Kosciusko Community Hospital will be a tobacco-free campus effective today.
The hospital has developed a policy that will ban the use of tobacco products inside all KCH-owned facilities and grounds surrounding the hospital, according to Joy Lohse, KCH director of marketing and public relations.The policy coincides with today's annual observance of the American Cancer Society's Great American Smoke Out.
The Smoke Out highlights the dangers of tobacco use and the challenges of quitting.
The areas where smoking is now banned include inside and the grounds surrounding KCH, Beyer Medical Building, Warsaw Women's Center, Center of Hope Cancer Center, Warsaw Family Medicine, KCH Health & Wellness Center Building, KCH Medical Pavilion, HealthNet Plaza and the MedPark Building.
Banning the use of all tobacco products will apply to employees, volunteers, patients, medical staff members, visitors and vendors.
A task force, including input from hospital employees, medical staff, the KCH Board of Directors and administration began discussing an approach in July 2006 to design the policy.
