| On Nov. 15, the day of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, Harrison Medical Center is going smoke- and tobacco-free inside and out. The hospital has announced it will eliminate the use of tobacco products at all Harrison sites — Bremerton, Silverdale, and Port Orchard.
The new policy will apply to employees, medical staff, volunteers, patients, and visitors on all three campuses, including inside and outside the buildings, grounds, vehicles, and work areas. Until Nov.15, two designated smoking areas will remain on the Bremerton campus. One is in the parking lot adjacent to the Emergency Department; the parking garage near the hospital’s main entrance is another.
As a part of its employee wellness program, Harrison’s Quit for Life tobacco cessation program supports employees, volunteers, and medical staff — as well as their immediate family members living in the home — in their effort to quit. Included are smoking cessation counselors; internet, and telephone-based support; and nicotine replacement products.
Resources will also be available for patients and visitors who smoke, including information about Washington State Department of Health’s personalized program, the Tobacco Quit Line (1-877-270-STOP). Upon request, Harrison staff will also facilitate obtaining a prescription from a patient’s physician for nicotine replacement products upon admission to the hospital.
“This is a long-overdue change at Harrison that will improve and sustain life for our patients, visitors, and ourselves,” noted Scott Bosch, Harrison’s president and CEO. “We hope all who are impacted by this change will understand that this is about tobacco and smoke, not the smoker. It’s about doing the right thing in the name of good health.”. |
