Compliance with a new hospital tobacco-free campus policy at UWMC

Audience: The groups that will benefit most from this presentation are those involved in the development and implementation of, as well as compliance with, outdoor tobacco-free policies, especially on the campuses of hospitals, academic medical centers and other health care organizations.  

Key Points: The results of this evaluation showed:
·     The number of smokers observed on the UWMC hospital campus decreased by 50% after the policy was implemented, while the number of smokers on an adjacent non-hospital university parking lot nearly tripled. 
·     The average number of cigarette butts on the UWMC campus remained similar after the policy was implemented, although the number of cigarette butts counted on the adjacent health science schools’ parking lot more than doubled. 
·     While the policy reduced tobacco use on the hospital campus itself, smoking shifted to an adjacent parking lot, thus increasing tobacco-related litter and potential exposure to secondhand smoke among medical center staff and visitors. 

Educational Experience: The audience will be able to read about the background and process of implementing the new tobacco-free hospital policy, view a map of the UWMC campus and adjoining buildings, examine graphs comparing numbers of smokers and cigarette butts counted during observation walks before and after the policy, and discuss the successes and challenges of the project with the presenter.

Benefits: Smoke and tobacco-free hospital campuses are now recommended by the Joint Commission and other health agencies in order to provide a health and safe environment for patients, staff and visitors. This poster will help others develop their own tobacco-free hospital campuses