Connection supplemental articles and policies - July 2006

Download the print version

Connection - July 2006 (pdf, 229 KB)

supplemental articles

• Advice to quit—are you being heard?
• Plus, location changes for FCHP's Quit to Win program
   

• Global obstetrical services policy
• Hearing aid and hearing aid exam payment policy
• Laboratory and pathology payment policy
• Member liability policy
• Team conferences and telephone consults service policy
• Timely filing payment policy
  
  

every day affairs

advice to quit—are you being heard?

Advising your patients who smoke to quit is one of the best things you can do for them! One of the CAHPS® measures is the "advice to quit" measure. This is based on a patient's recollection of a visit with you and any discussion about his/her smoking. The FCHP rate used to be one of the highest in the country, but unfortunately we are slipping. We have gone from 80.5% of smokers remembering that their doctor advised them the quit down to 72.7% [see chart below].

CAHPS stands for Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and it is how managed care organizations obtain their members' perceptions on a variety of topics. The recommendation is for all providers to use the "five A's":

1. Ask if they smoke.
2. Assess the stage of change. (Have you thought about quitting?)
3. Advise them to quit.
4. Assist them in getting help.
5. Arrange for follow-up.

And be sure to document your patients' smoking status and if you've given them "advice to quit."

You may be telling your patients that they need to quit, but is that what they really heard? Many times, patients hear what they want to hear and have their own "spin." For example: "My doc told me I should quit—he didn't tell me I had to quit."

Here are some tips on getting the message across:

1. Use short, succinct sentences.
2. Be caring, but firm.
3. Make sure you're looking them in the eye.
4. Try to tie a medical condition to the reasons why they should quit.
5. Reinforce how important it is to the health of their family and themselves to quit.

And here are some examples:

1. "As your doctor, the single most important thing I can do is to advise you to quit smoking."
2. "I have grave concerns about your future well-being if you continue to smoke. I believe that you need to quit."
3. "In good faith, I can't continue to treat you without advising you to quit smoking."

You may refer any of your patients who smoke to our Quit to Win tobacco treatment program. We offer group sessions in the Central Mass. region and will work with plan members over the phone if they prefer that method. We also provide nicotine patches to FCHP members at a greatly discounted rate if they participate in the weekly group sessions or phone counseling sessions.

Based on our recent assessment, participants in Quit to Win have achieved a one-year abstinence rate of 32%, which is among the highest quit rates in the nation. In addition, we have increased our new participation by 45% and ongoing attendance in the program is very high.

location changes

In order to best use our resources, we are no longer offering Quit to Win at the Fallon Clinic May Street in Worcester. Unfortunately, the attendance at May Street significantly decreased in the past six months.

However, we have gone southeast, using Milford Regional Medical Center as a new site for meetings, beginning last month. Research has shown that there is a great need for a smoking cessation program in this region.

We will continue to have Quit to Win meetings at the Fallon Clinic on Plantation Street in Worcester, as well as in Auburn, Spencer and Leominster.

Refer your smokers to us at 888-807-2908, option 2, or tobacco.program@fchp.org .  If you have questions, please call us at 508-368-9540 or 888-807-2908, option 2.