The Days of Smoking Anywhere at Danville Regional Are Numbered

The medical staff voted unanimously to support a policy change that prohibits smoking anywhere on the DRMC campus, effective July 1, 2005.

'Hospital president B. R. Ashby, MD, believes this is a policy whose time has come. "We know that heart disease, cancer, and stroke are America's top three killers," he said. "And it is well documented that smoking is a leading contributor to each. We made our buildings smoke-free years ago. It is time we took the important next step."

"I also want to commend our excellent medical staff," he said. "Naturally, they understand the health consequences of tobacco use better than anyone, and they showed real leadership as they unanimously supported this change in policy."

"We understood that we needed to take a strong stand against smoking," said Gary Miller, MD, president of the medical staff. "And to set a good example. There are smoking sections just outside of treatment areas, including the Heart Center. Inside we are warning our patients of the dangers of cigarettes, and within sight our employees and visitors are smoking. It is just not a healthy situation."

"We are also concerned about the health and well-being of employees. We want them to be healthy, and we depend on them to complete our mutual goal of caring for the health needs of the community. Smoking causes lost time due to bronchitis, pneumonia, and a host of other diseases. This policy will be good for them as well as for the public."

Danville Regional will be sponsoring additional smoking cessation classes both for employees and for the public in the coming months Check the calendar page in this issue for specific dates and times.

"We understand that this will present some concerns in the short term," Ashby said. "But we want to encourage healthful habits. We are not setting a good example when visitors have to come through a cloud of smoke just to enter a building. in the long run, this will be a breath of fresh air for us all."