Acclaimed Smoking-Cessation Program Now Available to Outpatients

There's good news for smokers who'd like the benefit of the St. Helena Center for Health's Smoke-Free Life® program (www.smokefreelife.com) without committing to a week of residential treatment. Individuals can now take advantage of this world-class program with six to eight weeks of outpatient visits.

St. Helena, CA (PRWEB) June 30, 2008 -- There's good news for smokers who'd like the benefit of the St. Helena Center for Health's Smoke-Free Life® program (www.smokefreelife.com) without committing to a week of residential treatment. Individuals can now take advantage of this world-class program with six to eight weeks of outpatient visits.

"Thousands of smokers from all over the world have quit for good through our inpatient program," said Sue Raring, smoking-cessation nurse specialist. "We're bringing our acclaimed program to a broader audience for those who cannot take time out of their schedule for a residential stay."

The Smoke-Free Life® team provides a medically monitored, personalized treatment approach that uses the latest smoking-cessation research. According to Raring, some of the medications available can more than double success rates compared to going "cold turkey" or using other methods of quitting.

The outpatient program offers a complete evaluation by John Hodgkin, MD, the medical director of the Smoke-Free Life® program, and James Peters, MD, preventive medicine specialist. Hodgkin is a nationally recognized pulmonary rehabilitation expert and was selected as the "Outstanding Clinician of the Year" in 2007 by the California Thoracic Society.

"A stop-smoking program costs much less than treating the health problems of a long-time smoker," said Raring. "This is the single most effective thing you can do to improve your health." She said that many insurance programs, including Medicare, will pay for part of the expense of an outpatient program.

Creation of the outpatient Smoke-Free Life® program is supported by a gift of $500,000 from the family of Marjorie Mondavi in her honor.

To learn more about the Smoke-Free Life® outpatient and residential programs, call 1-800-358-9195 or go online to: www.smokefreelife.com

The St. Helena Center for Health offers a set of programs designed to strengthen body, mind, and spirit through innovative models of healing and wellness supported by a foundation of clinically sound medicine. The center is located in Napa Valley on the campus of St. Helena Hospital (www.sthelenahospital.org) and applies a multidisciplinary approach to each of its programs. Teams of experts in the fields of medicine, psychology, nutrition, exercise, recreation, and stress management collaborate to address each participant's unique needs and goals.

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