April 23, 2024

The expectations and motivations of our workforce have changed in the past few years, and placing a focus on holistic wellbeing is essential for a thriving workforce. An organization that supports and encourages happy, satisfied and purpose-driven employees can move boldly together toward a successful future. So, tell us where and when you feel your best at Texas Children’s! Our goal is to build upon those moments to create a culture where we all grow and thrive together.

To make this goal a reality, we’ve built an innovative new framework and survey tool to understand your perspective: Your Voices Ignite Possibilities (or V.I.P.). V.I.P. is an opportunity to use your voice to share your thoughts on the best parts of our culture to help us continue adapting and evolving.

Later this morning, you will receive an email from Perceptyx (our survey partner) with a link to the V.I.P. survey. We are asking all Texas Children’s employees and leaders along with Baylor physicians, faculty and staff complete the survey by May 10, 2024.

We are committed to confidentiality for our employees and Baylor partners as you answer questions and share your experiences at Texas Children’s. You can feel comfortable openly sharing your perspective in a meaningful way. We will report data in aggregate groupings of five or more responses to leaders.

Please take the time to answer the questions openly and honestly so we can continue to support our workforce in the best way possible. Your happiness, satisfaction and sense of purpose at work matters! By focusing on where we thrive, we can walk boldly into the future together.

April 22, 2024

For Earth Day inspiration, look no further than Texas Children’s brand-new hospital in North Austin. With interior design inspired by Central Texas landscapes and ecology, vibrant outdoor spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light and so much more beneath the surface, North Austin Campus is a beacon of healthy and sustainable design.

Traditionally, hospital design has been focused on efficiency and safety – but with a growing emphasis on healthy spaces and sustainable materials, health care facilities are evolving from the inside out by creating unique and healing experiences that go far beyond the physical.

“The material industry has partly caused that shift,” said Senior Vice President of Facilities Planning & Development Jill Pearsall, who also had a hand in designing and building both West Campus and The Woodlands hospitals. “Manufacturers have either been forced to change what they put in their materials or have chosen to be more sustainable…and I think that’s a good thing.”

These trends have pushed Texas Children’s to adopt new products and methods that are better for the environment. “The paint, carpet, flooring manufacturers…they’ve changed their ways, and we’ve adapted too because it’s what’s available, and because it’s also the right thing to do,” added Pearsall.

North Austin Campus was required to get a two-star rating from the foundational Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) program, and ended up with a three-star rating. “We not only designed this facility to meet city requirements, but we also layered in an educational program designed to teach others what we’ve done to be sustainable and respectful of the environment, and hopefully teach kids that those things are possible.”

Other earth-friendly features of the hospital include:

  • Preservation of natural wetlands on the 24-acre site
  • Significant tree preservation, regional native and adaptive plants, a variety of shade and ornamental trees, including a 10” specimen Shumard Oak adjacent to main entrance
  • Outdoor paseo with a “peekaboo” garden wall for respite space and physical/sports therapy
  • Bike racks at building entrances and electric vehicle charging throughout garage
  • Pond used for site irrigation, replenished by condensate from cooling towers in central plant
  • Sustainably and locally sourced materials

Bringing North Austin to fruition wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless work and collaboration of our One Amazing Team across Austin and Houston, and our dedicated partners at Page and McCarthy. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the early stages of planning, virtual meetings only brought these teams closer together and more aligned to a core mission, according to Pearsall.

Click here to watch a special video from our design partner, Page, and view the gallery below to see photos of North Austin Campus.

It’s not a day – it’s a movement! Click here for Earth Day resources and activities, and click here to learn more about Texas Children’s commitment to reduce organizational emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050.

Today is Earth Day and to celebrate, the Green Team announces Texas Children’s commitment to reduce organizational emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050.

“This is a bold commitment Texas Children’s is making to our patients, team members and community,” said Dr. Daniel Mahoney, Green Team co-chair. “This is the right thing to do and aligns with our mission. We’re not only creating a healthier future for children and women, but a healthier planet too.”

Climate change is the biggest threat to public health in the 21st century. It is bringing more deadly extreme weather events, increasing non-communicable diseases, and is facilitating the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Twenty-eight percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the United States with the health care sector contributing 8.5% of the total.

The White House with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the Health Sector Climate Pledge last year inviting organizations to lower greenhouse gas emissions and build a more climate resilient infrastructure.

Texas Children’s initial focus areas to achieve net zero include:

  1. Direct Emissions
  2. Indirect Electricity Emissions
  3. Value Chain Emissions
  4. EV charging stations
  5. Renewable energy
  6. Anesthesia gases
  7. Shuttle conversion to electric
  8. Food waste composting
  9. Recycling

Our goal is to reach these landmarks with our sustainability efforts:

  • 196,020 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled
  • 28,089 garbage trucks of waste recycled instead of landfilled
  • 158 wind turbines running for a year
  • 21,536,530 incandescent lamps switch to LEDs
  • 24,596,241 trash bags of waste recycled instead of landfilled

These efforts will result in the following:

  • 9,395,748 tree seedlings grown for 10 years
  • 3,768 acres of U.S. forests preserved in one year
  • 677,626 acres of U.S. forests in one year
Earth Day event

To learn more, please join the Green Team on Monday, April 22 on The Auxiliary Bridge in the Medical Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to hear from our internal partners and vendors. You also can learn how to reduce your own carbon footprint at work and at home.

