With the activation of YKHC’s Incident Command System for our COVID-19 response, we will be providing regular updates from the Emergency Operations Center.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Supplies

Like many other hospitals across the country, YKHC’s supply of PPE is extremely limited. Because of this, PPE, especially masks, should only be used by individuals who need them and are required to wear them.

• Essential employees who are sick and telecommute eligible should review the telecommute policy, get the necessary forms signed and work from home while sick.
• Essential employees who are not telecommute eligible and have a cough or other mild symptoms should wear a surgical mask while working. Any employee who has a fever should not be working.
• Non-essential employees who have mild symptoms and telecommute eligible should review the telecommute policy, get the necessary forms signed and work from home while sick.
• Non-essential employees who have any sort of symptoms and are not telecommute eligible should not work until no longer sick.

Any employee who is sick and leaving work should speak to their manager and Employee Health at ext. 6321. Employees should speak to their managers about essential/non-essential status and telecommute eligibility.

Central N95 Mask Distribution

Due to extremely limited supplies of N95 masks, all N95 masks in Bethel will be distributed from a central location in the hospital. The distribution center will be staffed by clinical personnel and all requests for N95s will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Later today, staff from the logistics branch of our Incident Command System will be collecting all N95 masks from YKHC facilities in Bethel for central distribution.

Information about central distribution N95s when needed will be communicated on Monday.

Medicaid Travel Update Booth

Effective today, March 20, the Medicaid travel update booth in Bethel will only be located in the new clinic in booths 5 and 6. All updates will be processed over the phone; patients needing a travel update should call 543-6486.

If vouchers are needed for those located in Bethel, patients will be called when they are ready to be picked up and bring them out to the lobby.