Local Hospitals Dedicated to Providing Healthy Environments for Care

Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Montgomery Regional Hospital and Pulaski Community Hospital Become Tobacco-Free Facilities

Christiansburg, VA, Nov. 11, 2009 – Carilion New River Valley Medical Center and HCA’s two New River Valley Hospitals -- Montgomery Regional and Pulaski Community --  are demonstrating a commitment to providing a clean and healthy environment by becoming tobacco-free campuses. Beginning January 1, 2010 patients, visitors and employees are being asked to refrain from using tobacco products when visiting these hospitals, as well as other facilities, including physician practices and outpatient centers, that are part of HCA’s and Carilion’s health systems in the New River Valley.

“The use of tobacco products, especially smoking, harms nearly every organ of the body. As providers of healthcare, we want to do our part in encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and eliminating harmful behaviors,” says Don Halliwill, president of Carilion New River Valley Medical Center. “We appreciate the support and participation of our community as we launch this new initiative.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 1 of every 5 deaths each year in the United States is a result of tobacco use. Furthermore, more deaths are caused by tobacco consumption than by all deaths from alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, murders, HIV and illegal drug use combined.

Smokeless tobacco products should not be considered a good alternative to cigarette smoking. Smokeless tobacco can lead to many health problems including cancer, nicotine addiction, precancerous lesions, preeclampsia in pregnant women, reduced sperm count in men, among others.

Lewis-Gale Medical Center, also part of the HCA Southwest Virginia network, and Carilion Clinic’s Roanoke campuses made the commitment to become tobacco-free sites in July 2007. As two of southwestern Virginia’s largest employers and healthcare providers, they felt it was their responsibility to model important strategies to make workplaces healthier.

“This is the next step in our partnership with the tobacco-free initiative and it is important for a number of reasons,” said Scott Hill, CEO, Montgomery Regional Hospital.  “As we all look for ways to control healthcare costs, we need to set the right example – one that encourages healthy lifestyle choices.  In fact, modifiable health risks, like smoking, are responsible for 25 percent of the total health care expenditures in the United States”.

“We all see the devastating effects of tobacco on our patients and our community,” said James W. Thweatt, Interim CEO, Pulaski Community Hospital.  “As the region’s leading healthcare providers, Carilion and HCA have a responsibility of working together to do whatever we can to make our community healthier.”

Ending an addiction to tobacco products can be very difficult. Both Carilion Clinic and HCA have resources and tools available to help. For more information, please contact your physician or call Carilion Clinic at 540-266-6000 or HCA’s Consult-a-Nurse at 877-242-2362.