What physicians can do about the tobacco problem: best practice interventions for your practice and office.

This article is the first in a series of four providing up-to-date information about the tobacco problem and how physicians can effectively intervene. Three of the four articles are accredited for free continuing medical education (CME) credit for physicians. The CME credit is being provided free of charge by Nemours via the Web site www.pedseducation.org. Physicians may obtain credit by logging on to this site, registering, and completing the post-test and evaluation materials. This article reviews the best evidence-based approaches for tobacco intervention in the busy office. It discusses the implementation of the following components of a tobacco-control program to effectively and efficiently address the tobacco problem: 1) physician counseling to promote smoking cessation, 2) strategies to promote abstinence from smoking, 3) strategies to minimize environmental tobacco smoke exposure, 4) strategies to encourage tobacco use cessation, and 5) office-based interventions. By reading the article and completing the post-test, it is anticipated that the following learning objectives will be met: 1) physicians will become familiar with best practice interventions for tobacco counseling and limiting secondhand smoke exposure, and 2) physicians will become familiar with office based strategies to promote a strong anti-smoking message.