Jan. 14--Smokers at Medical Center Hospital will have until July 1 to extinguish their cigarettes.

That's when a ban on the use of all tobacco products on all hospital property takes effect thanks to a unanimous vote Tuesday by the Ector County Hospital District board. The ban applies to all patients, visitors, employees and physicians.

"Cigarette smoking has negative health implications," said Bill Webster, MCH chief executive officer. "As health-care providers, we're trying to promote healthy lifestyles."

The ban is part of a "tobacco free" partnership between MCH, Odessa Regional Medical Center and Midland Memorial Hospital, which are introducing similar restrictions. A news conference to announce the ban is scheduled at 3 p.m. today at the CEED building, Highway 191 and FM 1788.

While MCH will provide assistance to employees who wish to quit smoking, Webster said those who don't comply could face disciplinary action.

Webster said he could "count on one hand" the number of doctors working at MCH who smoke, but board member Ceretha Cartwright said past experience tells her it's important that the ban be enforced on physicians.

"Maybe there were only a few of them that smoked, but the ones that did were a problem," she said.

Board member Mary Thompson said she'd like to see a city ordinance passed to give the ban some backbone.

"If we're serious about doing this, I think we should follow through with this," she said.

During the finance committee meeting, the hospital's overall "soft" volume for November was discussed. Robert Abernethy, MCH chief financial officer, said the hospital had 977 admissions that month, compared to a budgeted amount of 1,128. In November 2007, the hospital had 1,095 admissions.

Webster attributed the drop to similar trends regionally and nationally, as well as a later and lighter flu season.

"It's just something that's cyclical," he said.

In other action, the board approved:

--Buying McKesson hardware, support fees and training for a clinical system for $522,570.

--Buying a mobile portal module that provides physicians and clinicians with data, for $250,000.

--Buying a McKesson Ansos staff scheduling system for $344,871.

--An agreement for the hospital district to deed its share of three properties to allow for expansion of the Ector County Cemetery.

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