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The program was created by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., and is maintained by the New York State Quitline Service.
The program begins as part of a nursing assessment, where a patient is asked if they smoke. If they say yes, the patient is asked if they want to quit and given the Opt-to-Quit hotline. If they give another affirmative answer, a state representative will contact them within 72 hours with a list of free programs designed to aid them.
Luanne Convery, Putnam Hospital vice president of patient care services, noted that admitted patients can't smoke, so it's just a way for them to continue going after they've been discharged.
“We are doing this to encourage smoking cessation and the prevention of lung cancer,” Convery added. Roughly 13.9 percent of adults in Putnam County smoke, according to the Putnam County Department of Health.
The department, along with the hospital and other partners, created a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) that included prevention of tobacco use by youths.
Partners include POW'R Against Tobacco and the Center for a Tobacco-Free Hudson Valley.
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