What Are (EOC) Environment of Care Rounds?
Environment of care (EOC) rounding standards are often determined by leadership and are in alignment with Joint Commission regulations. Typically, EOC rounds are documented on paper and follow a checklist to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, staff, and visitors. These rounds can also assist with maintenance of the work environment, checking for stock or determining potential hazards in specific locations. Environment of care rounds play an integral part in daily operations and maintaining safety for the entire organization.
Compliance in the Workplace
When maintaining a standard of compliance for staff, there is substantial value placed on the tools needed to complete daily operations. According to Healthcare Life Safety Services , “A great way to ensure compliance is to conduct regular environment of care (EOC) rounds.” With ObservSMART’s patient care technology and compliance system, accountability is held to the highest standard as staff perform validated checks that are timestamped and documented. The ObservSMART system features both patient safety checks and environmental rounding working seamlessly together to ensure compliance and maintain the highest safety standards within the workplace.
Intentional Rounding
The new Environment of Care rounding feature has customizable time intervals and settings per unit, per facility. This feature can enhance the ObservSMART system or can be used as a standalone product. Reminders for upcoming environmental rounds appear on the bottom menu of the ObservSMART tablet. The rounding is proximity validated, using a QR code or beacon placed at a specific location. The unique code or secure beacon syncs with the rounding tablet, to validate and document that tasks were completed. Once proximity is established, a checklist will appear, additional comments can be added, and concerns can be sent to specific staff. There are alerts for missed rounding to ensures that staff are completing assigned tasks. Digital reporting gives you full transparency of timeliness and completion.
Survey Readiness
CMS or the Department of Health may show up at the hospital or facility at any time. It is important that organizations maintain compliance with CMS/Medicare requirements. ObservSMART’s Environment of Care Rounds provides survey readiness, converting a paper process with manual reminders to an efficient electronic system with reminders and alerts, documentation, validation and accessible reporting.
Creating an ongoing compliance process with ObservSMART EOC Rounds will help to ensure facilities are prepared for surveyors, improving safety for patients, staff, and visitors. Proactive rounding is key to promoting safety and ensuring a facility is meeting all requirements. Proactive rounding with ObservSMART EOC Rounds will quickly identify risk, areas for improvement, and strengthen communication across departments. EOC rounds completion and transparent status brings peace of mind to leadership.
EOC Rounding with ObservSMART
Replacing outdated documentation methods with technology for EOC rounds can solve inefficiencies found with paper and clipboard. Rounding on paper has proven to be outdated and risky, potentially creating a hazardous work environment for both patients and staff. Not only does ObservSMART validate compliance electronically, but the new EOC feature will ensure documented real time updates as rounds are completed. ObservSMART records all data electronically, with the ability for leadership to pull various reports at any time. Visit our website or schedule a demo to learn how ObservSMART can revolutionize your environment of care rounds and maximize patient and staff safety in your overall workflow