The long-term benefits are that the patients will get better faster. St. Francis, St. Luke's, Community General and Cornwall hospitals all have programs similar to the one Kingston just revised. Benedictine is also considering new rules. Ambulatory patients are allowed to go out to smoke with a nurse escort, but those confined to beds are given a nicotine patch. We've had this policy since 1995.
Security continually herds cigarette-sneaking patients back into the building.
Horton Medical Center in Middletown faces similar problems. At Kingston, one final irony remains. The only people in the hospital who by state law must have a room to themselves for smoking are detoxing addicts.