May 3, 2017

On May 1, 2017, surveyors from The Joint Commission arrived at Texas Children’s Hospital to conduct an unannounced 5-day survey to ensure that we are meeting the expectations of delivering the safest, high quality care to our patients and their families.

Every three years, Texas Children’s undergoes an accreditation process by the Joint Commission survey team to access the organization’s compliance in patient care areas that contribute to positive outcomes, and to measure and improve performance.

This week, surveyors will visit Texas Children’s Medical Center Campus, Pavilion for Women, West Campus, The Woodlands, ambulatory clinics, dialysis, and health centers to evaluate our patient care processes through a variety of measurement tools including on-site observations, staff interviews, and tracer methodology. Just this year, the Joint Commission implemented a new survey methodology called Survey Analysis for Evaluating Risk (SAFER), a matrix that uses a color-coded grid to evaluate the likelihood of harm to patients, staff and visitors based on the number of occurrences.

“Our first day of the survey went very well, with surveyors citing positive feedback in several of our patient care and safety protocols,” said Texas Children’s Quality and Safety Director Elaine Whaley. “Since these accreditation surveys are unannounced, preparing for the Joint Commission survey has been a crucial, on-going and continuous process for our employees and staff.”

Next week, Connect will have an article with an overview of this week’s survey.

The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 20,500 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Approximately 77 percent of the nation’s hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission.

From NASA astronauts to Star Wars characters to the rings of Saturn, Texas Children’s employees and patients experienced a trip to outer space during Patient Experience Week that kicked off on April 24.

This year’s theme, Texas Children’s Patient Experience is Out of this World, describes what our 12,000+ employees and staff do every day to ensure our patient families have the best experience possible.

“We thought the space theme for Patient Experience Week was appropriate because our employees and staff are constantly shooting for the stars to create a positive experience for our patients and their families,” said Patient and Family Services Senior Project Manager Maggie Weimer.

Hundreds of people attended patient and family experience events at Main Campus and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The events offered up a lot of information and a lot of fun.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • Employee Health and Employee Assistance Program delivered two lectures on how to stay energized and how to bring love and kindness to your lives.
  • NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindren talked about the commonalities between NASA’s preparation for space flight and how hospitals prepare for patient care.
  • Southwest Airlines Ambassador of FUN Tony Brigmon shared how staying positive, having fun, preventing conflict and working better together can create positive results for an organization. He provided a link to a journal to integrate his tips into our daily routines.
  • Space-themed activities for the patients included creating a space galaxy, moon rock throws, Saturn ring tosses, decorating a spaceship, and getting photos taken with their favorite Star Wars characters.

A Caught You Caring Awards ceremony was held to recognize our 2017 recipients:

  • Grace Collins, PCA, West Campus
  • Joyce Enochs, surgery scheduling optimizer, Medical Center
  • Heather Eppelheimer, child life specialist, Pavilion for Women
  • Roderic Johnson, radiology technician, Kingwood Specialty Care
  • Amanda Riddle, staff nurse, Medical Center
  • Sandy Rodriguez, front office specialist, Pavilion for Women
  • Keith Thomas, ASR, Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics
  • Kevin Young, patient transporter, Medical Center

Overall, the Patient Experience events were a success at reminding employees, patients and families that care at Texas Children’s goes beyond the bedside. It has to do with how we treat our patients and their families from the moment they call to schedule an appointment with us to the point they leave our care.

For the second year in a row we are bring spring directly to our patients through our May Flowers fundraising drive.

Here’s the plan: We’re going to hang spring flowers, personalized by our donors, on the doors of our patients’ rooms to brighten their days. Donors that give to Texas Children’s as part of the campaign can personalize one of those flowers with their name and location.

It’s a great way for our community to show our patients they are thinking of them and at the same time help Texas Children’s continue to provide the very best care.

Here are two things that you can do to help today:

Let your friends and family know they can join you and help bring some spring fun to our patients.

  • Send a flower by making a donation.

Send a flower to one of our patients, and we’ll decorate their door with a personalized flower from you. texaschildrens.org/flowers.

These flowers won’t just help bring some spring cheer inside our walls. More important, they will help us ensure that children in need of advanced critical, surgical and emergency care can always find it here when they need it most.

We are well on our way to being able to decorate all our patients’ doors with colorful spring flowers that show them just how much people care. Soon our hallways will be in full bloom.

The last day of the campaign is Friday, May 12. Flowers will be hung in late May and stay up through the spring season.

To personalize one with your name, give today: texaschildrens.org/flowers.

April 26, 2017

On April 19, Texas Children’s Green Team hosted the hospital’s annual Earth Day celebration which expanded to three locations this year for employees and staff to join in on the fun.

Besides The Auxiliary Bridge event at Texas Children’s Medical Center Campus, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus and Texas Children’s Health Plan hosted exciting Earth Day events.

Vendors provided eco-friendly, cost-saving tips including how to become more energy efficient, tips on eating green, and ways to reduce waste and recycle more to promote a cleaner, healthier planet. Earl the Bear greeted guests at West Campus and Captain Clean Up entertained the crowd at Main Campus.

Informative handouts and goodies were distributed to attendees including Earth Day stickers, seeded confetti packets and customized Green Team water bottles made of 100 percent recyclable materials. At Main and West campuses, employees safely disposed of their expired and unused medications as part of Pharmacy’s Medication Disposal and Medication Take Back Program.

The Earth Day celebration also included two tree plantings at West Campus and Texas Children’s The Woodlands Hospital thanks to the generous donations from Trees for Houston.

