Implementeren van een rookvrij ziekenhuisterrein: vanzelfsprekend, maar niet vanzelf

Smoke-free outdoor areas protect people against secondhand smoke exposure and can discourage (initiation of) smoking. Given the exemplary role of hospitals, it is self-evident for them to have smoke-free outdoor areas. However, the implementation and sustainability of smoke-free hospital grounds pose challenges. In 2019, Amsterdam UMC and Erasmus MC Rotterdam implemented a smoke-free hospital campus. The implementation was partially successful: there was a significant reduction in smoking around the hospitals. Key success factors included a well-prepared strategy to build consensus, an extensive communication strategy, a positive approach, effective enforcement, and providing support for smoking cessation. Here we discuss remaining challenges in terms of compliance.