OU Medicine and Norman Regional recognized for new efforts to reduce patient tobacco use

Posted on: 5/8/20

OHA would like to recognize OU Medicine and Norman Regional Health System outpatient clinics for their leadership in creating a best practice tobacco treatment protocol to help their patients successfully quit tobacco.

The OHA’s Hospitals Helping Patients Quit (HHPQ) initiative, a grant program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), partnered with both health systems to integrate clinical tobacco treatment including an electronic referral (eReferral) to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (OTH). Because an eReferral is automatic and embedded in the EHR workflow, eReferrals make the referral process faster and easier for providers. This process increases the likelihood of a successful handoff to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline.

By implementing these best practices, these health systems are saving valuable health care dollars. But most importantly, they’re improving the quality of life for so many in their community.

OU Medicine launched their eReferral process in April and Norman Regional will roll this out to their outpatient clinics soon.

HHPQ congratulates these community health leaders for their dedication to improving the lives of their patients and their community.

For information on the HHPQ initiative, click here, or email [email protected]. For information on the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, click here. (Kelly Willingham)