Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Awards Grant to Clarian Tobacco Cont...( Health system to implement new ...),Health

Health system to implement new guidelines for patients who smoke

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation (ITPC) recently awarded Clarian Tobacco Control Center (CTCC), a part of the Clarian Health network, a grant to implement new tobacco cessation guidelines, set by the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), throughout its statewide network.

The grant follows the release of the PHS 2008 Clinical Practice Guideline Update: Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence. The Guideline aims to provide clinicians and health care systems a more consistent and effective approach when treating patients who smoke. According to PHS, "many clinicians lack knowledge about how to identify smokers quickly and easily, which treatments are effective, how such treatments can be delivered, and the relative effectiveness of different treatments."

"Indiana data show that even brief interventions by our doctors, dentists, nurses and assistants can increase the number of Hoosiers who try to quit," Karla Sneegas, executive director for ITPC, said. "These new guidelines provide a 'blueprint' for clinicians and health care systems, describing how smokers can access effective treatments, how clinicians can provide such treatments quickly and effectively, and how health care systems can support both smokers and clinicians in smoking cessation efforts. We're pleased to award a grant to Clarian Health to begin implementing these practices."

The Guideline has been approved nationally by more than 55 major organizations, public health and medical officials, and former U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop.

"Tobacco dependency should be treated as a chronic disease," Judy Monroe, M.D., State Health Commissioner, said. "Nicotine addiction often requires repeated intervention and multiple attempts to quit, which is why support from health care providers is essential."

According to a press release issued by the Indiana State
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