January 24, 2024

Throughout the country, there is a high level of COVID-19 transmission, and U.S. wastewater surveillance data has shown that COVID-19 cases have continued to climb. What we’re seeing at Texas Children’s mirrors this trend as our test positivity exceeded 10% through the past week. We have remained at or near double-digit COVID-19 test positivity since mid-December with no evidence of a decline yet this winter.

“Based on what we’re seeing in our clinical data, we strongly advise our team members receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine,” said Texas Children’s Pathologist-In-Chief Dr. James Versalovic. “We have worked so hard to protect ourselves, coworkers, patients, members and their families. We need to continue to do what we can to help limit the spread of these highly transmissible COVID-19 variants and help everyone stay healthy.”

The updated vaccine (similar to yearly influenza vaccines) provides more current and more complete protection. Specifically, it includes the more recent Omicron XBB variant, which is significant as the circulating variants continue to be Omicron.

Schedule your free COVID-19 vaccine

All team members (including BCM faculty and staff) can click here to schedule a free vaccine appointment through Employee Health at Medical Center, West and Woodlands campuses and Austin Mopac.

If you prefer to receive the vaccine at an outside provider, most medical plans cover COVID-19 vaccines at 100% under preventive care at an in-network provider. Out-of-network coverage depends on the plan in regards to cost share. Employees can visit www.myCigna.com or use the myCigna app for more information.

Additional resources

Remember, please stay home if you feel sick and get tested if you have respiratory symptoms compatible with COVID-19. Antiviral treatments are effective if administered early enough for COVID-19. Early diagnosis and treatment also reduce spread of viruses in the workplace. Click here to review the COVID-19 Return to Work process.

Access the Employee Health Virtual Assistant from any device, any time, on or off the Texas Children’s network for COVID-19 related guidance and support.

If you have any questions, please contact the Employee Health Nurse Support Line at 832-VACCINE (832.822.2463), open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Team members can also email employeevaccines@texaschildrens.org.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit our COVID Command website on Connect.

January 23, 2024

Understanding your role in a crisis is a key element of emergency preparedness. Planning ahead eliminates confusion and saves precious time needed to keep our system running during a crisis.

All team members must re-register annually for the Employee Disaster Roster – electing to be part of the Prep Team, Ride-Out Team and/or Relief Team. Details for each team are listed in the form, and you should work with your leader to agree on the appropriate role for you.

Deadlines
  • Friday, March 1 – EDR registration closes.
  • Friday, March 15 – Leader validation must be complete.
Details and resources
  • If registering for the Ride-Out Team, you are responsible for making appropriate childcare arrangements. Texas Children’s does not offer dependent care.
  • For those on the Ride-Out Team, you can use this easy checklist to pack your at-work disaster bag with 5-7 days of essential supplies.
  • If you want to receive emergency texts, log in to Voyager, go to Contact Info and add the Home Mobile Phone field. Even if your home phone is your mobile phone, by adding this field, it ensures you are on the list. Please also be mindful the number is correct. Just transposing two digits will prevent you from receiving texts.
  • Keeping you informed and prepared is our top priority. Visit the Department of Organizational Resilience SharePoint site for contact information and links to websites to help you create an emergency preparedness plan of your own.
  • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Organizational Resilience Department at OrganizationalResilience@texaschildrens.org.

Meet Michael Brantley, renal and apheresis education coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin. He started his career in renal medicine as a unit clerk at a local dialysis clinic, but knew working in pediatrics was always the end goal.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?

I’m originally from Albuquerque, N.M., where I graduated from the University of New Mexico with my BSN. I eventually moved to Austin to work at a local children’s facility, and during that time, I had the opportunity to utilize Texas Children’s as a resource and start developing a network with the hospital. Whether at conferences or camps, TCH always set the standard and its people shared a passion for bringing the best care to their patients. Once I heard about TCH expanding in Austin, I wanted to be a part of that legacy.

What are you most excited about as we open North Austin Campus?

I am most excited about the opportunity to serve Austin and its surrounding areas. We get to extend the TCH legacy and bring it to a new city while creating our own unique culture.

What’s the best career or work advice you’ve ever received?

‘Lead by example in any situation you are in’ and ‘treat people the way you want to be treated.’

What does providing the ‘Right Care’ mean to you?

It means having the knowledge to provide excellent services and resources, advocating for our team and patients, and going above and beyond with every single interaction.

What makes Austin a great place to work and live?

Austin has been an amazing place for my family and myself. There are countless things to do for all ages. We love to go hiking, catch a good movie or go downtown for concerts. We love going to ACL Live for shows!

Ranked #1 in Nephrology by U.S. News & World Report, Texas Children’s is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric renal services in the world. The Renal and Apheresis Services department at North Austin Campus has multiple modality offerings, like in-center and home hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and apheresis services.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

After a years-long hiatus of one of Texas Children’s most beloved events, long-tenured team members and recipients of special awards will receive the red-carpet treatment in February when the Employee Recognition Celebration (ERC) returns with the largest number of honorees in history at a new venue.

More than 2,200 team members will be honored at the 2024 ERC, held on February 27 at Minute Maid Park for employees who reached a significant career milestone of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 years of service in 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023.

Team members who received a special award in 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 will also be honored at the ERC this February – including Best of the West, Caught You Caring, Shining Star, and Super Star recipients system-wide.

