Q: Who will the policy apply to?
Q: Will there be any designated smoking areas left for employees, patients, and visitors?
Q: What about other locations where OHSU leases space?
Q: What about the non-OHSU facilities next to the Marquam Hill campus?
Q: What exactly does the policy prohibit?
Q: Isn’t it a person’s right to use tobacco?
Q: Why not ban other unhealthy substances, like high-fat foods? Q: Is smoking in one’s car okay since that is personal property?
Q: When will the new policy be implemented?
Q. How will the policy be implemented?
Q: How will the new policy be enforced?
Q: How will you handle employees who violate the policy?
Q: What should a staff member do who sees a fellow employee, patient or visitor smoking in violation of this policy?
Q. What role will OHSU’s Public Safety Officers play in enforcement?
Q. Will Public Safety Officers issue citations or arrest people who refuse to stop?
Q: What will happen for patients and family members who may rely on tobacco to relieve their stress?
Q: But what do you say to the person visiting someone in the ICU who is under so much stress they have to have a cigarette?
Q: Will there be resources to help employees with the transition?
Q: What are these new cessation services?
Q: How does an employee, covered dependent, or student access cessation services?
Q: What will happen to employees who do not stop smoking?
Q: What are my options if I’m not planning or ready to quit?
Q: How much do the lozenges cost?

Q: Who will the policy apply to?

Everyone while they are at any Portland-area OHSU facility or on OHSU grounds.

Q: Will there be any designated smoking areas left for employees, patients, and visitors?

No. Providing a place to smoke does not support our goal to create a healthier environment for our patients, families, employees, and visitors.

Q: What about other locations where OHSU leases space?

The tobacco-free environment covers all Portland-area property owned or leased and occupied by OHSU.

Q: What about the non-OHSU facilities next to the Marquam Hill campus?

There are three neighboring facilities next to the OHSU Marquam Hill campus: the Portland VA Medical Center, Shriners Hospital for Children - Portland, and the Ronald McDonald House. Representatives from each of these organizations are participating in the planning of the OHSU initiative. Shriners hospital is exploring also becoming tobacco-free in the near future. The VA will maintain smoking areas, which they are required to do through federal regulations.

Q: What exactly does the policy prohibit?

Use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, all forms of smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes, and other products made primarily with tobacco.

Q: Isn’t it a person’s right to use tobacco?

Tobacco is still a legal product for adults. Today, about 1 out of 5 adult Oregonians use tobacco. OHSU will not try to force anyone to quit tobacco use entirely. However, OHSU will continue to set policies regarding activity on our premises and to create an environment that we believe is in the best interest of the health and well-being of our employees, students, patients and visitors.

Q: Why not ban other unhealthy substances, like high-fat foods?

In accordance with its mission, OHSU is continually seeking ways to create a healthier environment. In recent years we’ve added healthier food choices in our cafeterias and sought to create a more sustainable environment through our recycling efforts and “green” building practices, to name a few examples. However, the health risks and damaging effects of tobacco use – including the harm to others from second-hand smoke – far surpass those of other unhealthy substances.

Q: Is smoking in one’s car okay since that is personal property?

OHSU expects all employees, students and visitors not to smoke while they are anywhere on the OHSU campus and refrain from smoking until they leave the campus.

Q: When will the new policy be implemented?

The new policy will go into effect on Sept. 17, 2007.

Q. How will the policy be implemented?

There is an OHSU-wide process under way to prepare for the implementation of the new policy on Sept. 17. Informational packets will be sent to all employees early in the summer and educational programs will be available throughout the summer. New signs will be posted by Sept. 17, the smoking shelters will be dismantled, and smoking areas eliminated. Extra volunteers will be available to answer questions and respond to problems in the first few weeks. Free medications and coaching support for quitting are available now for employees, employee dependents, and students who want to quit and will continue after the policy goes into effect.

Q: How will the new policy be enforced?

Most areas of the OHSU campuses are presently tobacco-free and this policy is regularly enforced. Our standard procedures to monitor compliance and violations will be in effect within all facilities and across the campuses. We expect all our employees to comply with the new policy.  

In addition to Public Safety staff, we encourage all OHSU employees to assist in maintaining a tobacco-free environment by helping ensure everyone is aware of the policy.

To enforce this policy:

• We will be firm, but courteous and respectful.
• The emphasis will also be on education and support.
• Compliance is high when both leadership and employees buy into the need to be smoke-free role models in the community—that’s our goal.
• We will inform visitors we see using tobacco about our policy and offer available assistance. 
• Employees seen smoking on grounds will be asked to stop smoking and we will encourage them to seek assistance through our cessation services.
• Signs will be posted at all entrances and placed in strategic locations throughout the campus.
• People applying for positions at OHSU will be told up-front that we have a tobacco-free policy.
• Patients and their families will be informed of the new policy as much as possible before they arrive at OHSU (e.g. by the scheduler in outpatient clinics; through the preadmission process). Once here, they will be reminded again at the time of registration in the hospital and outpatient clinics. By providing as much advance information as possible, we can help patients better prepare for their stay at OHSU.

