September 30, 2019

To be ranked among the best children’s hospital services in the nation by U.S. News and World Report is a big deal. But when you talk to leaders within the Diabetes & Endocrinology service you get the sense that high performance is simply who they are.

“We are extremely proud of the recognition because it speaks to how hard we work,” said Curtis Yee, practice administrator of the Diabetes and Endocrinology section. “But we also recognize that we still have a lot of work left to do for our patients and families.”

This year the service ranked at No. 8.

What makes a high performing team?
Ryan Breaux, U.S. News and World Report service team lead, said the heart and soul of the program’s success is the quality infrastructure of the Diabetes Care Process Team which is comprised of approximately 150 people.

“A strong team is motivated to improve outcomes for our patients. That’s the core of our work every single day and it shines through,” Breaux said. “I also give a lot of credit to Dr. Rona Sonabend who has been instrumental in building the culture of this service.”

The Diabetes care process team includes providers, nurses, diabetes educators, dietitians, social workers, data technicians, and psychologists.

U.S. News recognized several big wins for patients and families:

  • An increase in percentage of patients with Diabetes who have LDL cholesterol less than 130, which is tied directly to the physical health of patients within the service.
  • A significant increase in patient encounters with a nutritionist, certified dietitian educator, social worker, and/or a psychologist for patients with Diabetes – a marker that captures how much emphasis is placed on the overall health and well-being of patients with diabetes
  • Increased dialated retinal or non-mydriatic camera examinations in the diabetes clinics to ensure that the eye health of patients with diabetes is regularly monitored.
  • Closed out all structural related metrics in an effort to guarantee that the service has the structural and procedural framework to keep performing at the highest level possible.

In 1996, Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline made a trip to Romania that changed his life and subsequently the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and women across the globe.

While there on a fact-finding mission after the Eastern European country’s inhumane treatment of orphans came to the world’s attention, Kline saw children ravaged by HIV/AIDS because they didn’t have access to the life-saving medication that was readily available in the United States.

The images haunted Kline, who on his flight back to Houston roughly outlined how Baylor could intervene to help children neglected by the global public health community. Twenty years later, Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) at Texas Children’s Hospital is one of the largest global maternal and child health programs in the world.

Providing care and treatment to nearly 300,000 children, BIPAI has established public-private partnerships in 10 countries across sub-Saharan Africa as well as Latin America and Romania. These partnerships now extend beyond the scope of HIV/AIDS and tackle other conditions in the developing world such as cancer, tuberculosis, malaria, sickle cell and malnutrition.

“BIPAI and its partnership with Texas Children’s has touched so many lives, and we owe it all to Dr. Kline’s vision and leadership,” said Texas Children’s President and Chief Operating Officer Mark A. Wallace. “If it weren’t for him, BIPAI wouldn’t exist.”

BIPAI’s 20 years of success were celebrated September 29 at the fund-raising event “Through the Lens.” Presented by Chevron, the event honored Kline and featured the work of Smiley Pool, a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who has captured BIPAI’s life-changing work for the past two decades.

The almost 300 people who attended the event at The Revaire experienced a visual journey through Poole’s photographs from the diverse regions where BIPAI is bringing health and healing to those in need of care. Most of the photos had never been seen before and told a story of challenge, hope, triumph and connection.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to document the journey of BIPAI and Texas Children’s across the globe,” Pool said. “I hope the stories of the people I have photographed will continue to inspire others to move this effort forward.”

In addition to Pool’s photographs, the event featured a World Market sponsored by AbbVie. The market was filled with goods made by the BIPAI Teen Club and were available for purchase. The event’s globally-inspired cuisine included passed hors d’oeuvres, along with six food stations where empanadas were served to honor Argentina, Romanian garlic sausage was enjoyed, and guests were treated to three variations of ceviche as a tribute to the culture of Columbia.

“Chevron is proud to be part of a partnership that has saved so many lives,” said Clay Neff, president of Chevron’s Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production. “We are extremely appreciative of Dr. Kline’s leadership and look forward to continuing to work side-by-side.”

When Kline took the stage, he humbly thanked several people in the room and appreciated gratefulness for being given the opportunity to help children and women in such need.

“This work is incredibly gratifying,” he said. “I’ve done it for the past 20 years because it’s my passion. I’m truly doing what I love.”

For more information about BIPAI, visit bipai.org. To read more about Texas Children’s Global Health Program, click here. To support these efforts across the global, click here. “Through The Lens” raised more than $400,000 toward BIPAI’s mission.

Social media is a great way to share glimpses of your life with family and friends. Engaging on social media is increasingly becoming part of our daily routines, so it’s more important than ever that everyone at Texas Children’s understands their responsibilities around social media use.

With that in mind, the Marketing/PR and Human Resources departments developed a short video about the appropriate use of social media. You can watch the video below and keep it front of mind whenever you use any social media platform.

Ultimately, every single person at Texas Children’s is responsible for how they use social media. Be sure you make informed, thoughtful decisions about what you choose to post online.

If you discover any unethical, illegal or questionable content on social media relating to Texas Children’s, please notify your immediate supervisor or call our confidential Compliance hotline at 1-866-478-9070.

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.