CARIBOU — At an awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Maine Hospital Association in Augusta, the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine celebrated the efforts of Maine hospitals to address smoking and tobacco use on their campuses.
 |
|
Contributed photo Mark Shea, project director for the Power of Prevention at Cary Medical Center, accepts the Gold Star Award on behalf of the hospital. The award was presented Sarah Mayberry of the the Breathe Easy Coalition. |
The event highlighted the 2016 Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital Network Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program award winners, which included Aroostook County’s four hospitals – Cary Medical Center in Caribou, The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle, Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent and Houlton Regional Hospital.
The annual Gold Star Standards of Excellence program recognizes healthcare organizations for their efforts to address best practice standards around tobacco use, exposure and quitting supports.
Kris Doody, RN and CEO at Cary, said the hospital continues to advance a non-smoking agenda.
“We recognize, as a healthcare institution, the dangers of tobacco,” said Doody. “We were one of the first hospitals in Maine to go to a smoke-free campus and we continue to look at additional ways to reduce the rate of smoking in our service area.”
“We appreciate the work of the Breathe Easy Coalition,” Doody added, “and we are very pleased to have been recognized at the Gold Level once again this year.”
Thirty-three Maine hospitals and four individual champions were recognized for their achievements in advancing their organizations’ smoke- and tobacco-free policies, as well as promoting tobacco-free lifestyles in their communities.
“Hospitals are health and wellness role models for their communities, so it is important for them to set an example around reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke,” said Sarah Mayberry of the Breathe Easy Coalition. “The Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Maine hospitals to create policies to address these issues.”
Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the country and a major contributor to health care costs.
“Meeting these standards requires hard work and commitment from these health care organizations, and the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine is pleased to be able to honor their dedication,” said Mayberry.
