June 22, 2017

The nation is possibly less than a week away from seeing the passage of a new health care bill – the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This is the bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last month to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also referred to as Obamacare. After weeks of review, the U.S. Senate unveiled its version of the health care bill on Thursday. It’s important for Texas Children’s employees to understand how the bill could potentially impact the patients in our care, as significant cuts to Medicaid are proposed.
“A lot of people may not realize that more than 50 percent of Texas Children’s Hospital patients rely on Medicaid,” said Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark Wallace. “This program is essential to Texas Children’s mission of providing care to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible. Children do not choose to be born into poverty, and they should not be penalized for their circumstances by having the government reduce their access to health care.”

Texas’ Medicaid program enrolls approximately 4.2 million people. Among those, more than 3 million – or about 75 percent – are children and pregnant women. They make up 75 percent of the covered population, yet they account for less than 25 percent of current Medicaid costs. This is because Medicaid gives children access to a medical home with a regular pediatrician, well-child exams and preventive services, which keeps them healthier and their health care costs lower.

“Put simply, the majority of Texas’ Medicaid population – low-income mothers and children – are not the reason program costs are high,” Wallace said. “Yet, they will suffer the most if legislation that fundamentally changes the Medicaid program goes forward.”

Texas Children’s Health Plan covers more than 430,000 children and pregnant women in Medicaid and CHIP. Based on the provisions outlined in the Senate’s version of the bill released today, millions of non-disabled children and pregnant women who rely on Medicaid could experience cuts to their health care. The Senate is pushing to vote on the bill before the July 4 congressional recess.

Texas Children’s is working to educate and influence lawmakers on the importance of Medicaid for our patient families and those across the country cared for at children’s hospitals.

“Since Medicaid is a state-federal partnership, we’re meeting with lawmakers in Austin and D.C. and encouraging them to protect the children and pregnant women who are most vulnerable to the proposed cuts to Medicaid,” said Texas Children’s Government Relations Director Rosie Valadez McStay.

“At the same time, we – Texas Children’s staff and employees – can do our part to advocate for our patients by reaching out to our elected representatives and ask them to protect health care. If we’re vocal and consistent in reaching out to those elected to represent us, we can help craft health care policy that could make a real difference for all children.”

We need you to speak up for our patients. Visit the Speak Now for Kids website to send a letter to Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn about why we must protect health care for children and pregnant women. Even if you already sent a letter in response to Mr. Wallace’s request last month, please do it again – every time you speak up, it makes an impact.

June 21, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, 2017: 4:13 p.m.

Tropical Storm Cindy to make landfall overnight

Texas Children’s leadership and the Department of Emergency Management are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Cindy in the Gulf of Mexico. The Greater Houston area is expecting a potential threat of gusty winds, but rainfall amounts will likely not exceed 1 inch to 2 inches.

At this time, we are continuing operations as normal throughout the Texas Children’s system in the Houston area. Leaders will continue to assess operations and staffing needs over the next 24 hours and will make adjustments accordingly.

As always during inclement weather, people need to be prepared to stay late or arrive early depending on weather conditions. We urge employees to exercise caution when navigating roadways and avoid flooded areas as you head home or make your way into work and when returning home. Please plan for additional travel time and be prepared to identify alternate routes in case roadways are flooded. Also, be sure to communicate with your leaders should your arrival to work be delayed due to the inclement weather conditions.

For more information, including the latest weather, traffic and road conditions, go to the Emergency Management Connect site and the National Weather Service website.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017: 4:34 p.m.

Texas Children’s leadership and the Department of Emergency Management are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Cindy in the Gulf of Mexico. The Greater Houston area is expecting a potential threat of gusty winds and heavy rainfall between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday.

If the storm continues to track east, the Houston area is expected to receive between 2 and 4 inches of rain on Thursday. If the storm moves west, the area could see between 3 and 5 inches of precipitation.

At this time, we are continuing operations as normal throughout the Texas Children’s system in the Houston area. Leaders will continue to assess operations and staffing needs over the next 24 to 48 hours and will make adjustments accordingly.

As always during inclement weather, people need to be prepared to stay late or arrive early depending on weather conditions. We urge employees to exercise caution when navigating roadways and avoid flooded areas as you head home or make your way into work and when returning home. Please plan for additional travel time and be prepared to identify alternate routes in case roadways are flooded. Also, be sure to communicate with your leaders should your arrival to work be delayed due to the inclement weather conditions.

For more information, including the latest weather, traffic and road conditions, go to the Emergency Management Connect site and the National Weather Service website.

June 20, 2017

Just before Father’s Day, 14-year-old Gage Lipscomb received a gift from his father like no other – a kidney.

On June 14, Dr. Richard Link, medical director of living donor kidney transplant at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, removed David Lipscomb’s left kidney and released it to the transplant team at Texas Children’s Hospital.

During a six-hour procedure, Dr. Christine O’Mahony, surgical director of kidney transplantation at Texas Children’s Hospital, transplanted Lipscomb’s kidney into Gage, the youngest boy of 10 siblings.

Gage was diagnosed with solitary kidney as a baby and was placed on medication following the removal of his right kidney at a young age. For many years, Gage experienced a seemingly typical childhood, excelling in academics and devoting his free time to playing soccer, baseball and basketball. But recently, his health started to decline.

“He was not yet on dialysis, but if he didn’t get a kidney transplant soon, he would have had to have gone on dialysis,” O’Mahony said.

So Gage’s dad stepped up and became his donor.

Early Wednesday morning while the teen was being prepped for surgery at Texas Children’s, his dad was in a nearby operating room at St. Luke’s having laparoscopic surgery – a minimally invasive operation – to remove his kidney.