As the Green Team prepares for next year’s Earth Day celebrations, feel free to drop them a line. If you have any green ideas, suggestions for next year or want to join the team, email teamgreen@texaschildrens.org.

Jennifer Abernathy, February 2017 Employee

Jennifer Abernathy of Endocrine and Diabetes clinic, is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star employee. “A super star is someone who is able to bring a smile to BOTH patients and co-workers.” Read more of her interview below and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Your name, title, and department. How long have you worked here?
Jennifer Abernathy, Clinical Program Coordinator, Endocrine & Diabetes clinic. I have worked here for almost two years.

What month are you Super Star for?
February 2017

Tell us how you found out you won the super star award?
One of the providers asked me to assist her with a meeting. When I walked in, I saw everyone was already seated in the room with a big smile on their faces!

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
I was so honored to be recognized by my department. I got a little teary-eyed during the speeches! My practice administrator, manager, and several of the physicians have approached me throughout the months to offer support and advice on achieving my goals. For example, because of their support, I was able to create a poster for presentation at last year’s national pediatric endocrine nursing society conference. In addition, they encouraged me to go back to school for my master’s degree in nursing administration. I will begin later this year!

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
Patients need to feel that we are listening and genuinely want to help them. Co-workers need to feel that we really treasure them and share a team spirit. I think a super star is someone who is able to bring a smile to BOTH patients and co-workers.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
I see the struggles of families trying to manage difficult health issues. Every interaction, whether it is a clinic visit, a visit at the bedside, or a phone call is my chance to let the family know that I am here to support them. So many parents are appreciative about being able to share their burden, even for a little while.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
The endocrine and diabetes department has so many great people with big hearts and they are truly passionate about their patients! My department is the absolute best, hands down!

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
My definition of a leader who someone who inspires others to follow his or her example. Everyone at Texas Children’s is a leader because we all can inspire others in so many different ways – to be more kind to co-workers, to be more smart with our resources, to be a better patient advocate, to be mindful of our health, etc. The ways to inspire others is endless!

April 25, 2017

On April 20, Texas Children’s leaders and staff joined community members in the Third Ward to celebrate the relocation and renaming of two Texas Children’s entities that have the unified goal of building a community of healthy children and are dedicated to providing the highest quality pediatric care to the children and families they serve.

The two celebrated entities are: Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center, formerly the Residents’ Primary Care Group located in the Texas Medical Center, and Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center, formerly known as Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cullen.

Both practices are now located in the heart of the Third Ward at 5400 Griggs Road.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to better and more conveniently meet the needs of underserved children and their families in the Third Ward,” said Texas Children’s Pediatrics President Kay Tittle.

Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center is a community-based collaborative health and wellness project that provides an accessible medical home to children and families. Its staff of four health care providers offers ongoing community and organizational support for family-focused health services that address the broad social, health, educational and spiritual needs of children.

As part of its goal to build a community of healthy children, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Community Cares Program provides trusted, high-quality pediatric medical services for children who otherwise would seek care from emergency rooms or possibly go without care or treatment due to low family incomes and/or lack of health insurance. Regardless of the family’s financial situation, the Community Cares Program provides health care to children from birth to age 18 and offers the opportunity to develop a trusting, long-term relationship with a board certified pediatrician.

When the doors to Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center first opened in 2000 at its original location, it was the first Texas Children’s Pediatrics Community Cares practice and was the vision of Dr. Robert Austin.

“Dr. Austin is the founder of and was the first pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cullen and believes, as we do, that we have an obligation to take care of any child who needs us and help ensure their future is healthy,” Tittle said. “Thank you, Dr. Austin, for your vision and for your continued dedication to this program.”

Resident’s Primary Care Group Clinic

The Texas Children’s Hospital Resident’s Primary Care Group Clinic recently moved from the Clinical Care Tower to the Palm Center at 5400 Griggs Road, Suite 101. The clinic also was renamed to Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center.

Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center provides comprehensive routine and preventive health care including well child check-ups, sick visits, sports physicals, immunizations and management of chronic pediatric medical conditions.

The medical staff at the clinic remains the same and will continue to be actively engaged in medical education. Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center will serve as the largest Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine practice that provides primary care experience for pediatric medical students and residents.

“Moving this clinical practice to the Palm Center neighborhood in Houston’s Third Ward offers a great opportunity to serve the community while modeling best practice to the next generation of pediatricians,” said Clinic Chief Dr. Teresa Duryea. “We are excited to build collaborations within the community and advocate for the needs of the children.”

The clinic’s new location offers free parking and is conveniently located at the Palm Center Station on the MetroRail’s Purple Line. Please call 346-227-7275 to facilitate transfers. Referrals can be made in Epic to Primary Care Practice (TCH Resident Continuity Clinic). Appointments can be made through Central Scheduling at 832-822-2778.

For more information on Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center click here. For more information about Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center click here.

March 7, 2017

Hundreds of children recently gathered with hospital staff on The Auxiliary Bridge of Texas Children’s Hospital and outside the main entrance of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus to participate in one of the medical system’s most popular events – the annual teddy bear clinic.

During the clinic, children are given the opportunity to act out the roles of various health care staff such as doctors, nurses, therapists and technicians. Children pretend to perform a variety of tests, exams and therapies to diagnosis their Teddy bear’s symptoms and heal its body.

Hosted by Child Life to celebrate national Child Life Week, the event celebrates our patients and families and how the intimate world of play is used to encourage children’s learning and support children’s coping.