Table 1

Description of VA study hospitals

Hospital A

Hospital B

Hospital C

Hospital D

Patient characteristics

Age, mean

62.9

65.1

62.7

60.4

Gender, % male

97

96

95

94

Race, % white

97

80

85

86

Income ($), mean

21,349

26,287

20,500

19,414

General medical wards

Annual number of admissions, n

2,988

4,388

2,701

2,806

Total number of nursing staff

42

72

60

52

% Registered nurses (RN)*

67

68

73

58

Average daily census (across wards), n

29

62

33

42

Average nursing hours per patient day

6.2

7.13

8.31

7.34

Smoking cessation services**

Responsible division

Mental health

Mental health

Mental health

Primary care

No. of consults per month

50

60

65

30

How often do new patients start program?

1/month

1/week

NS

1/week

No. of individual counseling sessions per typical course of therapy

3

NS

2

4

Program includes group counseling

Y

Y

N

Y

Can patients receive pharmacotherapy without enrollment in smoking cessation program?

Y

Y

N

Y

Any use of telemedicine to provide cessation therapy?

Y

N

Y

N

*Source: VHA Support Service Center. http://vssc.med.va.gov webcite (accessed 6/13/07). Nurse staffing was estimated from local data.

**Source: Office of the Assistant Deputy Undersecretary for Health for Policy and Planning. Veterans Health Administration. Smoking and Tobacco Use Cessation Report 2005. http://vaww.va.gov/haig/smoking/STUC_2005.pdf webcite (last accessed 1 December 2006).

Katz et al. Implementation Science 2009 4:58   doi:10.1186/1748-5908-4-58