PBMC Campus Going Completely Tobacco-Free 

Effective Sept. 1, 2009, Penobscot Bay Medical Center is taking the ultimate step toward a completely smoke-free campus. This means the hospital's policy of prohibiting the use of all tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco) on PBMC property including grounds, parking areas and all vehicles parked on the campus will be strictly enforced.

The PBMC campus is comprised of Penobscot Bay Medical Center and its physical plant building, the Pen Bay Physicians Building, the Creative Learning and Childcare Center and the Pen Bay Women's Health/Pen Bay Urology building.

This policy applies to patients, employees, visitors, volunteers, vendors, contracted workers, medical staff and students. PBMC patients will not be permitted to leave the facility to use tobacco products. Physicians are not authorized to write orders allowing patients to leave the PBMC campus to use tobacco products.

"Pen Bay Healthcare is committed to the promotion of healthy lifestyles," said Roy Hitchings, president and CEO of Pen Bay Healthcare, parent of Penobscot Bay Medical Center. "Tobacco use and second-hand smoke have a direct adverse effect on medical treatment and pose serious health and safety risks to our patients, our employees and our community."

Pen Bay Healthcare will be conducting a system-wide education effort about the new policy; hospital administration will inform hospital personnel and volunteers and they, in turn, will inform patients. The announcement about the new policy six months ahead of implementation allowed for this, said Hitchings.

Inpatients will be offered nicotine replacement therapy while they are hospitalized. They will also be offered information on the Freshstart Smoke Cessation program and the Maine Tobacco Helpline.
Employees who use tobacco will be offered cessation support through their choice of several smoking cessation resources.

"While we anticipate some negative reaction, we believe this policy is a necessary step for the wellness of our employees and for our community," said Hitchings. "And, ultimately, that after a short time, people will ask why we didn't make this change a long time ago."
With this new policy, PBMC joins the majority of Maine hospitals in enforcing a completely smoke-free campus.