Department of Family Medicine of Taipei Veterans General Hospital provided smoking cessation services in various settings including outpatient clinics, inpatient, and emergency department.

Purpose:

Nonjudgmentally and supportively provides top-quality, evidence-based and effective method to aid with quitting smoking.

Services: Second-generation smoking cessation program

We implement second-generation smoking cessation program which was launched by Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan. This program is provided in two settings - outpatient clinics, inpatient and emergency department.

[Note] This program is only provided for people enroll in theTaiwan National Health Insurance program.

For Outpatients

• Location: Family Medicine Clinic, 3F, 1st Outpatients Department Building.
                      Click here for the Hospital Map   
• Schedule: 8:30-12:00, 13:30-17:00, weekdays (except public holidays)
                   Every Family Medicine Clinic
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• Eligibility: 
  1. Aged 18 years or over and enroll in the Taiwan National Health Insurance program, and
  2. ​(1) Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, please refer to the scale provided below) score of 4 or more, or (2) smoke 10 cigarettes or more per day on average
• Treatment process:
  • Confirmation of smoking cessation qualifications: Before prescribing smoking cessation drugs, it is necessary to enter the smoking cessation service system of medical institutions of the National Health Department of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to confirm whether the patient is eligible for acceptance.
  • Qualified smokers can receive 2 courses of treatment per year, and each course of treatment can use the drug for 8 weeks. 3-month and 6-month follow-up orders can be issued for the first time of each course of treatment.
  • The medical team would assist you in stop smoking and offer health counselling and education.
• Fee:

Registration fee only. Free for the medication fee for eligible people for 2 courses of treatment per year, which is fully subsidized by Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan in order to encourage smokers to quit smoking and reduce the financial burden of quitters.

• For outpatients visiting other departments: Doctors of other departments can firstly evaluate the patient's willingness and whether they meet the eligibility for drug smoking cessation as described above. If yes, these patients can be transferred to the Family Medicine Clinic to receive second-generation smoking cessation services.

For Inpatients & Emergency Department patients

• Please confirm the patient is in a stable condition by the attending physician and the medical staff of the ward/emergency department, and meet the following eligibility. 
• Eligibility: 
  1. Aged 18 years or over and enroll in the Taiwan National Health Insurance program, and
  2. ​(1) Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score higher than or equal to 4, or (2) smoke more than or equal to 10 cigarettes per day on average
  3. Limited to patients who can walk or use wheelchairs.
• Consulation process:

1. The doctor in the ward/emergency department fills out the online consultation form by choosing the "Quit Smoking" department.
2. After confirmation by the family physician, the ward/emergency department will be notified. The patient needs to bring his or her NIH card and be directed to the Family Medicine Clinic for smoking cessation services. The doctors at the clinic will reply the consultation form and prescribe medication.

• Fee:

No registration fee for inpatients and emergency patients. Free for the medication fee for eligible people for 2 courses of treatment per year. However, please complete the whole payment process at the registery counter in order to complete the medical record and receive medication.

If you have any questions, please contact the Family Medicine Clinic, 02-2871-2121 extension 7459.

The Fagerstrom Scale

This scale refers to the nicotine addiction test table translated from the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ) (Fagerstrom & Schneider) 2019 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Total score of 4 or more indicates moderate nicotine dependence; score of 7 or more indicates high nicotine dependence.