The new site features updated healthcare provider resources, increased visuals and an online newsroom
As part of its ongoing commitment to promote tobacco cessation efforts, the New York State Smokers’ Quitline, headquartered at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY, launched a fully updated, redesigned and mobile-ready website at www.nysmokefree.com. Enhanced visuals, easier-to-read text and more intuitive navigation will help visitors quickly find the latest resources on tobacco cessation. Messages throughout the website also encourage tobacco users and healthcare providers to talk to one another for greater chances of quit-success.
“Cigarette smoking causes approximately 28,000 deaths statewide each and every year. Countless New Yorkers have used the Quitline to help them quit smoking. Besides the support of our trained Quit Coaches at 1-866-NY-QUITS, it’s critical for the Quitline to offer an effective 24/7 online resource in the fight against tobacco,” said Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and director of the Quitline. “Our website at www.nysmokefree.com has an entirely new look, refreshed materials and added resources, which will greatly help both those looking to break nicotine addiction and healthcare professionals who assist tobacco-using patients in the quest to achieve and maintain tobacco-free lives.”
Visitors to the website will notice a new color scheme and a new logo, with the “Q” in “Quitline” resembling a no-smoking sign. In addition, a new Online News Room will help members of the media and healthcare providers stay informed about the latest tobacco cessation news in New York State. The Online News Room includes helpful tools such as an Experts Database, a sign-up form for e-newsletters and a press release archive.
Tobacco users will encounter positive messages about the quit-process throughout the website, such as reframing thinking about slips and relapses as well as building confidence and knowledge prior to discussing quitting with a healthcare provider. The website also addresses timely topics such as e-cigarettes, the truth about filters, medication enrollment and healthcare benefits.
Healthcare providers will find a special sub-section of www.nysmokefree.com geared toward helping them deliver quality tobacco dependence treatment to their patients, including step-by-step information on how to use the Quitline’s Patient Referral Program. Links to peer-reviewed resources are available for topics such as prescribing stop-smoking medications, billing codes and healthcare system-wide solutions.
For more information, visit www.nysmokefree.com.
—Submitted by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
