Byline: Julie Anderson
Nov. 16--With the air now cleared in most Omaha workplaces, Alegent Health and Methodist Health System today will quietly go to the next level, banning smoking on all of their properties.
The move, announced exactly a year ago, coincides with the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Both hospital systems previously had banned the use of tobacco inside buildings and confined it to designated outdoor smoking areas.
Stephen Long, Methodist's chief executive officer, and Wayne Sensor, chief executive officer for Alegent, announced the initiative last year at a Great American Smokeout event, saying they felt an ethical obligation as health care leaders to take such a stand.
This year, however, the health systems planned to let the extended ban go into effect without fanfare out of consideration for smokers.
'We understand quitting smoking is a difficult chore, especially after a long time,' said Ed Rider, a Methodist spokesman.
But Long noted that the move was a step toward helping patients, visitors and staff gain control of their health. 'If any place should be smoke-free, it's a health care facility.'
Employees of both health systems have been offered assistance with smoking cessation classes. Alegent has provided tobacco alternatives for use on campus to employees and the public.
The Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University Medical Center ban smoking in hospital buildings but allow it in designated areas outside.
Creighton will begin providing smoking cessation classes for employees Jan. 1 in an effort to make its workforce smoke-free by January 2008, said Tricia Akerlund, a hospital spokeswoman. There is no plan to ban smoking by patients and visitors campus-wide.
Copyright (c) 2006, Omaha World-Herald, Neb.
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