• Celine Chang Chyi Ng, Stefan Kowalski, Wei Ling Mu, Pei Ting Tan, Elaine Yin Leng Leong, Pak Liang Goh, Ru Peng Mong, and Hoon Chin Lim.
• Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei St 3, Singapore 529889. Email: sci01580@yahoo.com.sg.
• Am J Manag Care. 2022 Oct 1; 28 (10): e388e391e388-e391.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot smoking cessation service in an emergency department (ED) clinical observation unit.Study DesignA descriptive case series review was undertaken of smoking cessation service patients in the short-stay unit of an acute hospital in Singapore from July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019.MethodsUpon admission, ED nurses screen all patients regarding their current smoking status and implement the 5 A's framework, which involves the steps of Ask-Advise-Assess-Assist-Arrange. Patients in the "contemplation" and "preparation" stages were offered the following components: (1) a bedside counseling session by a pharmacist and (2) a follow-up appointment at an outpatient smoking cessation clinic. Postdischarge follow-up telephone calls at 1, 6, and 12 months were carried out as part of the study data collection to obtain abstinence information.ResultsForty-seven patients were included in the study; the majority were male (n = 41; 87.2%). The median numbers of cigarettes smoked per day at baseline, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months were 14, 5, 3, and 5, respectively. The overall point-prevalence abstinence rates over the same follow-up time points were 26.5%, 38.7%, and 31.3%, respectively. The proportions of patients lost to follow-up at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months were 27.7%, 34.0%, and 31.9%, respectively.ConclusionsGiven the small sample and high number of uncontactable patients, more research is needed to assess whether the trend toward increasing point-prevalence abstinence rate over time and the trend toward decreasing median number of cigarettes smoked are observed in a larger sample.

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