With millions of visits annually, 34,000 employees, a 15 block by 3 block main campus, and 30 other clinical locations, going smoke-free was no small task for the Cleveland Clinic.

But good communications and an unwavering commitment to health have helped make the policy a success.

The CEO of Cleveland Clinic, Toby Cosgrove, M.D., is a heart and lung surgeon who has performed thousands of operations. He's held the lung and heart tissue of smokers in his hands. And he's seen exactly what tobacco can do. With first-hand knowledge like that, making the decision to go smoke-free was a natural one. And on July 4, 2005, Cleveland Clinic implemented a system-wide smoke-free campus policy prohibiting smoking indoors and out.

"As the number one heart center in the country, we needed to take a leadership role in making the campus smokefree," says Michael P. O'Donnell, PhD, Director of Health and Wellness. "We have millions of people visiting each year from around the world and we have a very large main campus, nine other community hospital campuses, and 14 family practice centers. So there were some concerns about how we would communicate and enforce our policy. But it was something we needed to do to protect the health of all visitors and employees."

Communications was a key part of the efforts. Internally, the policy was announced seven months before it was implemented. Employees were informed about the Clinic's 'Smash the Ash' campaign through company newsletters, meetings, and the website, and a variety of cessation options were offered to help smokers quit.

To communicate with its worldwide clientele, the Clinic enlisted the help of its employees to spread the word. The Clinic also used creative ways to advertise its smoke-free status, including advertising in local newspapers, posting signage in malls and on park benches, partnering with the local Rapid Transit Authority to hang signs in area bus shelters, and posting signage around the campus.

"A year after implementing our policy, we've found that compliance is over 99 percent and compliance among visitors and patients is about 90 percent," says O'Donnell. "Overall, the new policy has been a positive and well-accepted change. People understand that we're promoting good health here, and smoking has no place in a healthy environment."

Learn more about campus-wide policies. Or click here to read how other employers are successfully addressing tobacco in the workplace.