Objective: To examine the feasibility of a fax referral program to increase enrollment in tobacco dependence treatment in emergency department (ED) patients.
Methods: The control group received quit advice and printed information; the intervention group also received a faxed referral that generated telephone contacts.
Results: Treatment enrollment was higher in the intervention group (13.5% vs 2.7%). Only the faxed referral was associated with treatment enrollment.
Conclusions: An ED intervention is feasible. Faxed referral resulted in a 5-fold increase in tobacco treatment enrollment. The ED may be an opportune setting to facilitate smoking-cessation behavior change among lower income, underserved patients.