A wireless, handheld decision support system to promote smoking cessation in primary care

Tobacco use remains a relatively unaddressed cause of disease and death in the daily care of patients by physicians. To overcome the barriers that physicians face in addressing tobacco use and its treatment in the primary care setting, we have developed a clinical decision support system that is readily accessible through the use of familiar wireless handheld devices and supportive of treatment through the implementation of the Tobacco Use and Dependence Treatment Guideline recommendations. We adopted the Information Management Services model to ensure that the application would effectively implement the guideline. The techniques used here are readily adaptable to implementing a broad range of clinical guidelines.