Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
January 27, 2011
Tobacco-Free Policy Development
and Implementation Support
Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital Network
The Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital Network aims to create and award
Gold Star Standards of Excellence to encourage more hospitals to
adopt smoke-free policies, as well as provide ongoing technical
assistance to the hospitals around the state.
The Network is an initiative of the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine.
What is a tobacco-free policy?
A 100% tobacco-free policy is one that prohibits smoking and
the use of any tobacco products on the hospital campus,
including in buildings, parking areas, garages, grounds, and
vehicles parked on hospital property.
Why go tobacco-free?
Tobacco-free campus policies are a great example of a hospital’s
commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for
patients, employees, visitors and the community as a whole.
Tobacco-free policies are a best practice and proven concept – at
least 19 hospitals in Maine have already adopted 100% tobacco-
free policies.
Tobacco-Free Hospitals in Maine Mercy Hospital, Portland
The Aroostook Medical Center, Presque Isle
Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Blue Hill
C.A. Dean Memorial Hospital, Greenvill
Down East Community Hospital, Machais
Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor
Inland Hospital, Madison
SebasticookVally Hospital, Pittsfield
Parkview Adventist Medical Center, Brunswick
Penobscot Bay Medical Center, Rockport
Franklin Memorial Hospital, Farmington
Goodall Hospital, Sanford
Miles Memorial Hospital, Damariscotta
Spring Harbor Hospital, Portland
St. Andrews Hospital, Boothbay Harbor
Waldo County General Hospital, Belfast
Northern Maine Medical Center, Fort Kent
Mount Desert Island Hospital, Bar Harbor
Cary Medical Center, Caribou
Why go tobacco-free?
Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable
disease and death in the United States. Smoking causes 443,000
premature deaths in the U.S. each year.
Quitting smoking at any age and at any time is beneficial –
tobacco-free policies encourage users to quit.
There is no risk free level of secondhand smoke exposure,
children, pregnant women and adults with chronic diseases are
most vulnerable to exposure.
Why go tobacco-free?
“Exposure to tobacco smoke – even occasional smoking or
secondhand smoke – causes immediate damage to the body and
can lead to serious illness or death.”
“Cellular damage and tissue inflammation from tobacco smoke
are immediate and repeated exposure weakens the body’s ability
to heal the damage.”
– from the 2010 Report of the US Surgeon General
Policy Adoption Steps
Establish a policy committee/workgroup
Draft a tobacco-free policy
Gain approval and support from hospital stakeholders
Communicate policy before it goes into effect
Prepare and distribute educational materials for employees,
patients, visitors on the policy and quit resources
Implement and enforce policy
Establish Committee/Work Group Group should include:
Hospital leadership (administration, senior management)
Champions who can lead the effort
Employees from different departments of the organization, such as HR, medical staff, facilities management, and others that can bring good perspectives to the table.
Include tobacco users if possible
Develop a group to investigate policy development:
What is our hospital’s current policy?
Survey employees to investigate interest in policy*
What policy parameters will work for our organization?
Determine policy implementation timeframe
Employee Opinion SurveyWe would like to get your opinion on an issue important to our hospital. Please take a few minutes to complete the following
survey. This is a confidential survey being done for informational purposes, if you have any questions or concerns please contact (phone number of hospital staff overseeing survey).
Do you believe that more needs to be done at our hospital to reduce tobacco use on campus and exposure to secondhand smoke?
Yes: ___ No: ___ Neutral/Don’t Know: ___
Would you support a hospital property-wide tobacco-free policy that would apply to patients, staff and visitors?
Yes: ___ No: ___ Unsure: ___
Do you think that other staff would support creating a tobacco-free policy for the hospital?
Yes: ___ No: ___ Unsure: ___
Do you have a health condition that makes it difficult for you to be around cigarette smoke?
Yes: ___ No: ___
If yes, please explain: ________________________________________________________
If you are a current smoker, would you like help quitting?
Yes: ___ No: ___ Don’t Smoke: ___
What supports do you think need to be in place for a property-wide tobacco-free policy to be successful?________________________________________________________________________Any other comments to add?
Thank you for sharing your opinion with us!
Develop Tobacco Policy Language Important language aspects include: Purpose Why is your organization adopting a tobacco-free policy; how does this policy
related to the hospital’s mission?
Policy Specifications of the policy – explanation of tobacco products and where the policy
is effect (for example: grounds, parking lots, buildings).
Procedures and Enforcement Provide information how this policy affects patients, visitors, employees and how
they are expectations for compliance. Also spell out methods for enforcement, such as who is responsible.
Sample hospital policies can be found at www.MaineTobaccoFreeHospitalNetwork.org/hospital_policies
Policy Adoption and Support
Educate key stakeholders on the purpose of a tobacco-free
campus policy, their support is vital to the adoption and success
of the policy.
Once a policy and action plan have been developed, present to
the hospital’s board of directors for their approval and support.
New Hospital Support Kit
The goal of the hospital support kit is to provide hospitals with
free resources and materials to make it as simple as possible to
move towards and/or implement a 100% tobacco-free policy.
As we continue to go through the steps of policy
implementation, we will highlight some of the tools found in the
new support kit.
