Connecting clinic patients to Quitline coaching to help them stop smoking

CONNECT: COmpreheNsive traiNing and Engagement in Cessation Treatment

['FUNDING_R01'] · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11300215

This project connects adult patients who smoke—especially low-income, Medicaid, or uninsured people seen at community health centers—to Quitline coaches through direct electronic referrals and staff training to make quitting support easier.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorOREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (PORTLAND, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11300215 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

From a patient's perspective, your community health center would be able to send a referral from your electronic health record directly to the Quitline, and the Quitline would send back information into your chart so your clinic knows what happened. Clinic staff will receive focused training and support to make these referrals a routine part of care and to engage patients about quitting. The program compares clinics using this bidirectional eReferral plus staff training approach to usual referral methods to see which reaches more people and leads to more quit attempts and successful quitting. The work prioritizes reaching socioeconomically disadvantaged adults who currently have lower access to evidence-based cessation support.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adult smokers (age 21 and older) who receive care at participating community health centers—especially those with low incomes, on Medicaid, or uninsured—are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People who do not smoke, are under 21, do not receive care at a participating community health center, or do not want Quitline contact are unlikely to benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, more patients—particularly low-income and uninsured smokers—could get timely Quitline counseling and treatment, increasing chances of quitting and reducing smoking-related health problems.

How similar studies have performed: Previous programs using direct electronic referrals have increased Quitline reach compared with faxed or indirect referrals, but nationwide Quitline reach targets have not yet been met.

Where this research is happening

PORTLAND, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Centers for Disease Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.