Improving Pharmacy-Led Smoking Cessation Practices at a Federally Qualified Health Center

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to conduct a programevaluation of current tobacco cessation practices at a local FQHC’s pharmacy, and propose sitespecific recommendations based on findings. Background. Tobacco use is the principal cause of lung cancer and a modifiable risk factor for multiple pulmonary and cardiovascular disease processes and overall mortality. Therefore, greater access to effective tobacco cessation interventions stand to positively impact patient health. Pharmacists’ effectiveness in multifaceted roles, including membership in multidisciplinary healthcare teams, disease factor recognition, and patient-focused recommendations, places them in an advantageous position to deliver tobacco cessation interventions. Methods. This QI project was one part of a three-armed project. This arm focused on improving the FQHC’s tobacco cessation processes and interventions in the pharmacy. The Investigator evaluated pharmacists’ knowledge, perception, and attitudes toward current and future tobacco cessation practices thorough a voluntary 23 question electronic survey. Results. The survey achieved a 66.6% response rate (N=6) and included participants from the Dispensing and Clinical sections of the FQHC’s pharmacy. Though only 20% had received related training at the facility, 100% of pharmacists felt tobacco cessation had some degree of importance to their role. However, 50% of participants were not sure if the facility had a tobacco cessation protocol. Conclusions. Implementation of a comprehensive tobacco cessation protocol, consistent protocol education across pharmacy sections, and targeted tobacco cessation training for 10 pharmacists, are specific interventions to improve current tobacco cessation practices at this FQHC’s pharmacy.