Two Lawton hospitals were recently recognized for referring people to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, which provides support for people who are trying to stop using tobacco.
Comanche County Memorial Hospital referred 820 patients to the helpline, while Southwestern Medical Center reported 202 referrals, according to a news release from the Oklahoma Hospital Association. The hospitals were among 73 hospitals and more than 400 outpatient clinics that issued referrals to the helpline.
The helpline has received nearly 50,000 faxed, web-based or electronic referrals from the Hospitals Helping Patients Quit program’s partners since October 2010, according to the news release. The referrals helped save approximately 35,000 years of life and $17.7 million in reduced health care costs.
“Referring 50,000 patients to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a tremendous achievement for Oklahoma hospitals and their affiliated clinics,” Oklahoma Hospital Association President Patti Davis said in the news release. “The health hazards of tobacco use are widely understood, yet we continue to struggle with it. We understand the best ways to help people quit and are happy to help hospitals and clinics around the state with this life-saving work.”
The Hospitals Helping People Quit program supports hospitals and clinics in developing tobacco treatment programs for patients, including referrals to the helpline, according to the news release.
Patients who receive a clinical cessation visit from their health care provider, use the appropriate medication and use the helpline’s services are up to seven times more likely to quit successfully than people who try to quit cold turkey, according to the news release.