January 31, 2019
Summit Medical Group will offer free classes to help East Tennesseans stop smoking as part of the organization’s support of Tennessee Quit Week. An annual statewide healthcare initiative led by the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Quit Week encourages people to quit using tobacco. Held Feb. 4-8, the 2019 theme is: “Let’s Call It Quits.”
Dr. Eric Penniman, executive medical director of Summit Medical Group
Summit Medical Group offers a “Fit to Quit” smoking cessation class and other free health education seminars year-round for its primary care patients. In support of Tennessee Quit Week, Summit will extend its “Fit to Quit” class to everyone in East Tennessee, not just its patients, at no charge.
“This is a statewide health issue,” said Dr. Eric Penniman, executive medical director of Summit Medical Group. “We want to be at the forefront of helping Tennesseans break this unhealthy and often deadly habit once and for all. Our classes have been extremely successful – 68% of patients who have completed a ‘Fit to Quit’ smoking cessation class with Summit report that they were finally able to stop smoking.”
According to figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, more than 22 percent of adults smoke in Tennessee compared to 17 percent nationwide. An estimated 11,400 Tennesseans die every year because of smoking, and the health care cost in Tennessee attributed to smoking is an estimated $2.67 billion.
Summit’s free “Fit to Quit” program – a series of seven one-hour classes over a six-week period – provides the tools and support to stop smoking. The free classes will start in February and March at three East Tennessee locations:
- Sevierville: Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m., starting Feb. 27
- Knoxville: Mondays, 5:30-6:30 p.m., starting March 4
- Greeneville: Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m., starting March 6
The program also will be available via live webinar. Pre-registration is required by calling 865-212-2281 or emailing [email protected].
About Summit Medical Group
Summit Medical Group is East Tennessee’s largest primary care organization with more than 300 providers at more than 60 practice locations in 14 counties. Summit also consists of four diagnostic imaging centers, mobile diagnostic services, eight physical therapy centers, three express clinics, central laboratory and sleep services center. Summit provides healthcare services to more than 280,000 patients, averaging over one million encounters annually. For more information, visit www.summitmedical.com.
