October is also known as "Stoptober," the month when smokers are challenged to not smoke and eventually quit. Since the Stoptober initiative began in 2014, more than 300,000 smokers have quit through the initiative (Stoptober).

Challenging patients to quit smoking is important. Smoking affects one's entire health, and the importance of quitting comes up in every department in the hospital. By quitting smoking, treatments work better, wounds heal faster and the patient's condition improves. In addition, the risk of, for example, (lung) cancer and cardiovascular disease decreases.

Enough reasons for health care providers to educate patients on the subject. Therefore, together with the Leeuwarden Medical Center (MCL) and members of the national 'smoke-free care' working group, we developed a Divi about quitting smoking that includes practical tips.

Smoke-free care

One of the members of this working group is MCL communications consultant and press officer Frits Mostert. For years he has been committed to smoke-free care. We talked to him about what prompted this and the development of the Divi Quit Smoking.

'In 2017, I became closely involved in the project to make MCL the first smoke-free hospital in the Netherlands. With success, because, since January 1, 2018, there has been no smoking in the buildings and on the entire MCL grounds. Not by employees, not by visitors, not by patients,' said Frits Mostert.

Against expectations, the project was not completed in early 2018. Mostert: 'There turned out to be a lot of interest from hospitals in the Netherlands and Belgium. A period of visiting hospitals, giving explanations and speaking at a symposium followed.' And that was not all: MCL was asked as a hospital to participate in the 'smoke-free care' working group, an initiative of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
Other members include the Trimbos Institute, the Dutch Mental Health Services, Addiction Netherlands, Dutch Association of Hospitals and Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers. Together they offer healthcare professionals and organizations tools in the form of a toolkit to realize a smoke-free work and treatment culture. More information: www.rookvrijezorg.com.

Developing the Divi

In 2020, the MCL and MSB VCL took the decision to develop a Divi on smoking cessation. After all, a Divi with useful tips and explanations about why quitting is important can be used widely. For example, the Divi is not only relevant for patients who have to stop smoking because of their illness or, for example, pregnancy, but also for patients who have to undergo surgery or treatment. These often go better and are more effective if the patient stops smoking. In almost all departments, patients benefit from this information.

From the MCL, it was soon clear that in addition to several doctors and nurses, Frits Mostert was the one to be involved in this project. He himself took it a step further. He decided to also involve the "smoke-free care" working group in the development of the Divi. The fact that so many different experts thought about it created a very solid foundation, according to Mostert.

Useful tips

Good and useful tips from professionals in this Divi help the patient in the process of quitting smoking. And that has a positive effect on overall health and every form of care.

Check out the Divi and want to use it yourself? Contact us directly