If you’re unable to attend, please visit the new Sustainability SharePoint site to learn more.

For more information on the Green Team or how to get involved, please contact committee co-chairs Dr. Daniel Mahoney or Gary Brown.

April 11, 2024

On Mark Wallace’s blog, he reflects on Texas Children’s incredible history and his personal commitment to telling our story and keeping our history alive for generations. Read more

April 8, 2024

On a beautiful Saturday in February, Texas Children’s Fetal Center brought current and former patients and their families together for a special occasion at the Houston Zoo. The Fetal Center Family Reunion has been a cherished experience for both families and staff alike since 2007, serving as a celebration of life and chance for attendees to reconnect, share progress and spend time together.

“It is incredibly fulfilling to see the children that our former fetal surgery patients have grown to become,” said clinical nurse coordinator Annie Southworth. “We see these children before they are even born, and being able to talk to them years later leaves us encouraged about our work continuing to make a difference for these families.

“The family reunion is an essential event celebrating our inspiring families and their outcomes,” added advanced quality specialist Angel Krueger. “It’s a small way we can give back to our patients and families for placing their trust in our care.”

Over 75 families, including 250+ people from nine different states and Mexico, registered for this year’s reunion event, the first one held since COVID-19. Many Texas Children’s team members, including physicians and surgeons from different departments, attended and volunteered to make the reunion a success. In addition to experiencing the zoo’s animals and exhibits, the event featured fun games and activities like face painting and cornhole.

“The care we received was top-notch” and nothing short of a miracle, said the mother of twins treated for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). “Texas Children’s really saved their lives, they wouldn’t be here had it not been for our care team.”

“I’m really happy to see kids like me,” said one former spina bifida repair patient at the event. His mother added that they still see the same Texas Children’s providers today, ten years later.

Click through the gallery below to see more photos from the family reunion.

Amazing week as the title sponsor of this celebrated PGA TOUR event. Read More

April 3, 2024

Assistant Director Christina Moreno had a front-row seat on the 18th hole to watch Stephan Jaeger secure his first PGA TOUR victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open! Christina was one of more than 230 volunteers from Texas Children’s at the event.

Working in hospitality, Christina shared her thoughts, “My experience was phenomenal. The atmosphere on the 18th was electric with all the cheering and gasps for near misses. I also had the opportunity to chat with and thank the military veterans as they came in to the venue, and that was very special. The tournament was an amazing way to showcase TCH on a national stage highlighting our values and mission. I would 100% volunteer again.”

Volunteers are an integral part of operating a successful PGA TOUR event. Our team members worked across all areas of the tournament from gallery ambassadors and standard-bearers to evacuation and merchandise teams.

We caught up with some of our other volunteers to get their thoughts on the week:

  • Dr. Dean Andropoulos, Anesthesiologist-in-Chief (Gallery Ambassador 15th hole) – “I am a big fan of golf and wanted to learn how the tournament is run while also representing Texas Children’s. The course was beautiful, and the Texas Children’s signage and branding on everything was wonderful, especially the TCH logo in white flowers on the 15th hole. The positive feeling about TCH, the increased exposure from the thousands of fans who attended, and the great TV coverage featuring the hospital and some of our patients, is really important for us. I most enjoyed interacting with the fans and other volunteers, and saying I worked at TCH. I was so proud to say that. I would absolutely do this again.”
  • Courtney Prewitt, Advanced Quality Specialist (Gallery Ambassador 4th hole) – “I went in not knowing what to expect and the experience was nothing short of AMAZING. I got a chance to meet TCH colleagues across the system that I may have never crossed paths with, and I’m already planning to do it again next year. Being the title sponsor for the TCHO brings global attention to the amazing work we do. This tournament brought an incredible opportunity for employees by allowing us up close and personal insight to a PGA golf tournament. Kudos to Texas Children’s Hospital!” #Texaschildrensproud
  • Emmanuel Atenco, Business Process Engineer (Transportation) – “Before this experience, I didn’t know a thing about golf except for Tiger Woods. After volunteering, I actually watched the rest of the tournament at my house. As part of the transportation team, one of our duties was to pick up PGA TOUR players from the airport. The highlight was picking up a player who hung with the volunteers for a bit before he left. He ended up second or third in the tournament, and when I went to the tournament as a spectator, he recognized me and said hello! I was very happy Texas Children’s offered the opportunity to volunteer. Seeing the Texas Children’s logo throughout the tournament was rewarding and impactful because of the help we provide to our patients and the community.”
  • Shon Bower, Manager, Multimedia Center (Shotlink Spotter 12th hole) – “As a golfer I like to give back to the sport I play and regularly volunteer at tournaments in Houston. I signed up as soon as registration opened! I love being on courses when they are in such perfect shape. Seeing Texas Children’s everywhere was definitely a highlight as well as watching all the families out there enjoying the great weather and of course, watching the pros. This is a new level of exposure on a national stage. To see our incredible patient stories in the media gives those outside of Texas a small glimpse into what is possible here. I’ll definitely be back next year.”

Through our partnership with The Astros Golf Foundation, Texas Children’s is the title sponsor of the Texas Children’s Houston Open through 2028 hosting some of the PGA TOUR’s most outstanding players.