April 28, 2009

Turlock, On July 4, 2009 Emanuel Medical Center, and all related facilities, will join other health care and public organizations in Stanislaus County and become a Tobacco-Free medical campus.  

"As the health care leader in Turlock, we feel it is critical for us to lead by example," stated

John Sigsbury, President and C.E.O. of Emanuel Medical Center, "By making Emanuel and all of our facilities tobacco-free, we are continuing our 92 year mission of creating a healthier community."

With tobacco the leading cause of reversible death in the US, there is a growing movement for hospitals to become smoke free, just as most public venues are today. All Stanislaus County hospitals will be smoke free by July 4^th as Emanuel joins Memorial Medical Center, which became smoke free January 1, 2009, and Doctors Medical Center which has announced Independent Day 2009 as their smoke free target date.

An employee committee is working out the details of how the new policy will be approached with staff, patients and visitors. The Tobacco-Free policy will pertain to Emanuel facilities located at 825 Delbon Avenue in Turlock and all hospital related departments, parking lots and medical clinics managed or operated by the medical center.

 The hospital is also partnering with the Stanislaus County Tobacco Control Outreach Prevention program to offer employee educational classes and "Quit Kits" to tobacco users who choose to quit.

Emanuel Medical Center is a not-for-profit, community-based, Christian hospital serving Turlock and nearby Central Valley communities.