Vascular specialists have been intensifying efforts to combat tobacco use through the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO), which is leading a targeted campaign to help patients quit smoking and reduce their risk of vascular disease. The initiative aligns with the Great American Smokeout, a national event that took place on Nov. 20 encouraging smokers to begin their journey toward a smoke-free life.
Organized annually by the American Cancer Society, the event takes place on the third Thursday of November. The campaign urges smokers to make a plan to quit or start the process that day. It highlights the health benefits of quitting, including a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke, and improved overall well-being.
For vascular surgery patients, smoking cessation is especially critical. Tobacco use is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
In July 2023, the SVS Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) launched its third National Quality Initiative (NQI), known as CAN-DO Smoking Cessation, which stands for Choosing Against Nicotine Despite Obstacles. The initiative is designed to reduce smoking among vascular patients by leveraging clinical data, patient education and clinician engagement.
CAN-DO builds on the success of previous SVS VQI efforts, including the discharge medication NQI, which improved five-year survival rates by increasing the use of antiplatelet agents and statins. That initiative achieved nearly 90% compliance across 18 VQI regions, demonstrating the impact of data-driven quality improvement.
The smoking cessation initiative focuses on two key reporting measures: preoperative smoking status, identifying patients who are actively smoking within one month of their vascular procedure; and smoking cessation at follow-up, tracking whether patients have quit smoking between nine and 21 months after their procedure.
SVS VQI data show that about 32% of patients across registries successfully quit smoking between their procedure and long-term follow-up. These results underscore the importance of targeted interventions during what clinicians call the “teachable moment,” when patients are more receptive to health advice due to the urgency of their condition.
The initiative is designed to be easy to implement, requiring minimal additions to clinical workflows. The SVS VQI has developed a wide range of resources to support both clinicians and patients, including smoking cessation toolkits, sample charters and smart phrases for electronic health records, educational webinars, posters such as “Effects of Nicotine on the Body,” and patient handouts like “Smoking Cessation Quick Tips.”
Clinicians are also encouraged to pursue Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist certification to enhance their ability to counsel patients effectively.
Since its launch, CAN-DO has gained momentum across all 18 VQI regions. Centers have created regional and national charters, developed billable smart phrases for electronic health records and contributed abstracts to the VQI at the SVS Vascular Annual Meeting (VQI@VAM). As of 2025, 30 charters have been established, and the initiative is set to become part of the SVS VQI Participation Awards in 2026.
“This level of engagement reflects the vascular community’s commitment to improving patient outcomes through behavioral change,” said Nikolaos Zacharias, MD, medical director for quality and safety at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham Division of Vascular Surgery. “By combining clinical data, education and collaboration, the initiative is transforming how vascular specialists address smoking in their practices.”
The growth of CAN-DO aligns with the Great American Smokeout, as both efforts share a common goal: reducing the burden of tobacco-related disease and improving public health. The Smokeout provides a national platform to amplify the message of smoking cessation, while the SVS VQI offers a clinical framework to make that message actionable.
“Together, they represent a powerful alliance between public health advocacy and clinical quality improvement,” Zacharias said. “Vascular specialists can use this opportunity to reinforce the importance of quitting smoking—not just for patients undergoing vascular procedures, but for all individuals at risk of tobacco-related disease.”
The SVS VQI Smoking Cessation NQI continues to evolve, with new resources and engagement strategies being added regularly. Its success depends on ongoing collaboration among clinicians, patients and regional groups.
For more information, visit vqi.org/Smoking-Cessation and the SVS patient education portal at vascular.org/Quit-Smoking.
