The entire Erasmus MC campus is to be smoke-free by 1 January 2020.
Cooperation
To achieve this, the Board of Directors requested that a task force be set up, which has already sought cooperation with the Municipality of Rotterdam and Erasmus MC’s immediate neighbors, the Erasmiaans Gymnasium and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
Quitting
The task force believes that a completely smoke-free hospital is essential for our exemplary role. This means that all the buildings and the surrounding campus area must become completely smoke-free, for example, but also that a plan must be drawn up that helps staff and patients to be successful in their attempt to quit smoking.
"It is really outdated that patients and visitors have to walk through a curtain of smoke before they can enter the hospital"
Environmental zone
The area between Erasmus MC, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and the Erasmiaans Gymnasium - Zimmermanweg and Wytemaweg - will become a completely smoke-free zone, comparable to the low emissions zone for high polluting vehicles in the city center. The Municipality of Rotterdam will be asked to ensure that the zone is clearly marked by signs and paving stones.
Planning phase
The initiative is still in the planning phase, emphasizes the chairman of the Board of Directors, Ernst Kuipers, although a letter requesting the Municipality’s cooperation has already been sent. Kuipers says: “Erasmus MC is strongly committed to prevention and promoting healthy behavior, and a smoke-free campus is in line with this objective. It is really outdated that patients and visitors have to walk through a curtain of smoke before they can enter the hospital.”
Address smokers
When taking on ‘external employees’, such as construction company staff and mechanics, their contracts will stipulate that they are not allowed to smoke anywhere on Erasmus MC property. The draft plan states that staff members, visitors, and security staff are to address ‘offenders’ to enforce the smoking ban. To this end, porters and security staff will be given training and support.
NFU
The Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centers (NFU) has already indicated that it wants to commit itself to smoke-free healthcare.
