October 2024

Annual Tobacco Treatment "Champion" Awards

This year, we recognized our 2024 Tobacco Treatment Champions as well as our commendations during the KU Cancer Center Seminar Series on October 15^th.  Each champion receives a trophy and is added to a perpetual plaque displayed in the hospital lobby trophy case. 

From left: Marci R. Allen, Jennifer N. Hanson, Kimber Richter, T.J. Schreiner

UKanQuit’s 2024 Tobacco Treatment Champions

• Marci R. Allen, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology. Dr. Allen is triple board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine with a sub-certification in both hematology and medical oncology. She practices at our KU cancer center in the northland, seeing a mixture of both hematology and oncology. 

• Jennifer N. Hanson, DO, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Hanson’s primary focus is adult inpatient psychiatry at the Strawberry Hill campus. She serves as an educator for both medical and pharmacy students, along with psychiatry residents in the inpatient setting
• Kimber Richter, PhD, MPH, NCTTP, Clinical Director, UKanQuit. Dr. Richter founded the UKanQuit inpatient hospital service in 2006 and has continued to lead the program since then as a champion for tobacco treatment for our patients. She is a Professor of Population Health and a Principal Investigator of the Implementation Science and Equity Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC).
• T.J. Schreiner, BS, RN, Admitting Nurse, General Surgery, Trauma and Plastics. TJ started at The University of Kansas Health System in 2003 working nights on Unit 43 and is currently an Admission Nurse. TJ enjoys being involved in Nursing Informatics and collaborating with various disciplines to ensure patients achieve the best outcomes possible. 

In addition, the following nurses were recognized for their outstanding performance in referring patients for tobacco treatment over the last year and received commendation letters:

• Tawnya Anderson, RN, BSN, Intake Strawberry Hill
• Michaela "Milli" Clark, RN, NS 51 General/Vascular/Plastics/Trauma
• Gena Cervantes, RN, BSN, Intake Strawberry Hill
• Catherine Givens, RN, BSN, Intake Strawberry Hill
• Tawala Garner, RN, Intake Strawberry Hill
• Lurena Shaw, RN, CTS PC Cardiothor Progrsv
• Kasie Victorine, RN, BSN, PCCN, 62 Medical Telemetry
• Donna Stevens, RN, BSN, PCCN, HC 2 Cardiovascular Labs PP
• Annie Burger, CTS PC Cardiothor Progrsv 

UKanQuit 2024 Award Recipients and Nursing commendations

UKanQuit Team
Front row, from left: Vidya Anantharaman, Laura McCulloch, Tresza Hutcheson
Back row, from left: Sophie Price, Kimber Richter, Taneisha Scheuermann, Edward Ellerbeck

The UKanQuit team would like to congratulate and recognize all these individuals for their dedication to helping their patients become tobacco-free.

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November 2023

Tobacco Treatment Champion Awards

Each year UKanQuit gives awards to a physician, a nurse, and a KU Cancer Center staff member who provides outstanding service to advance tobacco treatment. This year, we recognized our Tobacco Treatment Champions on the day of the Great American Smokeout, November 16th, 2023. Our Tobacco Treatment Champions were featured in the University of Kansas Health System’s "All Things Heart" internal news broadcast video.

Watch Video on Facebook

Watch Video on Youtube (video transcript)

Announcements

• The Nicotrol Inhaler will not be available at KUMC retail pharmacies past November 2023.
• Generic Chantix (Varenicline) is available at Bell, Southlake, and Cambridge pharmacies.
• The Nicotrol Nasal Spray is currently unavailable at all KUMC retail pharmacies but it is currently available to order from the wholesaler.

For updates regarding tobacco treatment medication availability, please email the pharmacy: myrph@kumc.edu

September 2023

• Pfizer has discontinued the Nicotrol Inhaler due to the ongoing unavailability of a resin needed to manufacture the mouthpiece. Although Pfizer originally projected the supply to be unavailable by September, the Nicotrol Inhaler is currently still available at all KUMC retail pharmacies.
• Generic Chantix (Varenicline) is available at all Inpatient and Outpatient KUMC pharmacies.
• The Nicotrol Nasal Spray is currently unavailable at all KUMC retail pharmacies.

August 2023

The University of Kansas Health System has updated the Supporting Patients in a Tobacco Free Environment policy. Based on updated recommendations and the removal of the health warning label from the FDA, nursing staff are now asked to advise the patient to wear the nicotine patch even if they sign the smoking waiver and choose to smoke during their stay. This change reflects the evidence that wearing the patch reduces cravings to smoke and that the "concomitant use of Over The Counter Nicotine Replacement products with cigarettes or with other nicotine-containing products does not raise significant safety concerns".

Read the updated policy here: https://kumed.policystat.com/policy/14097043/latest/

• Pfizer has discontinued the Nicotrol Inhaler. The Nicotrol Inhaler is currently still in stock at all KUMC retail pharmacies.
• Generic Chantix (Varenicline) is available at Inpatient and Outpatient KUMC pharmacies.
• The Nicotrol Nasal Spray is currently not in stock at any KUMC retail pharmacy.

