Sparrow Ionia Hospital

479 Lafayette St. Ionia, Michigan  48846

1-616-523-1400   or    1-800-237-2572

"Serving Ionia County for over 65 Years"

ICMH  TO BE SMOKE-FREE CAMPUS ON JANUARY 1, 2008

Eight Mid-Michigan hospitals are announcing plans for all of their properties to become tobacco-free on January 1, 2008.  Ionia County Memorial Hospital, Ingham Regional Medical Center, Sparrow Health System, Eaton Rapids Medical Center, Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital, Clinton Memorial Hospital,  Carson City Hospital,  and Sheridan Community Hospital are all initiating programs to become tobacco-free.
While each organization’s health-care facilities have been smoke-free for years, smoking has been permitted on each campus in designated outdoor smoking areas.

“Going tobacco-free will improve the environment for patients, family members, employees, physicians, volunteers, and all those who come to our facility,” said Bill Roeser, President and CEO of Ionia County Memorial Hospital.

Each hospital will continue to support employees who wish to quit smoking by offering smoking cessation classes.  Patients will have Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) options available to them, including nicotine gum and patches. Visitors may also utilize NRT options while on hospital properties.

“While all agree that this is a difficult issue, becoming tobacco-free is the most effective way for each organization to provide the very best environment for everyone,” said George Rutherford, Chief Operating Officer of Ionia County Memorial Hospital.

Historically, smoking rates in Michigan have been among the highest in the U.S. One in four adults is a smoker and, annually, nearly 30,000 children under the age of 18 begin smoking. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, the direct medical costs attributable to smoking are nearly $2.65 billion annually.

According to the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA), 37 of Michigan’s 145 hospitals have officially established tobacco-free campuses. MHA is encouraging all health-care organizations in the state to do likewise and to support efforts to ban smoking in public places by January 1, 2008.

For more information on this initiative, visit www.mha.org and click on “smoke-free hospital campus.” For more information on tobacco cessation, visit www.michigan.gov/mdch.