The emergency department (ED) serves a vital and growing role in the US health care system, responsible for both the delivery of emergent medical care and for safety-net care for populations without traditional access to health services. Uninsured populations rely significantly on the safety-net services of the ED. Between 2000-2005 the number of uninsured Americans increased from 39.6 million to 46.1 million, and this growth is expected to continue. Many health policy analysts consider the ED to be an effective place to provide preventative care. Prophylactic tetanus immunization, for example, has been a successful preventive health intervention that has become a standard of care in the ED setting. Brief smoking cessation interventions have been introduced in the ED but have not had great success based on lack of follow-up and continuity.