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Purpose: To conduct a randomized controlled trial to compare 3 implementation strategies and the impact of facilitated referrals on linkage of Federally Qualified Health Center patients to the Illinois Tobacco Quitline (ITQL)., Methods: This study will be a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial guided by 2 implementation science frameworks: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance and exploration preparation implementation sustainment. We will evaluate whether sending provider messages through the patient electronic health portal increases patient linkage to the ITQL. We will (1) randomly assign all eligible patients to receive 1 of 3 messages (information about quitting, advice to quit, and advice to quit or cut down), and (2) we will offer a facilitated linkage to the ITQL. For patients who opt into a facilitated referral, we will share their contact information with the ITQL, who will contact them. Four weeks after the initial message, patients who expressed interest in services but were not reached by the ITQL will be rerandomized to 1 of 2 arms, an offer to reconnect to the ITQL or an offer to engage a peer navigator who can help them reconnect to the ITQL. We will assess the implementation strategies' reach, adoption, linkage, and sustainability with the ITQL., Discussion: This study will provide a new cost-effective and efficient model to link low-income smokers to state tobacco quitlines. Message delivery via patient health portals has important implications for addressing other tobacco-related morbidities., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

In two states, hospitals and paramedics are joining forces to create true systems of stroke care, embed best practices and save lives. Other states are also taking the plunge.

Objective: This study examines various options that a faculty member might exercise to achieve work-family balance in academic medicine and their consequences for academic advancement., Method: Three data sets were analyzed: an anonymous web-administered survey of part-time tenure track-eligible University of Illinois College of Medicine (UI-COM) faculty members conducted in 2003; exogenous data regarding the entire UI-COM faculty; and tenure rollback ("stop-the-clock") usage by all tenure track-eligible UI-COM faculty from 1994 to 2003., Results: The data reveal a gender split in career-family balance priorities that affect academic advancement among part-time faculty. Women select part-time status for child care; men choose part-time to moonlight. Similarly, among all faculty members seeking tenure rollbacks, women request rollback for child care; men request rollback for other reasons. Among all faculty members, full-time men were more likely to be on the tenure track than any other group. Needs identified by the part-time faculty survey include improved mentoring in track selection, heightened awareness of options, such as tenure rollback, and provision of equitable benefits and opportunities., Conclusions: Policy changes, such as a prorated tenure track, are needed to support a family-friendly culture with flexibility throughout the career lifespan for both men and women medical faculty.