As of July 2009, every hospital in my home state of North Carolina will be smoke-free. This is huge when you consider that North Carolina was built on the back of the tobacco industry. This amazing progress is in large part due to the efforts of one organization, NC Prevention Partners, and its ability to collaborate with its hospital partners across the state. Over the last several years, the dedicated crew at NC Prevention Partners has worked with hospitals in every corner of the state to make this day possible. It is remarkable. This means that the 235,000 people employed by hospitals in North Carolina will no longer be subjected to second-hand smoke while at work. Think of the health and economic implications of this move. These healthy workplace policies not only improve employee health, they also reduce healthcare costs and improve employee productivity. The implications of these policies are truly staggering.
NC Prevention Partners is one of my firm ’s clients, and I am so proud of our affiliation. North Carolina is not a healthy state; in fact, we’ve got a long way to go. But the healthcare industry is leading the way by creating healthier environments for patients, family members, visitors and employees. Hospitals in this state are model employers – setting the bar high for those in other industries. Beyond creating smoke-free environments, approximately one third of the hospitals across the state are currently implementing health food programs. We expect this to gain momentum over the next several months and build on the success of the smoke-free campaign.
On Wednesday of this week I attended the Annual Luncheon for NC Prevention Partners. It was a pleasure to be in a room with so many healthcare professionals, all dedicated to improving public health through prevention. If you’re interested in learning more, check out NC Prevention Partners online at www.ncpreventionpartners.org. You’ll find some great resources on their website.
Post by Dan Dunlop, The Healthcare Marketer
As of July 2009, every hospital in my home state of North Carolina will be smoke-free. This is huge when you consider that North Carolina was built on the back of the tobacco industry. This amazing progress is in large part due to the efforts of one organization, NC Prevention Partners, and its ability to collaborate with its hospital partners across the state. Over the last several years, the dedicated crew at NC Prevention Partners has worked with hospitals in every corner of the state to make this day possible. It is remarkable. This means that the 235,000 people employed by hospitals in North Carolina will no longer be subjected to second-hand smoke while at work. Think of the health and economic implications of this move. These healthy workplace policies not only improve employee health, they also reduce healthcare costs and improve employee productivity. The implications of these policies are truly staggering.
On Wednesday of this week I attended the Annual Luncheon for NC Prevention Partners. It was a pleasure to be in a room with so many healthcare professionals, all dedicated to improving public health through prevention. If you’re interested in learning more, check out NC Prevention Partners online at www.ncpreventionpartners.org. You’ll find some great resources on their website.
Post by Dan Dunlop, The Healthcare Marketer