Tobacco use is among Indiana's top public health concerns, as the leading cause of preventable death.

Indiana's smoking rate is 21%--putting us 44th worst in the nation for the percentage of smokers. Hospitals and health care systems play an important role in ending this epidemic. An estimated 80% of U.S. tobacco users see a health care provider each year¹, nearly 70% of smokers report that they want to quit².

In March 2018, the Indiana State Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Commission selected IHA for the Health Systems Change Partnerships grant program. The goal of the program is to build the capacity of health systems to routinely assess and address tobacco use, by supporting the integration of tobacco dependence treatment within various types of health care systems.

The U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, provides strategies and recommendations for providing effective clinical treatment of tobacco dependence. Informed by these guidelines, IHA provides technical assistance for the following areas:

Implementing Best Practices for Tobacco Dependence Treatment - Care Coordination
Quality Improvement
Utilization of Electronic Health Record System

For more information about the Health Systems Change Partnerships grant and how to get involved, please email IHA Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Quality Advisor Laurie Gerdt.

1. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/pdfs/using-health-systems-change508.pdf
2. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6552a1.htm?s_cid=mm6552a1_w%20