Components of a smoke-free hospital program

Hospitals have the responsibility to provide leadership in the area of cigarette-smoking cessation and indoor-smoking elimination. A multidisciplinary committee of the Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, planned and initiated a smoke-free hospital and clinic facility in 1987. The key planning steps for the patient and visitor ban included involvement of many representatives of the hospital staff, 2 months lead time for the ban, personal interviews with all inpatient smokers on the eve of the ban, and distribution of survival kits. Employees were offered free smoking cessation classes, gum with instructions in use, and a protected outdoor smoking area. The ban has been well accepted by patients and visitors. A questionnaire survey of employees at 6 months has indicated a modest reduction in personal cigarette smoking.