September 30, 2019

On his blog, Mark Wallace encourages everyone to take the lead and get their flu vaccine sooner rather than later to protect themselves and the patients they serve. Read more

 

No matter where you are, you can make a difference when you go the distance for Texas Children’s Hospital! Join the Texas Children’s Hospital Heroes Team or create your own Torch Relay team to help heal sick children on Friday, October 18 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel in The Woodlands.

The relay consists of a 3-mile walk around The Woodlands Waterway, followed by an after party with food, a band, games, face painting and a caricature artist. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Miracle Network program at Texas Children’s Hospital.

As a Torch Relay participant, you can choose to join the Texas Children’s team, create your team or be an individual walker. Participants who raise $45 or more will receive a 2019 Torch Relay shirt and a medal as a thank you for participating. Participants who raise $5,000 or more will be invited to join the Torchbearer Club and attend the Torchbearer Weekend, which annually honors the top fundraisers.

For additional information, visit Torch-Relay.org or email Camille Landry at lclandry@texaschildrens.org.

October has been designated as National Cyber Security Awareness Month by the National Cyber Security Alliance. Each year, the campaign encourages safe online behavior by educating users on the importance of cyber security and how to be cyber safe.

Texas Children’s activities

We are excited to kick off Security Awareness Month. Your Information Security team at Texas Children’s will share valuable information and resources throughout the month to educate, enable and empower employees to be more cyber aware and secure. Watch for weekly newsletters from Information Security throughout the month. Together, we can be good online citizens and stewards of protected information.

Texas Children’s events

Information Security will have a series of onsite events to increase awareness and share information. Please see locations, dates and times below:

  • Tuesday, October 8: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Main Campus (The Auxiliary Bridge)
  • Tuesday, October 15: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Woodlands Campus (Donor Wall)
  • Tuesday, October 22: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., West Campus (first-floor main entrance)
  • Thursday, October 24: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Texas Children’s Health Plan (WLS_ninth-floor conference room_NE924)
  • Friday, October 25: TBD, Cyber Security Escape Room [Feigin Tower_FC 6 IS (C.0650.46)]

 

September 26, 2019

The Sickle Cell Program at Texas Children’s Hematology Center is the largest in Texas, serving more than 1,000 children a year. The clinic offers the latest treatments for the inherited red blood cell disorder and conducts some of the top research in the field.

The program’s multidisciplinary staff is made up of board-certified pediatric hematologists, hematology-trained nurse practitioners and physician assistants, research staff, as well as social worker and child life specialists. A couple of providers suffer from sickle cell themselves, giving them a unique perspective in caring for their patients.

Texas Children’s Sickle Cell Program Hematologist Dr. Titilope Fasipe and Nurse Practitioner Precious Uwaezuoke both have sickle cell disease. In honor of National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month, we talked to them about why they chose to dedicate their profession to caring for children with sickle cell disease and whether living with the disease has allowed them to better connect with patients and their family members.

How has sickle cell affected your life?

Uwaezuoke: My journey with sickle cell has been a tough one. I was in and out of the hospital multiple times when I was younger and there were occasions when I would get depressed. Thanks to family and staff here at Texas Children’s Sickle Cell Program, I was encouraged to stay the course. Sickle cell flares still occur, but I’m able to manage my disease by living a healthy lifestyle and hydroxyurea therapy.

Fasipe: I too suffered from bouts of depression during my early years of battling sickle cell disease. One of my lowest points was when my cousin died from the disease at just 17 years old. Childhood deaths related to sickle cell are not uncommon in Nigeria, which is where I’m from and where screenings and treatments are limited. Because of this, I try not to take life for granted and believe in treasuring all moments, big and small. Like Precious, hydroxyurea has also made a positive difference in my life.

Why did you decide to get into the medical field and help people like yourself?

Uwaezuoke: The treatment I received and the people I met at Texas Children’s inspired me to go into the medical field and help people like myself. I will never forget a nurse who told me to not let sickle cell take over my life; that I could and would be able to do more than just deal with my disease. The connection she made with me during that hard stay in the hospital is part of what made me pursue what is now my passion.

Fasipe: My cousin’s death and my parents’ encouragement motivated me to make a difference in the world and to do work that would help prevent any more deaths like hers. I chose pediatric hematology because I wanted to reach sickle cell patients and their families before they defined how their lives are going to be; and teach them that life can still be beautiful with this disease.

How has having sickle cell helped you connect with patients and families?

Uwaezuoke: A lot of people are devastated when they find out their child has sickle cell disease. Some think it’s a death sentence. The minute I tell them I have the disease and have managed to live a productive, well-balanced life, they break down in tears. They are overjoyed to meet someone older who is living with and managing their disease.

