Helping Patients Quit Smoking Before Surgery

ASSIST: Assessment of Medicaid policy on Smoking Cessation Assistance and Surgical Outcomes

NIH-funded research Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11124228

This project looks at how a Medicaid policy in Oregon helps patients quit smoking before surgery and how that affects their recovery.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOregon Health & Science University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Portland, United States)
Project IDNIH-11124228 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Smoking can make surgery recovery harder, leading to more infections and heart problems. Because of this, some hospitals ask patients to quit smoking before elective surgeries. This project focuses on a specific policy in Oregon that requires Medicaid patients to quit smoking for certain surgeries. We want to see if this policy helps more patients successfully quit and if it improves their health after surgery, especially for those with lower incomes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients who are 21 years or older, covered by Medicaid, smoke, and are considering elective surgery might be relevant to this research.

Not a fit: Patients who do not smoke or are not undergoing elective surgery would not directly benefit from this specific policy assessment.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better support for patients who need to quit smoking before surgery, potentially improving their recovery and overall health.

How similar studies have performed: While the link between smoking cessation and improved surgical outcomes is known, this specific assessment of a statewide Medicaid policy is a novel approach.

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.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.