Electronic medical record reminders and smoking cessation activities in primary care

• Published in: Addictive behaviors 2018-02, Vol.77, p.203-209
• Main Authors: Bae, Jaeyong, Ford, Eric W., Kharrazi, Hadi H.K., Huerta, Timothy R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cigarette Smoking - therapy; Clinical practice guidelines; Clinical reminders; Counseling - methods; Drug addiction; Electronic Health Records; Electronic medical records; Female; Humans; Male; Medical electronics; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Primary care; Primary Health Care - methods; Regression analysis; Regulators; Reminder Systems; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation - methods; Smoking counseling; Smoking prescriptions; Statistical analysis; Studies
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.009

The purpose of this paper is to assess electronic medical record (EMR) automatic reminder use in relation to smoking cessation activities among primary-care providers. Primary-care physicians are in the frontline of efforts to promote smoking cessation. Moreover, doctors' prescribing privileges give them additional tools to help patients successfully quit smoking. New EMR functions can provide automated reminders for physicians to counsel smokers and provide prescriptions to support quit attempts. Logit regression is used to analyze the 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). Variables related to the EMR's clinical reminder capability, patient's smoking status, the provision of cessation counseling and the prescribing of drugs that support quitting are analyzed. For primary care visit documents, smoking status was recorded 77.7% of the time. Smoking cessation counseling was ordered/provided 16.4% of the time in physicians' offices using electronic reminders routinely compared to 9.1% in those lacking the functionality. Smoking cessation medication was ordered/prescribed for 3.7% of current smokers when reminders were routinely used versus 2.1% when no reminder was used. All the differences were statistically significant. The presence of an EMR equipped with automated clinical reminders is a valuable resource in efforts to promote smoking cessation. Insurers, regulators, and organizations promulgating clinical guidelines should include the use of EMR technology as part of their programs. •The use of an EMR equipped with clinical reminders promotes smoking status documentation.•EMR clinical reminder use increases smoking cessation counseling rates.•EMR clinical reminder use increases the prescribing of drugs in support of smoking cessation.