Clear the Air

CLEVELAND: University Hospitals Health System, in its role as a regional healthcare leader, is launching the Clear the Air - Because Everyone's Health Matters initiative. This innovative program is designed to improve the health of UHHS patients and employees by declaring UHHS completely smoke-free. The program goes into effect Nov. 17, 2005, the date of the Great American Smokeout-the annual event sponsored by the American Cancer Society to help smokers quit cigarettes for at least one day, in hopes they will quit forever.

UHHS President and CEO Thomas F. Zenty III announced the new program today (June 21), saying, "Clear the Air will not only improve the health of our employees, but also optimize the healthcare experience for our patients.

"By ensuring that all hospitals, facilities and properties of our Health System-including all parking lots, sidewalks and green space areas-are entirely smoke-free, the Clear the Air campaign will demonstrate our respect for the rights of our patients and employees while supporting our efforts to become the patient-centered employer of choice."

This new policy reflects a recognition by the UHHS administration and medical staff that the best way to heighten community awareness about the health risks of smoking is to lead by example. "If a healthcare institution like ourselves can't set the example, how can we look at ourselves in the mirror?" said Michael Nochomovitz, MD, a pulmonologist and President and Chief Medical Officer of University Primary and Special Care Practices who chairs the UHHS Smoking Policy Task Force.

Throughout the transition to a smoke-free environment, UHHS is committed to providing the information and tools employees will need to prepare for and ensure their success in this program.

"Since your health is of paramount importance to us, the most critical aspect of this initiative will include offering smoking cessation programs to our employees who currently smoke but would like to quit," Mr. Zenty said. "Later this summer, a team of UHHS physicians and smoking cessation experts will be launching the first in an ongoing series of smoking education and cessation programs that will be available to all UHHS employees at no charge.

Participants in these programs will also receive smoking cessation materials, such as nicotine patches and gum, at deeply discounted prices."

UHHS employees who want to quit smoking will receive group counseling and nicotine replacement simultaneously. Studies have shown that this type of combination therapy dramatically increases the individual's chance for success, said Scott Frank, MD, of the Department of Family Medicine at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Frank, who studies and treats tobacco dependence, is a member of the UHHS Smoking Policy Task Force. "You can offer programs that are effective, but getting patients to voluntarily attend them is hard," he added.