Quitting smoking – or the use of any form of tobacco for that matter – is never easy. For decades, people have tried quitting on their own with minimal success. Fortunately, over the years – researchers have identified new tools and techniques designed to help people quit. This is great news for those who are truly motivated to quit but have been unsuccessful in the past.
Quit With WakeMed
On December 1, WakeMed proudly put some of these tools and techniques to work with its first tobacco cessation program. Quit With WakeMed is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program designed to help patients quit tobacco for good. This new service is offered as part of Cancer Care Plus+, with the Duke Cancer Institute’s tobacco cessation program, Quit at Duke.
This approach to tobacco cessation has been proven to be approximately 10 times more effective than quitting on your own.
Who the Program Helps
WakeMed’s specially-trained team can provide the tools, therapies and support patients need to be successful in meeting their goals. Not all Quit With WakeMed patients are interested in quitting for good – some may just be interested in reducing tobacco use, quitting during pregnancy or before a surgery – and this program is a great tool to help patients meet any of these goals.
How It Works
As a virtual program, Quit With WakeMed allows patients to meet one-on-one with a tobacco cessation team at their convenience to set goals, make a plan and start the process of quitting permanently. The first visit will include a 45-minute virtual appointment where patients will answer a lot of questions about their tobacco use/history, previous attempts at quitting, motivation for quitting, triggers for tobacco use and any barriers to success. Patients may even select a quit date during this session, although some patients may need more time – which is perfectly OK.
From there, we’ll work together to develop a personalized quit plan that may include the use of medications, counseling and ongoing follow-up. Patients will work with the Tobacco Cessation team to follow their personalized quit plan, recognizing there may be a need to adjust strategies and timelines along the way. The team is available for regular follow-up and support throughout the journey – and the timeline to success is different for every patient.
The Team
The Quit With WakeMed team includes a supervising physician, physician assistant and behavioral health counselor – all dedicated to helping patients achieve their tobacco cessation goals. The program is led by Stacy Thiedeman, PA-C, a certified physician assistant with more than 20 years of experience caring for patients with lung and heart health problems. Stacy has undergone extensive training with the Duke/UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program to master best practices in tobacco cessation.
“Over the years, I’ve worked with many patients who have suffered from chronic illnesses related to tobacco use. I’m thrilled for an opportunity to assist in the prevention of heart and lung disease through smoking cessation and increased screening. I enjoy working with my patients to develop a plan that will fit their lifestyle – as there’s no one approach that’s right for everyone. Our team is supportive, motivational and encouraging – and we understand that not every patient will be successful in their first attempt.”
Take the First Step Toward Quitting for Good
Whether you just want more information, hope to reduce your use of tobacco, or want to quit altogether – our team is here to help. To learn more, call 919-350-QUIT (7848) or visit our Quit With WakeMed website.
Note: At this time, enrollment is limited to current WakeMed Primary Care patients.
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