Here�s another perspective from our execs at
Rose.
1.
Was the ban effective in eliminating smoking on the public right-of-way
adjoining your hospital and all its relevant buildings, especially near patient
entrances and exits?
No. We continue to find guests smoking outside near
entrances and exits. When I confront guests, they often respond in a
manner that implies this is their first notice that they cannot smoke on our
property. We have a lot of signs posted on our campus. When someone is
here visiting a loved one and they need a smoke, they either do not see the
signs or they ignore them. I am not sure the ban has improved our
ability to enforce a �Tobacco Free� campus.
2.
Have you had any concerns � negative or positive � about impacts of the
ban? Please explain.
It has been a challenge and a lot of work to enforce.
Security makes hourly rounds. Parking services assist in monitoring the
entrances. Managers have come in on weekends to specifically monitor their
staff. Clarence is frequently involved in the disciplinary process for
employees and contractors who fail to follow our policy. We have worked
with the Physician Office Buildings (POB) to communicate to the office managers
and their staffs about the smoke free campus requirements and city
ordinance.
3.
Has your facility received any comments from patients and/or visitors on the
smoking ban? Please be specific. How have you have responded?
We had a patient who was an attorney voice her concerns
after walking through POB employees who were smoking near a POB II entrance, and
she questioned why we weren�t enforcing the ban. POB management
communicated the requirements to the POB offices, and spoke with the managers of
the employees violating the rule.
4.
Has your facility received any comments from neighbors about patients, visitors
or staff leaving hospital property to smoke and to intrude on the neighborhood
with noise, garbage, loitering, and so on? Please be specific. Initially we received complaints from neighbors to our
east, Park Mayfair Condominiums, about employees who smoked on and littered the
property. We addressed this concern through our POB management and have
not heard anything since.
5.
How did you implement your good neighbor policy? What worked and what would you
change? Please send me a copy of the policy.
We discussed at length during the August Tobacco Free
implementation that HealthONE has a �Good Neighbor Policy� and that they cannot
smoke and litter our neighbor�s property. Once the ordinance was passed in
November 2008, we distributed this to our managers. In addition, I have
spoken with the VA. They allow smoking in a hut on their campus and we
have informed our employees of this option. We promote this site to our
employees as an acceptable location for smoking, only during paid meal
breaks.
6.
Based on your experiences over the past 18 months, do you have suggestions to
improve the ban on smoking around City hospitals? I
believe the $500 reward to quit smoking has shown that we support employees who
make the decision to quit. One of our psychiatrists offered to provide a
couple education sessions to help employees quit and we have promoted the
Colorado Quit Line. You need to approach employees who smoke one by one
and the managers are key to making this successful.
7. Has the ban helped you to better serve
your patients? Has it affected your professional ratings on hospital
quality?
Not sure it has improved.
8. Is there anything else you think I
should know about the smoking ban around City hospitals?
No.