Mercy Hospital Ardmore was recently announced as winner of the 2022 Oklahoma Hospital Tobacco Cessation Champion of Health – Excellence in Clinical Tobacco Treatment award by the Oklahoma Hospital Association.
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the nation. According to a 2019 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.8 percent of Oklahoma youth reported using a tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, and 18.9 percent of adults smoked a cigarette.
The team at Mercy Hospital Ardmore is actively working to promote healthier lifestyles through smoking cessation programs. Since 2016, they have referred 745 patients to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (OTH) for follow up cessation services, which equals an estimated 523 years of life saved and $263,000 in health care costs saved due to enhanced quit rates. In recognition of these efforts, the hospital was recently announced as winner of the 2022 Oklahoma Hospital Tobacco Cessation Champion of Health – Excellence in Clinical Tobacco Treatment award by the Oklahoma Hospital Association. This is the first year the award has been presented, and it highlights Mercy's sustained excellence in clinical tobacco treatment and referrals to the (OTH).
“I believe the people of Southern Oklahoma are invested in taking charge of their health and improving their lifestyles. This has led to an increase in many people in our area choosing to quit smoking,” said Dr. Emmanuel Obi, hospitalist at Mercy Hospital Ardmore.
Tobacco cessation can lead to a decrease in heart attack, stroke, respiratory distress and other associated complications. Additionally, it leads to overall improved health, pregnancy outcomes and in some cases, the reversal of chronic conditions.
Dr. Obi received a TSET Healthy Incentive Grant for Communities while in medical school that helped guide his studies in medicine and tobacco cessation. Together with other team members at Mercy Hospital Ardmore, the respiratory wellness program is committed to providing support for local community members as they make lifestyle changes towards tobacco cessation.
Congratulations to Dr. Emmanuel Obi and the respiratory care team at Mercy Hospital Ardmore. The work you are doing is truly changing lives for the better.
