In an effort to establish an organizational culture that promotes good health practices, both Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals have joined the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Tobacco-Free Hospitals Campaign.
As tobacco-free hospitals, employees, as well as patients and visitors, cannot smoke anywhere on the hospitals’ campuses. A network-wide hospital policy, which is in development, will prohibit hospital employees from engaging in tobacco use on public sidewalks or private property in the vicinity of the hospital while wearing their uniforms, ID badges, or other forms of identification that might be associated with employment at either hospital.
“As healthcare workers, we are ambassadors for our communities,” said Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO of Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals. “We need to send the right message: that smoking is a danger to the public’s health. It is therefore our responsibility to set an example for the organization and for the communities we serve.”
If you would like to quit smoking and need assistance, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in partnership with the New York State Smokers’ Quitline, can help. For more information, call 311 or visit New York Smokers’ Quitline at https://www.nysmokefree.com/register/default.aspx?no=nycdoh.