Family Physicians Launch New Campaign: Indiana Continues Aggressive Push To Help Smokers Quit

A new and unusual ad campaign is being unveiled this week featuring physicians urging other health care providers to make treatment a priority for their patients who smoke. The campaign is a proactive peer-to-peer education program featuring real doctors reminding their peers how important it is for them to discuss smoking and the benefits of quitting with their patients.

The "As Physicians" campaign will begin on June 3, 2009 and runs through September 2009. Ads will be featured throughout the state in medical magazines such as Frontline Physician, local newspapers, and on medical web sites.

"Two-thirds of smokers in Indiana have visited a health care provider in the past year. This presents a tremendous opportunity for doctors to intervene and give patients the help they need to quit successfully," said Dr. Teresa Lovins, IAFP President.

The campaign was created by Indiana Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP) and funded through a grant from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in collaboration with the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation State Agency and the Indiana State Department of Health.

While most anti-smoking efforts target smokers, this campaign speaks directly to doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, dental hygienists, and other health care professionals. The campaign goal is to increase the number of quit attempts among smokers who want to quit by challenging clinicians across the state to take time at every office visit to talk to their patients about the benefits of quitting tobacco use.

To read the article article, please click here (PDF).

View individual ads below:
Richard Feldman, MD - Beech Grove (PDF)
Maria Fletcher, MD - Indianapolis (PDF)
Scott Frankenfield, MD - Portland (PDF)
Tom Kintanar, MD - Fort Wayne (PDF)
Teresa Lovins, MD - Columbus (PDF)
Jason Marker, MD - Wyatt (PDF)
Judith Monroe, MD - Indianapolis (PDF)
Brenda O'Hara, MD - Fort Wayne (PDF)
Risheet Patel, MD - Fishers (PDF)
Windel Stracener, MD - Richmond (PDF)
Daniel Walters, MD - Seymour (PDF)