Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach become completely smoke-free

The campus of Long Beach Memorial (LBM) and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach (MCHLB) will become completely smoke-free on July 1, 2010. After this date, no smoking will be permitted on hospital property, including regions previously designated as “smoking areas.” LBM and MCHLB will be the first hospital site in Long Beach to become entirely smoke-free.

“As a health care organization, LBM and MCHLB are committed to the health and safety of our patients, their families and our employees,” said Diana Hendel, CEO of LBM/MCHLB. “Tobacco use in and around hospitals poses health and safety risks. We believe that we have a responsibility to take a leadership role on this major health issue, and establishing our entire campus as tobacco-free firmly supports that belief.”

The US Surgeon General has confirmed that exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke is a serious health hazard and that there is no risk-free level of exposure. As such, patients, visitors and the community are asked to support the transition to a tobacco-free environment.

LBM and MCHLB will provide free cessation resource kits and suppressants for patients and visitors having difficult time with the smoke-free transition.

About Long Beach Memorial Medical Center:
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach are a part of the MemorialCare Health System, a nationally recognized not-for-profit integrated delivery system with top ratings for quality and safety. Long Beach Memorial Medical Center has been providing compassionate care with the latest state-of-the-art technology for more than 100 years and is the region’s first choice for comprehensive care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. Centers of excellence include the MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute, The Todd Cancer Institute, Memorial Rehabilitation and the Emergency Department and Trauma Center. Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach provides specialized pediatric care for children and young adults, with conditions ranging from common to complex—as well as the maternity care for the expectant mothers—all under one roof. Only 5 percent of all hospitals are children’s hospitals, making them unique not only to children’s health care needs in the community, but across the region. Miller Children’s is one of only eight free-standing children’s hospitals in California.