“The two hospitals are attached,” said O’Mahony. “Dr. Link, the urologist who took out the kidney in David, started around 8 a.m. in the morning.”

The timing of the two events is important.

“We want to minimize the time between the kidney coming out of the donor and implanting it into the patient. I walked over to St. Luke’s to help take out David’s kidney with Dr. Link. The kidney still had blood in it so we had to flush the blood out,” O’Mahony said.

Then, she said, “We literally packed it up in a cooler so it stays cold and walked back to Texas Children’s and unpacked it” and “sewed” David’s kidney inside of Gage.

The father and son are doing well and spent a very special Father’s Day recovering and giving thanks for the opportunity to undergo this life-altering operation.

“I’m glad you are my dad,” Gage told his father during one of their hospital room visits. “Thanks.”

David said giving Gage his kidney was the least he could do and that knowing his son is going to be OK is the best Father’s Day gift he could ever have.

To read and watch news coverage of the living donor transplant, click any of the links below. For more information on Texas Children’s Transplant Services click here.

Just before Father’s Day, dad donates kidney to 1 of 10 children (CBSNews.com)
ABC World News Tonight Facebook post
Dad’s priceless gift to son (Houston Chronicle)
Father donates kidney, saves 14-year-old son’s life (CBS 11 KHOU)
Father donates kidney to 14-year-old son who had kidney removed (ABC 13 KTRK)

Summer camp came to the Cancer Center last week creating a nice surprise for patients and families arriving for an appointment, consultation or treatment.

“It makes it less stressful on the parents for sure,” said Andrea Carter as she watched her 6-year-old daughter stuff a plush sea turtle with soft cotton. “It makes the time go by much faster.”

Organized by Camp Periwinkle and sponsored by Northwestern Mutual, the two-day affair included Disney-themed decorations, various arts and crafts, face painting, games, music and more. The camp was held in the Cancer Center’s infusion and waiting room areas for easy access to all.

“From the second they get off the elevator we want them to hear and see the fun,” said Erin Locke, community programs director for Camp Periwinkle. “We want them to forget about why they are here and just have a good time.”

This is the sixth year Camp Periwinkle has been held at the Cancer Center and the first year for Northwestern Mutual to sponsor the event.

Northwestern Mutual employee Patrice Swanson volunteered at the camp and said it was a joy to participate in such a wonderful occasion.

“Any time you can come and help encourage families who are going through a difficult time is good,” she said.

To learn more about Camp Periwinkle click here. To learn more about Texas Children’s Cancer Center click here.

As part of our commitment to improve the elevator experience for our patients and their families, our employees have enthusiastically participated in the StairWELL Challenge this month. To date, 1,982 participants have signed up for the StairWELL Challenge, completing two to eight flights of stairs each day.

It’s not too late to sign-up for the challenge! Click here to register. Commit to the challenge as an individual and encourage your co-workers to participate with you!

Check out what your peers are doing throughout the organization by clicking on the links below:

Accounting and Payroll Team at the Meyer Building
Texas Children’s Health Plan Team

Remember to share your StairWELL photos and videos with the Well-Being team at wellbeing@texaschildrens.org.

For more information about the challenge, visit the Well-Being page on Connect.

As the Department of Surgery continues to expand in the community at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, ongoing training is needed to be able to offer high-level surgical procedures.

Otolaryngologists Dr. Deidre Larrier and Dr. Mary Frances Musso have been leading that charge when it comes to training operating room staff in the removal of aerodigestive foreign bodies – obstructions in the esophagus and/or trachea.

Such obstructions can be emergent, and require rapid response using specialized equipment. During a four-year period between 2011 and 2015, there were 556 obstruction cases, 64 of which occurred at West Campus.

“The instruments used in obstruction procedures are very specific and are not used in general surgical procedures,” Larrier said. “Thus the need for supplemental training for our OR support staff.”

Led by Larrier, the training is for OR nurses and scrub technicians. The half-day course includes a lecture, hands-on skills lab, and in-situ simulation.

Musso is taking the Texas Children’s Hospital simulation instructor course this summer, which will allow her to enhance her mentoring skills during these sessions. Larrier is already an instructor and was instrumental in helping establish simulation education at the hospital. She leads the otolaryngology simulation sessions for not only OR staff but also residents, fellows, and mid-level providers. She recently led a training for Advanced Practice Providers on tonsillectomy surgery and the complications that can occur following such procedures.

“Dr. Larrier’s training of OR staff in the removal of aerodigestive foreign bodies and esophageal obstructions was very well received here in the Woodlands,” said Dr. Charles Hughes, a member of the otolaryngology team in The Woodlands. “Both Ramon Enad and Tom Cunningham, our OR staff leads, felt it was extremely beneficial for staff, in that these procedures are high risk and infrequent.”

Musso said, West Campus staff is very appreciative of the training and that it has helped improve their skills using this specialized equipment and treating these patients. “We plan to repeat this training session annually at West Campus to maintain the staff’s skill level.”

Larrier said she will gladly continue such training, something she views as a testament to how much the surgical capability at West Campus and in The Woodlands has grown.

Amee Moreno, a pediatric nurse practitioner in Neurosurgery, was recently selected for leadership in the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP).

NAPNAP is the largest professional association for PNPs and pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with more than 8,500 members. Their focus is centered around improving the quality of health care for infants, children and adolescents, and to advancing the APRN’s role in providing that care. Recently, NAPNAP held elections for their leadership positions and Moreno was selected to serve as president elect.

“We are so very proud of our own Amee Moreno for her tremendous accomplishments, her commitment to excellence, and for her major contributions to our Neurosurgery family,” said Texas Children’s Chief of Neurosurgery Dr. Howard Weiner.