
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, 1930 Monroe Street, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53711 USA.
authors.forename: Timothy B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, 1930 Monroe Street, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53711 USA.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fiore
keywords: Electronic health record; Healthcare system; Telephonic tobacco quitline; Tobacco cessation; Workflow