Combining two implementation strategies to increase reach for tobacco treatment with cancer patients: Ask-Advise-Connect and closing care gaps.

Abstract

242 Background: Tobacco treatment is an important component of cancer care, and pragmatic strategies are needed. The University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCD CCC) was selected to join the National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (NCI C3I) to integrate tobacco treatment with cancer care. As a matrix cancer center, UCD had tobacco treatment workflows established in primary care, with Health Management Education group classes and a quitline order, but less so in cancer care. Methods: We use the RE-AIM framework for our study evaluation. During the two-year study period (1/2018-12/2019) patient data were reported in 6-month periods to NCI C3I from core Cancer Center clinics including medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. Three strategies were implemented serially and in convergence. Strategy #1 involved cancer provider and staff education and training, Strategy #2 initiated the Ask-Advise-Connect workflow with medical assistants assessing and referring within the clinic encounter, and Strategy #3 conducted Closing Care Gaps outreach to contact “unassisted” smokers outside of the clinic encounter. Stakeholder perspectives for implementation readiness across units were engaged at least bi-monthly by multidisciplinary members of the Cancer Committee, led by the physician-in-chief. Implementation strategies were developed in partnership with clinic management and Health Management Education staff with monthly rapid feedback reports for referral orders. Results: Our project Reach improved tobacco assessment from 83.6% to 96.4% and tobacco treatment program orders and outreach by 6-fold (from 40 to 254) over the four NCI C3I 6-month reporting periods. For tobacco treatment program Effectiveness, among 118 patients who engaged in treatment (January 2018-June 2019), past-week abstinence at 6 months was 22.9% (missing data assumed to be smoking) Adoption and Implementation of tobacco treatment program referrals were highest in medical (5-10 fold) and surgical oncology (3-fold) annual increases. In contrast, radiation oncology referrals remained low due to a different clinic workflow and electronic health record module. Booster trainings have helped to Maintain referrals in the clinic. Conclusions: A matrix cancer center can rapidly adopt and implement tobacco treatment strategies that are internal and external to the clinic visit, with the goal of offering tobacco treatment and maximizing reach to all cancer patients who smoke.