California Smokers' Helpline Launches Free, Web-Based Referral Service

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Smokers' Helpline—http://www.nobutts.org—just made it easier for health professionals to refer their patients who smoke to the Helpline for free, evidence-based, tobacco cessation services in multiple languages.

Health professionals can now register online for the Helpline's new free, web-based referral service. Once approved, it's easy and convenient to refer patients who want to quit smoking with the Helpline's online referral service – just select the provider name from the drop-down menu, enter the patient's name, date of birth, phone number and preferred language, obtain patient consent, and save!

Studies have shown that smokers who use Helpline counseling are twice as likely to quit as those who don't. Seventy percent of smokers visit a physician at least once a year and according to the U.S. Public Health Service Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: Clinical Practice Guideline, 2008 Update, "Telephone quitline counseling is effective with diverse populations and has broad reach. Therefore, both clinicians and health care delivery systems should ensure patient access to quitlines and promote quitline use."

"At Children's Hospital Oakland, we are big fans of the Helpline's new web-based referral system," says Jyothi Marbin, MD, with the Department of Primary Care. "I have found the web portal very quick and easy to use, and I love that I get immediate confirmation so I know my referral has been received. I also train other providers on how to refer patients to the Helpline using the web-referral system, and we all appreciate that it's so user-friendly and simple to use."

Established in 1992 by researchers at the University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, the California Smokers' Helpline provides free, personalized and confidential services to 40,000 Californians each year from diverse communities throughout the state. Quitting assistance is provided in English (800-NO-BUTTS), Spanish (800-45-NO-FUME), Korean (800-556-5564), Vietnamese (800-778-8440), and Mandarin and Cantonese (800-838-8917). Specialized services are also available for pregnant smokers, tobacco chewers and teens. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Helpline is funded by the California Department of Public Health and First 5 California.  

Contact: Kristin Harms
(858) 300-1011
[email protected]

SOURCE California Smokers' Helpline

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