Performance partnership as a model to develop cessation strategies for people with diabetes who smoke

There are over 20 million people diagnosed with diabetes nationally; 1 in 6 adults with diabetes smokes. Smoking increases insulin resistance and risk for diabetes related complications. More evidence now suggests that tobacco use increases risk for developing type 2 diabetes. A health care provider's advice and use of tobacco cessation quitlines can more than double a smoker's chance of quitting. However, less than half of smokers are advised to quit and smokers with diabetes are less likely to receive intervention.

Objective: To use Performance Partnerships to break down barriers and build alliances as an effective means to increase the use of cessation services and produce measurable impacts.

Methods: The Performance Partnership implementation model brings together traditional and non-traditional partners who share resources and expertise to achieve a measurable outcome. Partners create strategies following a four-question framework: Where are we now, where do we want to be, how will we get there, and how will we measure our impact? The model is flexible to allow for the natural ebb-and-flow of partners' commitment. Diabetes educators were trained on this model to implement local summits and create cessation action plans.

Results: Local Performance Partnership summits implemented in communities in California have developed strategies to integrate the Ask Advise Refer smoking cessation intervention and collaborate with the statewide quitline.

Conclusions: The Performance Partnership model is effective for healthcare providers and communities to develop creative measurable smoking cessation strategies that capitalize on the power of partnerships.