Butts Out at Seton Medical Centers

Smoking is now prohibited on all hospital property at Seton, including patient rooms, medical office buildings, and all hospital entrances and exits.

Seton Medical Center in Daly City and Seton Coastside in Moss Beach announced today they are now smoke-free facilities. As the first northern Daughter of Charity Health System hospitals to enact this prohibition, the two health care facilities acknowledge it has taken time and thoughtful preparation to meet this goal.

“Our committee worked diligently to create the guidelines to provide a healthy environment for our patients, our associates, volunteers and physicians,” says committee member Tina Ahn, Chief Development Officer and VP, Seton Foundation. “It was also our goal to eliminate any secondhand smoke from cigarette, cigar or pipe so everyone on our two properties could breathe clean air.”

According to the American Heart Association, smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Chronic disorders associated with smoking include coronary heart disease due to atherosclerosis, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and stroke.

The Centers for Disease Control estimate 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke each year. Approximately 38,000 people die annually from heart and blood vessel disease caused by other people's smoke. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25–30 percent.

Clean air was not the only goal of the 11-member committee. While demonstrating their commitment to improving the health of patients, associates and the community, the committee also hopes to increase hospital involvement in treating nicotine addiction.

“We are providing many resources to associates who wish to quit smoking,” says Irwin Shelub, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Seton. “We offer pulmonary rehabilitation and also an excellent smoking cessation guide available on our Intranet.”

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