The Healthy Hospital Initiative (HHI) helps hospitals establish 100% tobacco-free campuses, provide comprehensive cessation support, and build tobacco-free communities. The Initiative is a program of NC Prevention Partners in partnership with the NC Hospital Association’s foundation, and with funding from The Duke Endowment.

Past
The HHI effort began in July 2006 with the goal of having 100% of North Carolina’s hospitals be 100% tobacco-free campus wide (TFCW) by June 2009. By July 2007, 70% of North Carolina’s acute-care hospitals will have passed TFCW policies. North Carolina hospitals are among the nation's leaders in this policy initiative. TFCW policies protect all patients, employees, and visitors from any exposure to secondhand smoke while on the hospital campus. The U.S. Surgeon General reported in 2006 that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Present
When worksites become TFCW, tobacco users are encouraged to consider quitting. People wanting to quit the use of tobacco double their chances of success by either using quitting medications or participating in counseling. Concurrent with the policy initiative, hospitals have also increased their tobacco cessation resources and benefits available to employees, and often spouses and patients. For example, many hospitals have made the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) patch available at no cost to employees and spouses, and access to prescription medications at a minimum co-pay. Convenient and free counseling is available to all North Carolinians through the NC Quitline, 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, by calling the toll-free number 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUIT-NOW). Cessation support is available in both English and Spanish.

Future
In the future, the HHI will continue to assist any North Carolina hospital in developing, launching, and enforcing a TFCW policy. The HHI staff will help hospitals to evaluate the outcomes of the policy. Additionally, the HHI staff will help hospitals become leaders in their counties by assisting other healthcare facilities and businesses in becoming TFCW.

Key Talking Points
One-page Information Sheet
Why Campus Wide


For assistance, please contact :

Melva Fager Okun, DrPH
Healthy Hospital Initiative Manager
NC Prevention Partners
88 Vilcom Circle, Suite 110
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919.969.7022 ext. 3#
melva@ncpreventionpartners.org
www.ncpreventionpartners.org