July 2023

• Pfizer has discontinued the Nicotrol Inhaler. A limited stock is currently available at the Southlake, Cambridge, and Bell retail pharmacies.
• The Nicotrol Nasal Spray is currently not in stock at any KUMC retail pharmacy.
• Limited Time Only: Missouri Tobacco Quitline Offers 8 Weeks of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy

June 2023

• Kansas passes law raising legal age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21. This state law brings Kansas under compliance with the federal law and preserves the $1.2 million in federal funding for state tobacco enforcement. Read more in the Kansas Reflector.
• Pfizer has discontinued the Nicotrol Inhaler. A limited stock is currently available at the Southlake and Bell retail pharmacies.
• The Nicotrol Nasal Spray is currently on backorder, and it is not in stock at any KUMC retail pharmacy.

May 2023

Changing the Default study - talk by Dr.Richter at The University of Vermont 

Announcements

• Limited Time Only Kansas Tobacco Quitline Offers 8 Weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy - the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE) is offering all phone coaching enrollees eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy while supplies last.  
• Generic Chantix (Varenicline) is available at Inpatient and Outpatient pharmacies. Brand name is still not available.
• Nicotrol Inhaler is now in stock at Bell, Southlake and Cambridge Retail Pharmacies.

April 2023

Announcements

• Limited Time Only Kansas Tobacco Quitline Offers 8 Weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy - the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE) is offering all phone coaching enrollees eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy while supplies last.  
• Generic Chantix is now available at the Bell Pharmacy 
• Nicotrol Inhaler is on backorder with no release date. Please call Bell Pharmacy to check on availability: 913-588-2361

February 2023

Morning Medical Update

For decades now, we've known smoking tobacco can lead to lung cancer, but more than 30 million Americans do it anyway. Today we are meeting a team that is driving that number down by engaging people right at the side of their hospital bed. We will hear their expert advice on quitting tobacco and ask what else can be done to push smoking rates even lower.

Watch Video on Youtube

January 2023

Tobacco Treatment Champion Award

Each year UKanQuit gives awards to a physician, a nurse, and a KU Cancer Center staff member who provides outstanding service to advance tobacco treatment. This year, we recognized our Tobacco Treatment Champions on the day of the Great American Smokeout , November 17^th, 2022. Our Tobacco Treatment Champions were featured in the University of Kansas Health System’s Take 10 internal news broadcast video and were presented with trophies to recognize their efforts.

Our physician award recipient this year is Sravan Jeepalyam, M.D. Dr. Jeepalyam is a clinical assistant professor in Internal Medicine.

Our nurse awardee is Catherine R. Givens BSN, RN. She is an intake nurse at the Strawberry Hill behavioral health facility.

This year’s Cancer Center awardee is Gloria Solis, MSN, RN, MBA, NEA-BC. Gloria is the Senior Director of Nursing at the KU Cancer Center.

The UKanQuit team would like to congratulate and recognize all these individuals for their dedication to helping their patients become tobacco-free.

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December 2021

Tobacco Treatment Champion Award

Each year UKanQuit gives awards to a physician, a nurse, and a KU Cancer Center staff member who provides outstanding service to advance tobacco treatment and these recipients are honored at an award reception at the hospital.  The 5^th annual Tobacco Treatment Champion Award ceremony took place on November 16^th, 2021. This year, due to the constraints imposed by COVID-19, the ceremony was held outdoors in the Murphy Courtyard on the main campus.

Award recipients this year were Chrissy Duncan, DO who was the physician with the highest number of patient referrals in the last year to UKanQuit. Dr. Duncan is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Medical Director at The University of Kansas Health System Strawberry Hill campus.

Michaela Clark, RN is the nurse who made the most referrals. She is an admitting nurse who works on multiple units throughout Bell Hospital. The nurse runner-up was last year’s nurse champion, Lurena Shaw, RN. Lurena is an admitting nurse on the Cardiothoracic Progressive Care units.

Karin Denes-Collar, LSCSW, LCSW was the Cancer Center award recipient this year. Since joining the Cancer Center and becoming a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Karin has facilitated tobacco cessation classes available for patients by Zoom or by phone. Karin is a behavioral therapist and the Psychosocial Services Director of the Masonic Cancer Alliance.

Left to right: Rachel Pepper, TJ Shreiner, LaDonna Bowles, Lurena Shaw, Michaela Clark

In addition, the following nurses were recognized for their outstanding performance in referring patients for tobacco treatment over the last year:  TJ Shreiner, RN.; LaDonna Bowles, RN; Aleyamma (Alice) Mathew, RN; Greg Stremel, RN and Kasie Victorine, RN. TJ, LaDonna and Alice are admitting nurses who work on multiple units throughout Bell Hospital. Greg is an intake nurse at the Strawberry Hill campus. Kasie is a unit coordinator on unit Bell 62, the medical telemetry unit.

UKan Quit 2021 Award Recipients and UKan Quit staff

The UKanQuit team would like to congratulate all these individuals for their dedication to helping their patients become tobacco-free.

