1st Smoke-free Hospital Conference – Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital

On May 22nd, as part of the activities programmed for Smoke-Free Week, the 1st Smoke-Free Hospital Conference took place at the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital.

The 1st Smoke-free Hospital Day, organized by the Germans Trias Smoke-free Hospital Committee, wanted to give visibility to the actions carried out in health centers against the consumption of tobacco and electronic cigarettes.

The event, with the participation of representatives of hospitals that are members of the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals, sought to raise awareness among health professionals about smoke-free environment strategies, as well as to publicize the impact of tobacco use on the environment and tobacco use and vaping on the health of smokers and their environment.

The conference began with Esteve Fernández, coordinator of the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals. Fernández presented the challenges of tobacco control in the 21st century, many of which he believes must be addressed immediately. For example, continue to reduce the prevalence of smoking, maintain the denormalization of tobacco (with more smoke-free spaces or with plain packaging), promote its cessation (with availability of cessation services and treatments), and prevent experimentation and the initiation of consumption (regulating innovative products and with individual, group or population interventions).

Next, the first table of the day took place, explaining experiences against tobacco in other health centers. Specifically, at ICO – Duran i Reynals Hospital, at Althaia Foundation, at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and at Vic Hospital, centers that have won gold and silver mentions from the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals. Respectively, Esteve Fernández himself, Lídia Rubio, Gemma Nieva and Miquel Vilardell have intervened.

The second table addressed the impact of tobacco and other forms of smoking -such as electronic cigarettes- on our health and the environment, with interventions, among others, by Elena Bonet, head of the environment at the Salut Empordà Foundation, who presented the experience of ecological ashtrays at the Figueres Hospital.

Next, a third table specified what we can do to prevent or reduce tobacco consumption and its effects on our environment. In this sense, the nurse supervisor of the Germans Trias Pneumology Service explained her experience as a former smoker and hospital professional, After this intervention, it was explained how lung cancer screening works and the smoking cessation program for hospitalized patients.

The day concluded with the presentation of the winning projects of the challenge ‘We keep smoke away from health centres’, proposed by the Hospital at ’24h of innovation Barcelona’, an event organized by the Catalan Government that fostered creativity and innovation among higher grade students.

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