Baylor Health Care System's Office of Tobacco Education and Research: inception and evolution

Sarah Pollex, MPH, and Jenny Adams, PhD

From the Walter I. Berman Department of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Baylor Health Care System, Dallas, Texas.

Corresponding author: Jenny Adams, PhD, Walter I. Berman Department of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Baylor Health Care System, 411 North Washington, Suite 3100, Dallas, Texas 75246 (e-mail: jennya@baylorhealth.edu).

Baylor Health Care System formed the Office of Tobacco Education and Research (OTER) in July 2000. OTER comprises a multidisciplinary team with disciplines in medicine, respiratory therapy, social work, nursing, physiology, and public health. The team vision is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and adults by crusading to eradicate tobacco use. As the only comprehensive tobacco cessation program in Dallas–Fort Worth, OTER realizes its vision by treating adults and educating children. The result is a research-based tobacco service line that includes patient care, education, and research programs. (BUMC Proceedings 2002;15:9-12)