<< see all articles

Smoke-Free: Lima Hospital Makes the Switch
Practicing what they preach, St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio, became a tobacco-free campus in April 2006. As a result, no smoking or any other tobacco use is allowed on the hospital’s main campus or on the property at any of its satellite facilities, including treatment centers in Delphos, Glandorf and Wapakoneta.

“Overall, the program has been very well received,” said Linda Dodge, tobacco cessation program coordinator for St. Rita’s. “Feedback from the community has been extremely positive. People feel it’s a very logical step for us as a healthcare provider.”
During the three months leading up to its April 1 quit date, St. Rita’s gradually introduced its plan and offered free tobacco cessation programs for employees and their spouses. Participants were even offered reimbursement of up to $500 for the costs of stop-smoking aids, upon completion of the program.

“It really helped that we had very, very strong administration support. Our CEO is a huge supporter of the tobacco-free initiative,” Dodge said. In July, St. Rita’s Medical Center was named an official Ohio Tobacco Quit Site by the Foundation for Healthy Communities of the Ohio Hospital Association.

Now, word of their success is spreading. “We’ve been contacted by other healthcare facilities and even other businesses within the community who are interested in instituting their own tobacco-free policies and want to know how we did it,” stated Ms. Dodge. In fact, Community Memorial Hospital, located in Hicksville, Ohio, has also implemented a tobacco and smoke-free environment throughout their hospital grounds and buildings.

That’s something St. Rita’s can be very proud of, indeed.

next article>>