Cancer Program Implementation of CoC Standard 5.9: Smoking Cessation

CoC Standard 5.9 mandates that all new oncology patients be screened for tobacco use and that smokers be connected to evidence-based treatment within 30 days. By January 2027, programs must hit 90% screening and 80% treatment intervention compliance. 2026 serves as the implementation and refinement year to prepare for these metrics.

While screening rates are strong—averaging 84% year-to-date with several departments hitting 100%—referral and counseling rates remain low at approximately 6%. Initial data indicates reporting gaps due to documentation issues, leading to a revision of data extraction methods to better capture rooming workflows and patient status.

The system has integrated tobacco screening into standard rooming workflows with new EMR prompts. Key improvements include documenting patient declinations to ensure compliance tracking accurately reflects that services were offered even if refused. Future efforts will focus on restructuring the Tobacco Treatment Service and addressing barriers to patient engagement in cessation programs.