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Rural Health Information Hub

Access to Technology

Access to technology can be critical to the success of certain tobacco cessation activities, particularly healthcare interventions that seek to improve screening and treatment rates for tobacco users. Providers and clinical staff often use electronic health records (EHR) to help identify tobacco users and track their cessation attempts. EHRs may also help increase referrals to state tobacco quitlines (see Quitline Interventions).

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology compiled several resources that may support critical access and small rural hospitals in their efforts to implement EHR systems. Several of these tools may also apply to smaller rural clinics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance on how EHRs and decision support systems can incorporate tobacco dependence treatment.