Electronic Proactive Outreach for Smokers With COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common respiratory conditions and the 4th leading cause of death in the US. 90% of cases are directly attributable to smoking. Quitting smoking is the most important intervention for these patients, who continue to smoke at rates double the national average. Smokers with COPD remain undertreated for tobacco use. Proactive tobacco treatment programs identify patients outside of a routine clinic visit, engage them in making a quit attempt and connect them with treatment. These programs may be particularly beneficial for smokers with COPD. Previous phone-based programs are resource intensive to deliver. Electronic methods for delivering proactive outreach for tobacco cessation may be effective and cost-effective, and can be tailored to the target population. Hypothesis: A proactive tobacco treatment program delivered electronically and tailored to smokers with COPD will be effective and cost effective for increasing quit engagement among smokers with COPD. Study design: Multi-aim implementation study with randomized pilot. Aim 1: Mixed methods (survey and interview) assessment of current use of health information technology among smokers with COPD with a focus on the impact of the chronic disease state on tobacco cessation. Aim 2: Qualitative assessment of barriers and facilitators to implementation of proactive tobacco treatment programs for patients with COPD among staff and leadership. Aim 3: Randomized pilot of a proactive tobacco treatment program for smokers with COPD delivered through text messaging.