Fasipe: I think many of the families think I can read their minds! For the parents, I acknowledge the guilt and worry they have; and for the children, I acknowledge their pain and fears. After discussing the challenges, we then talk about how we can work together to best manage their disease. The bravery I have seen in our patients has inspired me to become a community sickle cell advocate. I have participated in several Houston sickle cell programs, and served on the first Sickle Cell Advisory Committee of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Precious and I also help coordinate the Texas Children’s Hematology Center’s annual Sickle Cell Education and Research Day, which was recently held at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

How much progress is being made in finding better treatments cures, for sickle cell disease?

Uwaezuoke: I’m very optimistic. Funding for sickle cell research continues to grow as well as the number of people trying to find better ways to help people with the disease. People who have sickle cell are living longer, especially here in the United States where newborns are screened. All of these things are a step in the right direction.

Fasipe: We are learning more about this disease every day. There are currently several disease-modifying treatments in various stages of the research pipeline; some with successful clinical trials. Gene therapy trials have also shown promise to be a more universal cure than bone marrow transplant, which is only available to a few patients. I am encouraged by how far things have come since I was a child. And, I believe things will only get better.

To learn more about The Sickle Cell Program at Texas Children’s Hematology Center, click here.

September 25, 2019

Recently, several executives, physician leaders, and Revenue Cycle team members gathered at the John P. McGovern Campus to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Texas Children’s Physician Service Organization (TCPSO). The TCPSO manages payor contracting and revenue cycle functions of our physician group.

“The TCPSO is the core body that represents our physicians, and having that within Texas Children’s allows us as hospital leaders to partner with our physician leaders,” said Executive Vice President Dan DiPrisco, who served as one of the first directors of the TCPSO until 2014.

For the past 60 years, Texas Children’s Hospital has had an affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine, serving as the primary pediatric training site for Baylor’s physicians. Prior to 2009, Texas Children’s funded the physician group, while Baylor provided the governance, including billing and contracting.

As Texas Children’s began to expand rapidly, developing strategies for sustainable long-term growth was critical. Subsequently, Texas Children’s and Baylor developed an operating agreement to create an employment structure for physicians and allow contracting and revenue cycle operations to function under the Texas Children’s umbrella.

“When it comes to learning all the ins and outs of how to sustain the TCPSO structurally as an organization, it was important to define roles and create a productive team of leaders, which we will continue to refine and expand over the years,” DiPrisco said.

On July 1, 2009, 145 Baylor employees in the revenue cycle and contracting area transitioned from Baylor to employment at Texas Children’s, forming the TCPSO. Ten years later, 54 were present for the festive anniversary celebration, which included cake and a commemorative pin for the “original” TCPSO staff.

“There was a strategic vision 10 years ago, and it’s hard to imagine the growth of Texas Children’s without the TCPSO,” said Pathologist-in-Chief Dr. Jim Versalovic. “As we look ahead to the next 10 years, we know that we have learned many lessons, and we have certainly demonstrated that the TCPSO can be a very effective platform for the growth, management, and connecting the clinical practice with the business.”

Versalovic was among the first physician leaders to transition to Texas Children’s when the TCPSO was formed, and he served as a TCPSO board member. He has been a part of the organization’s evolution over the past 10 years, and emphasized that the TCPSO has established itself as a core entity of Texas Children’s and, through strategic planning, has significantly advanced during that time.

In the TCPSO’s first decade, its growth has mirrored that of the hospital. Within the first year, professional billing was managed for 655 physicians, comprising 32 pediatric and adult specialties. Within 10 years, the number of physicians has grown to more than 1,800 billable providers and 45 specialties. Net patient revenue had grown 151 percent to $282 million annually in 2019. And August 2019 alone was the organization’s highest cash collections month ever, at just over $26 million.

As Texas Children’s expands into further markets and continues to provide high quality care to patients and their families around the globe, the TCPSO will be right there as well, providing the revenue cycle support and collections.

“The level of collaboration between the TCPSO and the Baylor physicians on payor contracting and revenue cycle functions has never been stronger,” said Richelle Fleischer, President of the TCPSO and Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle. “Everyone is excited about what we will accomplish together over the next 10 years!”

September 24, 2019

There’s always a LOT going on at Texas Children’s Hospital.
And because life moves fast and schedules are full, it can be hard to keep track.
Plus, with a million different things competing for our attention, when we need or want information, a lot of the time we want it quickly.

That’s why Texas Children’s Corporate Communications team has put together “Got A Minute?” – a new video series that (quickly) highlights some of the important initiatives, programs and individuals that make Texas Children’s tick.

Each new episode will focus on one of three main topics:

  • Texas Children’s annual organizational goals
  • Our culture of leadership
  • Special recognitions for staff and employees.

Episode 1 spotlights a new special feature story from Corporate Communications called Unsung Heroes, which recognizes outstanding employees from across the Texas Children’s’ system whose important roles are not widely known throughout the organization.

You can learn more about these Unsung Heroes on Connect and on our employee Instagram, @oneamazingteam, throughout the week.

After undergoing a tracheostomy, Brenda Gregg shares how her journey strengthened her determination to reach her goals, and how this experience has impacted the way she cares for patients with similar health challenges. Read more