News Releases

Montgomery County Medical Facilities Clear the Air in the Name of Health

Hospitals and clinics go tobacco-free, inside and out

Montgomery County, Texas, November 12, 2003 -- No smoking indoors or out. In an extraordinary move, at least 12 hospitals, medical centers and clinics throughout Montgomery County are uniting to make their campuses tobacco-free. The initiative – A Breath of Fresh Air – will become policy, effective Feb. 13, 2004. Administrators and medical staff from the participating facilities believe the move is vital to promoting the health of patients, visitors, employees, volunteers, medical staff and others.

“When we first proposed this idea, it was obvious we couldn’t do it alone,” said Conroe Regional Medical Center CEO Jerry Nash. “So we assembled a task force to generate strategies for getting other area healthcare colleagues on board.”

The strategies proved remarkably effective. Participants include: Conroe Regional Medical Center, Conroe Surgery Center, HealthSouth, Kelsey Seybold Clinics of Montgomery County, Lone Star Family Health Clinic, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, Sadler Clinic, Select Specialty Hospital-Conroe, St. Luke’s Community Medical Center-The Woodlands, The Surgery Center of the Woodlands, The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre, PA and The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation.

“We’re dedicated to protecting and supporting the health and wellbeing of the people in our community,” said Steve Sanders, CEO, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital. “Permitting our patients and visitors to use a recognized health hazard on hospital grounds sent a message that was inconsistent with our mission. It was important to change that, so we’re taking a strong stand,” stated Sanders.

Says Teresa Danna, CEO for St. Luke’s Community Medical Center-The Woodlands, “As the newest hospital serving this community, we’re proud to be part of a bold, breakthrough initiative which promises an enormous, long-term payoff to patients and residents in the form of enhanced wellness.”

Tobacco users are encouraged to join thousands of other Americans by breaking the habit during the Great American Smokeout on Thurs., Nov. 20.

Administrators stress that the policy requires only that tobacco users refrain from using the products while on their campuses, not that they quit altogether. Those who express a desire to quit smoking will be offered help – from smoking cessation classes to nicotine replacement therapy.

For more information, contact Media Relations.