TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR PRACTICE DURING THIS PANDEMIC. WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

Smoking Cessation

MD Spiro Smoking CessationMD Spiro Smoking Cessation

The CDC estimates that about 42 million Americans or 18% of all adults are smokers; and under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) smoking cessation must be treated as one of the preventive services that private health plans are required to cover without cost-sharing or prior authorization.

All patients attending a smoking cessation program should have their smoking habits established and checked with a breath CO monitor at every visit.  The results of an initial test may sound alarming to many smokers but within a few days of stopping, CO levels can drop to normal and it is very encouraging for a smoker to see this.  CO monitoring is an extremely powerful tool for a smoking cessation counselor, physician or respiratory therapist.

As an aid to smoking cessation, a breath CO monitor can be used as a motivational and educational tool.  Self-reported smoking status has been shown to be unreliable and a CO monitor replaces this.1

SMOKING CESSATION

11 Irving, J. (1988). “Evaluation of a Portable Measure of Expired-Air Carbon Monoxide”. Preventive Medicine 17: 109–115.