YKHC maintains its Joint Commission hospital accreditation by ensuring all departments stay in compliance with its Environment of Care (EOC). The Environment of Care is made up of three basic elements:

• Buildings or space, including how it is arranged and special features that protect patients, staff and visitors alike
• Equipment used to support patient care or to safely operate the space/building
• People who work within the hospital, patients and anyone who enters the environment, all of whom have a role in minimizing risks

Every hospital faces risks in its environment, including those associated with safety and security, fire, hazardous materials and waste, medical equipment, and utility systems.

The EOC Tours are staff knowledge and inspection surveys. In the mock survey last year, the following is a list of findings that our organization needs to work on:

• Area under sinks is not storage – ensure no sinks are being used to store various products
• Keep stair well clear – do not store bikes, boxes, or other items in stair wells
• Keep doors closed – do not prop doors open with furniture or other items
• Knowledge of R.A.C.E. – during a Code Red, employees must Rescue, Activate fire alarm, Contain the fire, Extinguish/Evacuate (this information can be found with your ID badge