‘We’re planning a celebration unlike any other our team members may have seen, heard about, or experienced in the past, filled with the same warmth and appreciation that has always made the celebration so special,’ said Executive Vice President and CHRO Linda Aldred, who has participated in nearly every ERC since the event began at Texas Children’s more than 30 years ago.

Additional information about the ERC, including the full list of honorees and program schedule, will be provided to participants and shared via Connect as the big day approaches.

‘As our system grows to serve more communities and families, it is more important than ever to cherish the values and traditions that have made Texas Children’s an incredible place to give and receive care for generations,’ Aldred said. ‘The Employee Recognition Celebration has always reflected the best of who we are.’

January 22, 2024

Lunchdrop is an innovative program featuring a new selection of local restaurants each day for free delivery. Simply place your order before 10:30 a.m. and Lunchdrop will text you between Noon to 12:30 p.m. when your lunch arrives. Lunchdrop allows easy menu selection to meet all your dietary restrictions.

To sign up for Lunchdrop, visit https://lunchdrop.com. Once signed up, you have the option to receive daily text messages with food options. Your lunch will be dropped off at your designated Lunchdrop shelf, and a Lunchdrop team member will message you once your food is delivered.

See below for locations and designations of the shelves available at Texas Children’s:

  • Feigin Shelf: First floor, near the café
    • Shelf ID: 7N
  • Legacy Shelf: First floor, near the escalators
    • Shelf ID: 9K
  • Pavilion for Women Shelf: First floor, outside of Room F0180.05
    • Shelf ID: 6T
  • Woodlands Shelf: First floor, near Guest Services
    • Shelf ID: 3B
  • West Campus Shelf: First floor, Main Entrance
    • Shelf ID: S9
  • West Loop South Shelf: Eighth floor, in the lobby
    • Shelf ID: 9T
  • Meyer Shelf: First floor, in Meyer Market
    • Shelf IDL Z3
  • Austin MoPac: First floor, next to the Mailroom
    • Shelf ID: S2

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Well-Being team at wellbeing@texaschildrens.org.

January 16, 2024

One of the many ways our Austin team is preparing for the opening of North Austin Campus in less than a month is making sure they know how to handle emergencies. Recently, the Organizational Resilience team put several staff members to the test with intense, multi-day decontamination and evacuation training.

“This is the first time since before the pandemic we were able to hold an in-person training, and the response was amazing,” said Chelsia Elmore, manager, Organizational Resilience. “So many people across different departments showed up to learn, and we appreciated their time and focus on emergency preparedness.”

The two-day training included both classroom and hands-on learning focused on different aspects of decontamination and evacuation, specifically:

  • Identifying hazardous substances and knowing the risks associated with them
  • Understanding roles and responsibilities in the Emergency Plan
  • Learning about the potential outcomes of a HAZMAT event
  • How to identify the need for additional resources
  • When and how to notify key individuals
  • Selection and use of PPE
  • Ambulatory/Non-ambulatory Decontamination

The classroom training also included learning about antidotes in a terrorist attack, which chemicals we are able to treat and our mass casualty capabilities. The hands-on training included putting employees in Level C Hazmat suits in the EC, setting up the decontamination tent and even using the evacuation sled to learn how to move someone safely down the stairs.

The response to the training was positive from participants:

  • “Doing this training made it very real.”
  • “I learned a lot and felt like I was a part of something important…that I could make a difference.”
  • “It was out of my comfort zone but made me feel empowered.”

The Organizational Resilience team will hold similar training for team members at The Woodlands Campus, West Campus and the Medical Center in the coming months.

Do you thrive on ensuring safety? Sign up to be a decontamination team volunteer – contact orgresilience@texaschildrens.com to learn more.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

January 15, 2024

Texas Children’s will open the doors to our first hospital in Austin in the coming weeks. The brand new campus will cater to both children and women with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services – many of which are not available locally or even offered at our own community hospitals in Houston.

Come join the fun and celebrate at the Texas Children’s North Austin Campus Keep Austin Healthy Family Run & Walk. This free event will have activities for the whole family.

When
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024

Event schedule
10:15 a.m.: Health & Wellness Village Opens
11:00 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk Begins
12:45 p.m.: Kids K Begins
1:15 p.m.: Kids Bike Ride Begins
2:00 p.m.: Event Concludes

Location
Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin Campus
9835 North Lake Creek Parkway
Austin, TX US 78717

Admission
FREE

Register
Click here to access a flyer and QR code to register.

More information
Health & Wellness Village
Opens at 10:15 a.m. Join us for the many family/kid friendly activities we’ll have waiting for you. Craft workshops, ambulance tours, photo booths, bounce houses and climbing walls are just scratching the surface!

5K Run/Walk
Begins at 11:00 a.m. The route will consist of multiple loops within the campus. Want to run/walk more than a 5K? That’s perfectly fine! Want to finish early? That’s fine too! Regardless, we’ll have an easy exit point into the Healthy & Wellness Village along the route.

Kids K
Begins at 12:45 p.m. with one amazing lap (0.8 mile) around the loop with the little ones!

Kids Bike Ride
Begins after the Kids K – around 1:15 p.m. The course will be open for bikes until the event close at 2:00. So bring the kids’ bikes (and helmets!) and let them take a spin – or 10 – around the course. No bike? Our friends from Woom will be out with their demo bikes and helmets.

Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.