LIHU‘E – The hanging of banners yesterday at Wilcox Health (Wilcox Memorial Hospital and Kauai Medical Clinic) designating the entire campus as a smoke-free zone had special meaning for Raymond J. Valle. One of the maintenance men at the hospital
LIHU‘E – The hanging of banners yesterday at Wilcox Health (Wilcox Memorial Hospital and Kauai Medical Clinic) designating the entire campus as a smoke-free zone had special meaning for Raymond J. Valle.
One of the maintenance men at the hospital assigned to hang four banners at strategic entrances to the hospital and clinic, Valle is an ex-smoker. “I used to smoke. It’s been about 10 years now,” he said with a smile.
Effective today, Friday, Oct. 1, employees, patients and visitors will have to go a long way to light up at Wilcox Health. The designation of the entire campus as a smoke-free zone means those wishing to smoke must either travel to the perimeter of the campus (the county or state roads rimming the facilities) or into their private vehicles to light up.
“As a health system, we are not just in the business of healing and medicine. We’re also here to educate our community on how to live a healthier lifestyle,” said Lani Yukimura, Wilcox Health spokesperson and a member of the smoke-free facility task force that drafted the smoke-free rules.
“We recognize the dangers and health risks of smoking and tobacco products, so we are taking the lead by creating an entirely smoke-free environment,” Yukimura said. “Wilcox Health is committed to providing the healthiest environment possible for its patients, visitors, employees and volunteers, and as a health-care organization we feel this is the right thing to do.”
Smoking is prohibited both indoors and outdoors on all properties owned and leased by Wilcox Health, as well as in parking lots, offsite programs and company vehicles. This includes Wilcox Memorial Hospital, Kauai Medical Clinic offices in Lihu‘e, Kapa‘a, Kilauea, Koloa, ‘Ele‘ele and Kukui Grove Professional Village.
Task force
A smoke-free environment task force comprised of 24 members, including employees, physicians, and community members representing the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and Tobacco-Free Kauai Coalition, researched the work of other hospitals.
After six months of research, evaluation, discussion and meetings with physicians and employees, the smoke-free policy was endorsed by the hospital medical staff, Kauai Medical Clinic physicians, heads of departments, and administration.
Following a national trend in health care, Wilcox Health’s adoption of a smoke-free-environment policy for its hospital and clinics gives a clear message about its commitment to health and wellness for everyone, Yukimura continued.
While recognizing the addictive nature of smoking, the task force worked to endorse a policy that would provide assistance to inpatients during their hospital stay, and at the same time encourage healthy behavior.
Each patient admitted to the hospital who uses tobacco is visited by a respiratory therapist or tobacco consultant, as well as a nurse assigned to his or her care. Working with the patient’s physician, they may offer nicotine-replacement therapy, such as medicine, a nicotine patch, or Nicorette gum, to help make their smoke-free stay more comfortable, she explained.
Patients and visitors to the hospital or KMC clinics are asked to refrain from smoking while at Wilcox Health facilities.
If there are individuals who are unable or unwilling to stop smoking, brochures are available with maps showing the boundary of the designated smoke-free areas.
Stop smoking programs
For anyone interested, there are smoking-cessation-program materials available at no charge.
“At Wilcox Health, we realize that a smoke-free environment will present some initial problems for those who smoke, so we’re providing assistance and resources,” Yukimura said. “Free smoking-cessation classes will be offered at the hospital, and tobacco consultants will be working along with nurses and doctors to help patients during their hospital stay,” she said.
“Our respiratory therapists and nurses have been working with inpatients in this way as a standard practice, and will continue to offer this support as the new policy goes into effect.”
“Each year, one out of five deaths is directly caused by tobacco use, and we now know that second-hand smoke can lead to a number of illnesses including lung disease and cancer,” said Dr. Thomas Williamson, medical director of Kauai Medical Clinic and family physician at Kauai Medical Clinic’s ‘Ele‘ele office.
“Because of this, the physicians and staff at Wilcox Memorial Hospital and Kauai Medical Clinic have endorsed a smoke-free environment,” Williamson said.
“Leading the change to a smoke-free environment is an important step for a hospital and clinic, since it shows we care about our image, care about our patients and staff, and care about those who come to visit at the hospital,” Williamson said.
Besides the health risks, Wilcox officials say smoking within the hospital raises security concerns, and poses a fire hazard. And, discarded cigarette butts and ashes are unsightly, and require frequent cleaning.
“We realized this would be a process,” said Yukimura. “However, we know this policy can make a difference in our community if we all pitch in to make it work.”
