OCEAN BREEZE — Staten Island University Hospital has received an award for its efforts trying to stub out smoking in the borough.
The hospital was awarded Silver Star status from the city and state’s Health Departments and North Carolina Prevention Partners for its attempts to curb smoking rates for nearly 90,000 Staten Islanders who use tobacco, according to NYC Smoke Free.
“As wellness leaders we must tackle the battle against smoking and tobacco products to prevent illness in our community, and our efforts are shown through our Silver Star status,” Dianne Gonzalez, vice president of the hospital’s Ambulatory Service, said in a release.
To curb the rates, SIUH staff identified newly admitted patients who smoked and offered them free support to quit the habit.
Help included education, ongoing counseling and smoking cessation tool kits for patients who wanted to quit.
From December 2012 to May 2013, the hospital identified 2,521 smokers and provided 400 Nicotine Replacement Therapy packs to patients, the hospital said in a release.
The hospital has worked to cut smoking rates in the borough since the early 2000s, and was awarded the Bronze Star status in 2012 for restricting the use of tobacco on its north and south campuses.
The hospital plans to go for Gold Star status, and will focus on outpatient smoking prevention at both locations, the release said.
