tobacco-free - Hartford Hospital!
tobacco-free - Hartford Hospital!
tobacco-free - Hartford Hospital!
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For Immediate Release November 19, 2009<br />
Contact: Chris Boyle Michaela Donnelly Tina Varona<br />
(860) 610-5701 (860) 545-4658 (860) 714-1076<br />
cboyle@ccmckids.org mdonnelly@harthosp.org tvarona@stfranciscare.org<br />
THREE CITY HOSPITALS ARE NOW “TOBACCO-FREE”<br />
“Putting Out the Fire”, A Joint Campaign Theme to Make “<strong>Hartford</strong> Healthier”<br />
(<strong>Hartford</strong>, CT) – Tobacco-<strong>free</strong> policies are now in effect at Connecticut<br />
Children’s Medical Center, <strong>Hartford</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong> and Saint Francis <strong>Hospital</strong> and Medical<br />
Center.<br />
As part of a campaign started by former City of <strong>Hartford</strong> Mayor Mike Peters to make<br />
“<strong>Hartford</strong> Healthier,” the three hospitals collaborated 8 months ago to establish a<br />
<strong>tobacco</strong>-<strong>free</strong> policy for all employees, patients and visitors on each campus.<br />
Today, November 19, 2009, was chosen as the day to launch the new policy in<br />
conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s 33 rd Annual Great American Smokeout.<br />
“The decision to eliminate the use of <strong>tobacco</strong> is intended to establish an example of<br />
wellness and disease prevention especially for our young patients, staff and the<br />
community,” said Martin Gavin, President and CEO, Connecticut Children’s Medical<br />
Center.<br />
The new policy means that any use of <strong>tobacco</strong> products, including cigarettes, cigars,<br />
chewing <strong>tobacco</strong>, pipe smoking and snuff, will be prohibited by all employees,<br />
physicians, visitors, patients, volunteers, vendors and medical staff on any property<br />
owned by each institution. This prohibition applies to smoking in personal vehicles on<br />
the property, as well as in garages, on hospital walkways and all outdoor venues.<br />
Sidewalks adjacent to <strong>Hospital</strong> campuses are also <strong>tobacco</strong>-<strong>free</strong> zones.<br />
“As a health care institution, it is our responsibility to lead by example and ensure our<br />
environment is as healthy as possible for our patients, employees and the community,”<br />
said Elliot Joseph, President and CEO, <strong>Hartford</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>. “We are proud today to<br />
officially become a <strong>tobacco</strong>-<strong>free</strong> campus and hope other organizations in our region will<br />
join us in making <strong>Hartford</strong> healthier.”
“Since smoking remains the leading, most preventable cause of death in the United<br />
States, we feel it is essential to take this life-saving step toward promoting better health<br />
and a better quality of life for the communities we serve,” said Christopher Dadlez,<br />
President and CEO, Saint Francis <strong>Hospital</strong> and Medical Center.<br />
Research shows that smoke-<strong>free</strong> policies can dramatically reduce illness and even death<br />
from heart disease. Secondhand smoke can damage the lining of blood vessels. Together,<br />
damage to coronary arteries and clots that block blood flow can cause a heart attack.<br />
Over the past several months, the hospitals have made resources available to employees<br />
to help them prepare for the new policy. Smoking cessation classes and access to other<br />
resources have also been introduced at the institutions.<br />
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is the region’s only academic medical center<br />
dedicated exclusively to the care of children. Offering a full range of services for children<br />
from birth through age 18, Connecticut Children’s brings quality care to children and<br />
families through 10 affiliated community hospitals and 16 practice locations.<br />
<strong>Hartford</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>, founded in 1854, is one of the largest teaching hospitals and tertiary<br />
care centers in New England with the region’s busiest surgery practice, and has been<br />
training physicians for nearly 130 years.<br />
Founded in 1897, Saint Francis is a major teaching hospital licensed for 617 acute<br />
inpatient beds and 65 bassinets and is the largest Catholic hospital in New England.<br />
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