TOMS RIVER, NJ - Six months ago, November 20,
on the 32nd Anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, the
Saint Barnabas Health Care System officially banned smoking
and the use of tobacco products on all hospital and health
care system facility campuses in the southern region. This
included Community Medical Center in Toms River, Kimball
Medical Center in Lakewood, Monmouth Medical Center in Long
Branch, the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center in Toms
River, the Saint Barnabas System Business Office in Oceanport,
Kensington Manor Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in
Toms River; as well as all other satellite offices and facilities
of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System located throughout
Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
“The Saint Barnabas
Health Care System embarked on this important initiative,
named by our employees as ‘Clean
Air for Health Care,’ to ensure a healthy and smoke-free
environment for our patients and their families, our employees
and our physicians, and the members of the communities we
serve” said Fred Jacobs, MD, JD, Executive Vice President,
Saint Barnabas Health Care System. “Our Southern
Region hospitals and facilities in Monmouth and Ocean County
have proven their commitment to this initiative on the six
month anniversary of their achievement, during National Clean
Air Month in May.”
Connie Greene, Vice President of the Saint Barnabas Institute
for Prevention, who spearheaded this initiative in the Southern
Region, explains that the smoke-free campus initiative has
helped employees, patients and community members tremendously.
Tobacco dependence treatment, which included nicotine replacement
therapy, has enabled dozens of smokers to kick the habit
for good. With the use of open forums, Quit meetings
and support groups, smokers were provided with the guided
help and assistance they needed to transition from maintaining
an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthier one in a matter of
weeks.
“This program and initiative was challenging for many
of our employees and patients. However, we utilized
all of our resources throughout each of our southern region
facilities to provide the support and education necessary
to make this transition successfully,” Greene explains. “Some
of our patients, particularly those at the Saint Barnabas
Behavioral Health Center, were extremely addicted to nicotine
and cigarettes.” “Many of them were grateful
for creating the smoke-free policy because it helped them
cut back or quit altogether.”
All inpatient smokers were offered Nicotine Replacement
Therapy to assist them while hospitalized, and were also
provided with information about our smoking cessation programs.
For the past six months, the Saint Barnabas Health Care
System has provided education and information to employees,
physicians, patients and visitors about the policy change,
which have been accepted and embraced at all campuses.
The northern facilities of the Saint Barnabas Health Care
System, including Clara Maass Medical Center, Newark Beth
Israel Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, the
Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center, Saint Barnabas Hospice
and Palliative Care Center, Saint Barnabas Nursing and Rehabilitation
Centers, Saint Barnabas Health Care System Corporate Office
and all SBHCS facilities in Northern New Jersey will also
become smoke-free this November 19, on the 33rd Anniversary
of the Great American Smokeout.
For more information about our smoking cessation programs,
please call 732-914-3815 or log onto our website at www.instituteforprevention.com.
Date: May 14, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@sbhcs.com
[ top ] [ Back
to News Index ] |
|
|
