Description:

Our tobacco cessation counseling measure uses claims data to determine the percentage of patients in our population (Adult Asthma, Pediatric Asthma, and COPD) who were identified as being tobacco users with at least one claim for tobacco cessation counseling in the measurement year.  A higher proportion indicates better performance.

Numerator/Denominator:

• Denominator: All asthma patients, regardless of severity, 13 years and older and all COPD patients 40 years and older identified as tobacco users or as having received cessation counseling in the measurement year.
• Numerator: All patient in the denominator that have at least one claim for tobacco cessation counseling in the measurement year.

Rationale:

• COPD (GOLD 2023): Tobacco smoking is one of the main environmental exposures leading to the development of COPD and smoking cessation is a key intervention for all COPD patients who continue to smoke. Healthcare providers are pivotal in delivering smoking cessation messages and interventions.
• Asthma (GINA 2022): Exposure to tobacco smoke is a modifiable trigger for asthma exacerbations. Exposure to passive smoke increases the risk of hospitalization and poor asthma control. Active smoking is associated with an increased risk of poor asthma control, hospital admissions, and, in some studies, death from asthma. Smoking reduces the effectiveness of inhaled and oral corticosteroids; increases the rate of lung function decline; and may lead to COPD. To reduce the risk of exacerbations, healthcare providers should encourage smoking cessation by the patient and/or family. (Pg. 81)

Guideline Links:

• GOLD 2023 Guidelines: 2023 GOLD Report – Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease – GOLD (goldcopd.org)
• GINA 2022 Guidelines: 2022 GINA Main Report – Global Initiative for Asthma – GINA (ginasthma.org)

Supporting documentation is below; additional resources developed by Healthy Behavior Optimization of Michigan (HBOM) are also included where available.