Q: How will you handle employees who violate the policy?

Initially, employees who violate the new policy, like everyone else, will first be reminded that OHSU is a tobacco-free institution and directed to resources to provide assistance to either manage their cravings or to quit. Subsequent violations will result in progressive disciplinary action similar to those taken if an employee violated any other OHSU policy.

Q: What should a staff member do who sees a fellow employee, patient or visitor smoking in violation of this policy?

The staff member should, with utmost courtesy and respect, explain that OHSU – in order to promote a healthy environment for its patients, staff and visitors - no longer permits smoking on its grounds. Business sized cards to hand out with this message and with information about how to find resources to help will be available to staff members. If the person continues smoking anyway, simply walk away.

Part of the educational programs offered to OHSU managers and staff before the policy goes into effect will be to help learn how best to approach smokers in these situations. We recognize that not everyone will feel comfortable approaching smokers, but encourage all employees to assist with compliance in some way.

Q. What role will OHSU’s Public Safety Officers play in enforcement?

Public Safety Officers will continue to approach anyone observed, or reported to be, using tobacco in violation of OHSU’s policy. Officers will courteously explain OHSU’s policy and offer information handouts. Officers will also take steps to ensure that unauthorized tobacco use stops.

Q. Will Public Safety Officers issue citations or arrest people who refuse to stop?

No. In the rare case where an employee may refuse to follow the policy, the Department of Public Safety will forward the employee’s name to a supervisor for follow up. If a visitor, patient, or member of the public refuses to follow the policy, Public Safety may instruct that person to leave OHSU property.

Q: What will happen for patients and family members who may rely on tobacco to relieve their stress?

Tobacco cessation resources will be available to assist patients and family members while they are on campus. Medications to help alleviate the stress of withdrawal will be readily available and affordable as well. Any exceptions to the new policy or other considerations for smokers under stress will be addressed during the policy development process and will be based on recommendations from OHSU employees, health professionals, and patients.

Q: But what do you say to the person visiting someone in the ICU who is under so much stress they have to have a cigarette?

As health care professionals, we are trained to deal with families in crisis every day, with compassion and support. We are dedicated to helping people through tough times and have every confidence that we will be able to help our visitors through this transition as well. We recognize that there will be times when we will have to use our best judgment in how we interact with patients’ families and visitors in tragic and stressful situations. But in general, we will ask everyone to refrain from using tobacco.

Q: Will there be resources to help employees with the transition?

There will be resources available to all employees to help communicate the details of the new policy and timeline for implementation. There will be educational programs to help train staff members on the new policy. Additional cessation services will be available to employees who want to quit.

Q: What are these new cessation services?

OHSU is providing a comprehensive package of free tobacco cessation coaching through Employee Wellness and free medications for all employees, covered dependents, and students. (Employees covered under Kaiser or students covered under Kaiser or ODS will have the usual copays charged by these plans.) For more information, visit the Tobacco Free website at http://www.ohsu.edu/tobaccofree and click on Cessation Resources.

Q: How does an employee, covered dependent, or student access cessation services?

There are three ways to access services. The first is to call OHSU Wellness at 494-9355 or go online at www.ohsu.edu/tobaccofreesupport and schedule a time to discuss your needs with a Wellness coach. Second, is to call, visit, or email (rxfree@ohsu.edu) the OHSU outpatient pharmacy. The pharmacist will discuss your needs with you and prescribe the right medications. The third is to contact your personal physician for advice and a prescription to be filled at any pharmacy. For more details, visit http://www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/about/tobaccofree/benefits-summary.cfm

Employees are not required to stop smoking or using tobacco and the new policy is not meant to force anyone to quit. But, once the policy goes into effect, employees will not be permitted to use tobacco anywhere on the campus. Similar to the regulations in the restaurant and air travel industries, employees will need to find a way to manage their need for nicotine without using tobacco on campus during the work day. Support will be offered to employees interested in how to manage their cravings during the work day.

Q: What are my options if I’m not planning or ready to quit?

Employees or students who are not planning or ready to quit can use one of the over-the-counter medications to curb cravings during the workday. To assist with the transition, OHSU will provide a free sample box of nicotine lozenges to these employees and students when the policy goes into effect in September. OHSU has selected nicotine lozenges because they are easier to use than nicotine gum and are faster acting and more versatile than nicotine patches. After the first box, nicotine lozenges can be purchased on campus at the outpatient pharmacies (Physician’s Pavilion, Casey Eye Institute, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Center for Health and Healing) or at any retail pharmacy.

Q: How much do the lozenges cost?

We estimate that a person might use about four, 4 mg nicotine lozenges during the workday. The average cost per lozenge is about $.50, so the cost per day is about $2.00.