This pilot clinical trial studies how well provider training works in increasing patient tobacco cessation counseling and referrals for patients with cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Health care provider training in motivational interviewing techniques and utilizing tobacco cessation resources may help doctors understand how health care providers can effectively increase their confidence in talking to patients about tobacco cessation counseling.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine if training providers on tobacco cessation resources increases the frequency of counseling and referrals at initial and follow-up consultations for cancer patients who use tobacco and are scheduled to receive radiation at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Increase provider frequency of tobacco use quantification and type. II. Increase frequency of provider assessment of tobacco cessation readiness in current users.

III. Increase frequency and types of tobacco cessation resources and medicines offered and utilized.

IV. Increase frequency and type of follow-up planned if referred to cessation resource.

OUTLINE:

MEDICAL CHART REVIEW: Medical charts from patients with diagnoses of head and neck cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, or breast cancer are reviewed at months 1-12 to determine the frequency of tobacco assessments and documentation of discussions with patients regarding tobacco use and utilization of cessation resources as before and after the proposed training.

PROVIDER TRAINING: Providers undergo training to use patient coaching such as the 5A's (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange), to conduct regular tobacco intake assessment using motivational interviewing techniques. Providers also undergo training to use public/community tobacco cessation resources for patients ready to quit within six weeks, and have access to pharmacy residents for ad-hoc prescribing questions.

PATIENT COACHING: Patients attend 4 phone or in-person motivational interviewing coaching sessions over 30-45 minutes for 6-8 weeks or longer as needed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• MEDICAL CHART REVIEW
• Pre-intervention: 200 patient records between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016 are subject to review; the first 50 records with a diagnoses of each cancer type: head and neck, lung, prostate, or breast will be utilized for the review
• Post-intervention: 200 patient records receiving care beginning six months post training are subject to review; the first 50 records with a diagnoses of head and neck, lung, prostate, or breast will be utilized
• PROVIDER TRAINING
• OHSU Radiation Medicine department has agreed to participate as pilot department for this project; all active Radiation Medicine providers are requested to participate in the training; providers have the option to not participate
• TOBACCO CESSATION COACHING
• Patients who are at least 18 years of age
• Speak English
• Report tobacco use within the past 7 days
• Willing to consider quitting smoking
• Patients must be willing to meet four times in person or on the phone to discuss tobacco use
• Patients must be willing to be audio recorded during the sessions
• Patients who meet this criteria will be referred to OHSU Health Promotion Sports Medicine researcher, Carol DeFrancesco, to complete assessment using stages of change tobacco use readiness ruler and question set
• Patient smoking status will be documented in their electronic health record, per routine care

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vulnerable Populations

  • The following groups will be excluded from participation:

    • Children
    • Decisionally impaired adults
    • Prisoners
    • Pregnant women