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March 2021

The AmeriCorps VISTA experience 

During 2020-2021 the UKanQuit program has had the honor of hosting an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer.  Our volunteer, Benjamin Brooke was recently interviewed by the Kansas City Public Library about the experience. Watch this short video to learn more about the program.  

Annual Tobacco Treatment "Champion" Awards

Tobacco use is the top preventable cause of death in the U.S.  Some KU Health System “Champions” provide outstanding treatment to help their patients become tobacco free.  The 2020 Tobacco Treatment Champions are…

• Michaela Clark, RN, Admitting Nurse
• Cherie Morey, APP, Blood Marrow Transplant (BMT), University of Kansas Cancer Center
• Muhammad Shafiq, MD ,Nocturnist, General and Geriatric Medicine
• Lurena Shaw, RN, Cardiac Progressive Care

Background. The University of Kansas Health System provides intensive tobacco treatment via UKanQuit, its inpatient program. UKanQuit provides bedside counseling, medication support, and post-discharge treatment planning to patients.  Patients receive UKanQuit services through provider referrals and orders. Each year UKanQuit honors providers who make the most referrals for tobacco treatment or who in other ways advance treatment for tobacco dependence across the campus.

Each champion receives a trophy and is added to a perpetual plaque displayed in the hospital lobby trophy case. Champions are announced on Great American Smokeout, which the American Cancer Society celebrates the third Thursday in November.

This year, due to the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the in-person awards were given via virtual ceremonies.  We have attached 4 short video clips of champions receiving their awards. Featured in the clips are:

• Introduction to the awards and overview of the UKanQuit program:
  • Kimber Richter, PhD, MPH, Professor of Population Health and Clinical Director of UKanQuit
  • Christopher Ruder, Chief Operating Officer of the Kansas City Division of the University of Kansas Health System
• Champion Physician: Edward Ellerbeck, MD, MPH, Chair of Population Health and Medical Director of the UKanQuit provides this award to:
  • Muhammad Shafiq,  MD, nocturnist in General and Geriatric Medicine.
• Champion Cancer Care Provider: Roy Jensen, MD, Director of the University of Kansas Cancer Center presents this award to:
  • Cherie Morey, APP, Blood Marrow Transplant (BMT), University of Kansas Cancer Center
• Champion Nurse:  Christopher Ruder presents this to:
  • Lurena Shaw, RN, Cardiac Progressive Care unit and 2nd time winner of the award
  • Michaela Clark, RN, Admitting Nurse and close runner up!

Watch the Virtual Ceremony Videos

Many thanks to the Public and Media Relations Department at the University of Kansas Health System for hosting and editing these awards. View the clip, forward the links, and celebrate the achievements of the dedicated members of the KU Health System!

For more information about these Awards, about UKanQuit, or about Tobacco Treatment please email Dr. Kimber Richter at krichter@kumc.edu. 

The 2019 Tobacco Treatment Champion Award Ceremony

The University of Kansas Health System, Medical Center, and Cancer Center honored three clinicians committed to tobacco cessation and the health of our patients. Dr. Kimber Richter and Dr. Roy Jenson congratulated and awarded this year's recipients: Yonatan Gizaw, MD, Travis Wolf, RN, and Jennifer Heins, PA-C. Joel Nichols, long-time Kansas City weatherman and TV personality, hosted the award ceremony which was broadcast on Facebook live.

https://tinyurl.com/KU-Tobacco-Champion-Ceremony

Yonatan Gizaw, MD
Dr. Gizaw offers smoking cessation consults to both patients that are ready to quit smoking and to his patients that are just beginning to think about quitting. As a nocturnist in Internal Medicine, he has assisted the UKanQuit campaign in helping patients quit smoking even in the middle of the night.

Travis Wolf, RN
Travis, a Behavioral Health and Psychiatric nurse, recognized that a high percentage of his patients are tobacco users. He is committed to referring his patients to UkanQuit which increases patient’s access to evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment.

Jennifer Heins, PA-C
Jennifer is our first University of Kansas Cancer Center Tobacco Champion awardee. She specializes in hematology and oncology at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. She finds that many cancer patients are highly motivated to quit smoking and facilitates conversations about tobacco cessation with her patients by building collaborative rapport.

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11/05/18

Systems Changes, Registries, and Implementation Protocols for Treating Tobacco in Cancer Care (SCRIPTT-CC)

In this brief video clip, Dr. Kimber Richter speaks to the importance of treating tobacco dependence among cancer patients. in a Cancer Center Cessation Initiative video. In 2017, Dr. Richter partnered with the University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) and Central Care Cancer Centers to successfully compete for a National Cancer Institute (NCI) supplement award, funded by the NCI Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Dr. Richter and her multidisciplinary team, along with 40 other cancer centers that also received Moonshot funds, are building and implementing sustainable tobacco treatment programs for cancer patients. The Kansas project aims to refine electronic medical records and clinical workflows, and train cancer care providers, to provide high quality tobacco treatment to all.
[ View the entire "Cancer Center Cessation Initiative" video.]