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Mayo Regional Hospital recognized for tobacco-free achievements

AUGUSTA — The ninth annual Tobacco-Free Hospital Gold Star Standards of Excellence Awards Celebration, hosted by the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence’s Breathe Easy initiative, was held Sept. 27 at the Maine Hospital Association. The event, attended by hospital and public health stakeholders from across the state, recognized efforts by Maine hospitals to address tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. Thirty two hospitals and three individual Gold Star Champions were highlighted for achievements in advancing campus smoke and tobacco-free policies as well as promoting tobacco-free lifestyles.

Mayo Regional Hospital of Dover-Foxcroft was recognized for meeting the Gold Level in the 2018 Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program for efforts to prohibit smoke and tobacco use on campus and address client tobacco use. This is the seventh year Mayo Regional Hospital has participated in the initiative showing a longstanding commitment to addressing tobacco use and exposure.

Mayo Regional Hospital tobacco

Photo courtesy of Mayo Regional Hospital
TOBACCO-FREE AT MAYO — Mayo Regional Hospital Community Outreach Coordinator Hillary Starbird accepts a Gold Level distinction plaque for the 2018 Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program for the hospital’s tobacco-free policies last month in Augusta. Pictured with Starbird is Kenneth I. Lewis, senior director for the Center for Tobacco Independence.

Hillary Starbird, community outreach coordinator for the hospital, said, “At Mayo Regional Hospital we are continually monitoring the changes in tobacco products, giving staff educational opportunities to seek tobacco treatment options and encouraging our patients and visitors to live a smoke free lifestyle.”

All Maine hospitals were invited and encouraged to apply for recognition; those that met at least seven of 10 Gold Star Standards were recognized with a plaque. Award levels are based on best practice criteria such as a smoke and tobacco-free campus policy, annual screening for tobacco use, referral to tobacco treatment, and supporting employee education related to tobacco treatment.

At the celebration event, Kenneth I. Lewis, senior director for the Center for Tobacco Independence stated that, “Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death; we applaud these 32 Maine hospitals for taking proactive steps to address tobacco use and exposure within their organization.”

For more information about Gold Star Standards of Excellence recognition program, please visit BreatheEasyMaine.org/Gold-Star-Standards-of-Excellence.

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