All materials can be found at
www.MaineTobaccoFreeHospitalNetwork.org/resources
Communication
The majority of patients, visitors and staff will adhere to a policy
if they are aware of it – so consistent, positive communication is
key!
Once your policy is approved it is important to educate hospital
staff and community members that your hospital will be going
tobacco-free.
It is important to start this communication 6-12 months prior to
the date the policy is effective.
Communication Tools: MTFHN Support Kit
Hospital Policy Handbill
Frequently Asked Questions for Staff
Press Release
Newsletter Article
Letters to Patients, Providers and Neighbors
Communication: FAQs and Handbill
Many employees may have questions about the policy and how it
effects them – providing them with responses to common
questions can reduce confusion and increase compliance.
A handbill that explains the decision to go tobacco-free and
makes everyone aware of quitting resources, such as the Maine
Tobacco HelpLine, can be placed in waiting rooms and lobbies to
educate visitors about your decision.
Communication: Media Announcements
Press Release
Share your news with your community – send a press release to
local media partners about your decision to go tobacco-free.
Staff Newsletter Announcement
Staff newsletters provide a great opportunity to educate employees
about the reasons you have chosen to go tobacco-free and when they
can expect that change to happen.
Communication: Letters to Patients It is important to make patients aware of your decision to be a
tobacco-free hospital.
A reminder about your tobacco-free campus policy could be included in pre-admission mailings and admission packets.
Sharing information with patients provides you with the opportunity to educate them about supports for quitting while they are in the hospital and beyond.
Informing the patient through these means, also educates visitors that will be accompanying them about the policy.
Communication: Letter to Providers
Along with staff, medical providers are great ambassadors for
your hospital. Make them aware that you are updating your
tobacco policy so they can assist in preparing patients for their
stay at a tobacco-free facility.
Your policy can provide positive messaging for providers who are
talking with their patients about quitting. As role model for
health, your policy may provide motivation for those
contemplating quitting.
Communication: Letter to Neighbors
A 100% tobacco-free policy requires those who wish to use
tobacco products to leave the campus. It is important to educate
those occupying buildings that abut hospital property about your
policy change.
Through your policy you are not encouraging people who smoke
to go onto these neighboring properties – it is important for
these community partners to be aware of the policy and know
who they can contact if a problem occurs.
Enforcement
Remember: Successful enforcement of the policy requires
effective communication, and is dependent upon the
consideration, thoughtfulness, and cooperation of everyone.
Enforcement Tools: MTFHN Support Kit
Model Tobacco-Free Area Signage
Signs should communicate a brief and simple message
For your convenience MTFHN has developed sample signage
Palm Card Enforcement Tool
A reminder card can aid staff, such as security, when they meet
someone who is not complying
Sample Tobacco-Free Area Signage
Other Policy Implementation Tips Be positive vs. punitive for patients and visitors. Instead of reprimanding
tobacco users who violate your policy, use constructive language to inform users of the policy, and encourage them to seek out appropriate quit resources that your hospital may offer.
For employees, sub-contactors and vendors be clear about the policy, expectations and follow through.
Remove outdoor ashtrays – having these by entrances may cause confusion about the policy.
Make nicotine replacement products available.
After you implement the policy, continue to monitor your campus. Identify the areas where cigarette butts continue to accumulate and increase signage and coverage in these areas.
Gold Star Standards of Excellence 1. The hospital campus is tobacco and/or smoke-free. Tobacco use by staff, patients, and visitors is
prohibited at all times in and on the hospital’s property including parking lots, in cars, and at satellite
sites. (“Tobacco-free” includes smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew, cigars, pipes, etc.).
2. Written policies and procedures that communicate and reinforce such policies on tobacco exist and are
reviewed at least annually and as needed.
3. Appropriate signage is posted at key locations including entrances to the grounds and buildings.
4. Information about tobacco use and treatment, secondhand smoke, and local and statewide resources are
readily available to patients, staff, and visitors.
5. Advertising or promotion of tobacco products is not allowed on the hospital’s campus or satellite
facilities. This includes hospital publications and magazines subscribed to by the hospital for their
waiting rooms.
6. All off-site meetings, conferences, and fundraisers are tobacco-free.
7. Clinical services are available for any patient needing/desiring assistance for nicotine withdrawal
symptoms and/or quitting, including evidence-based medications.
8. The hospital supports education and training on tobacco use and treatment for employees.
9. Tobacco treatment services are available for employees. For insured employees and dependents, benefits
include coverage of counseling and medication therapy for quitting tobacco, with minimal, or no,
barriers to utilization (co-pays, out of pocket costs, limits).
10. The hospital refuses all donations from the tobacco industry, and divests itself of all tobacco company
stock.
Gold Star Standards Awards Applications being accepted now through
February 23rd for our annual awards. Hospitals
that meet at least 6 Standards are encouraged to
apply and be recognized! Applications are
available on
www.MaineTobaccoFreeHospitalNetwork.org
2011 Gold Star Standards of Excellence Awards
Ceremony will be held: March 24th at 10am at
the Maine Hospital Association, Augusta
For More Information
Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital Network
www.MaineTobaccoFreeHospitalNetwork.org
(207)874-8774
MTFHN Presentations can be viewed online at:
www.slideshare.net/breatheeasy
