October 19, 2020

Why is managing your online privacy a concern?

Everyone can agree that privacy matters. In today’s digital world keeping prying eyes away from your private data has become a daunting task. Every time you browse, talk online, and type, your activity is being tracked, monitored and analyzed. Your personal information is being collected, siphoned off, and sold from business to business, with a plethora of aggregated data resting on severs all around the world.

What can you do to protect online privacy?

One must take a few simple steps to ensure some basic changes. There are several smart ways to help protect your privacy online. You can start by not oversharing your information on social media. Providing too much information on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram could make it easier for attackers to obtain personal information, which could allow them to steal your identity or to access your financial information. For example, could an identity thief determine your favorite color or the street you grew up on from digging through your Facebook account? If so, you may want to reconsider your answers. This information is sometimes used as security questions to change passwords on financial accounts.

When you interact online you can begin to take back control of your digital privacy to protect private data. It’s not necessary for you to have technical know-how, as anyone can do it. You will just need a little bit of time and effort to know what to look for.

Tips for online privacy
  • Protect Your Accounts with a Password Manager
  • Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi Networks with a VPN
  • Browse the Web Anonymously with a Private Browser
  • Browse the Web Securely with HTTPS Everywhere
  • Block Ads and Trackers with an Ad Blocker
  • Search the Web Anonymously with a Private Search Engine
  • Protect Your Messages and Emails with Encrypted Messaging
  • Protect Your Home Wi-Fi Network
  • Update the Privacy Settings on Your Social Media Accounts
  • Be Wary of Smart Devices
  • Check Your Phone’s Location Sharing Settings
October 13, 2020

It’s easier than ever this year to make your flu shot plan, including scheduling a car-side or one-on-one flu appointment online. Here is a quick look at the upcoming car-side events.

Medical Center, Meyer Garage, Level 2 | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

  • Tuesday, October 13
  • Wednesday, October 21
  • Thursday, October 29
  • Monday, November 2
  • Tuesday, November 10

The Woodlands, Garage, Level 4 | 8 a.m. to noon

  • Sunday, October 18
  • Sunday, November 1

“I want to keep myself and those around me safe,” says Sr. Project Manager Stephanie Osborne. “The car-side event is a very convenient option for folks like me who are working from home.”

More than 5,000 employees have taken the lead in getting their flu shots over the past couple of weeks. If you are one of them, thank you for stepping up. If you haven’t yet gotten your shot, make a plan today and get it as soon as possible.

Click here to view a video of your colleagues getting their flu shots.

By getting vaccinated against the flu, you are helping to keep our patients and families, our workforce and our community safe. For a step-by-step guide to making your flu shot plan, visit texaschildrensbenefits.org/flu. On this site, you can:

View information on the new and convenient ways to receive the flu vaccine. These options include attending an on-site or car-side event at Texas Children’s; visiting the Texas Children’s Pediatrics practice where your child receives care; and getting your shot from your primary care provider or a retail pharmacy.

  • View our robust on-site event schedule, which includes multiple dates and locations across the system to better accommodate our team members’ needs.
  • Complete consent forms online in support of a touchless experience.
  • Review answers to the most frequently asked flu questions.
  • Upload proof of vaccination with a mobile device

Thank you in advance for receiving your flu vaccine and helping to protect the safety of our patients and their families, our entire workforce and the community we serve.

This week on Mark Wallace’s blog, he takes a look at the importance of Election Day and our opportunity to vote early. Read more

Haley Cole shares the challenges and lessons she learned caring for our COVID-19 patients and how her experience adapting to this new patient population has helped her grow as a nurse. Read more

October 12, 2020

Texas Children’s celebrated PLAY 60 by cheering on the Houston Texans as they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 5th Annual Kids Day game presented by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Kids Day highlights the National Football League’s PLAY 60 initiative, a campaign that encourages kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Texas Children’s, the local presenting sponsor of PLAY 60, was featured throughout Sunday’s game.

Texas Children’s surgery patient, Matthew, served as the Coin Toss Captain. Sitting in his room at Texas Children’s in the Medical Center, he said “Go Texans! Beat the Jags!” To watch the coin toss, click here.

Even though our patients couldn’t be there in person to cheer on their team, they were there in spirit as featured cardboard cutouts in the stands at NRG Stadium. View photos of those cutouts below.

The week leading up to the game was filled with fun as well. On October 6, Houston Texans linebacker, Jacob Martin, made a special virtual visit to Cancer Center patients ahead of Sunday’s game. A robot dressed in Martin’s jersey went room to room as if he was on-site at the hospital. During this time when in-person interaction is limited, this surprise brought many smiles to patients and their families. View photos from Martin’s visit below.

Additionally, the Houston Texans Foundation donated $250,000 to Texas Children’s in support of our Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (IRU). The IRU works to heal patients physically and emotionally following a severe illness or traumatic injury. This gift named the unit’s gym and transformed it with encouraging phrases and Texans colors. The donation will also provide resources to help enhance the quality of life for these patients.

Click here to see a video about the IRU and Martin’s visit, and see photos of the unit below.

Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Texans are two winning teams that share one goal – keeping Houston kids healthy and encouraging them to be more active. To learn more about our partnership, visit: texaschildrens.org/texans.

Cutouts in the stadium

Jacob Martin’s virtual visit

Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit

 

This installment of the “Take Five” series provided by The Psychology Section’s Collaborative on Racial Equity and Inclusion (REI) for Black Youth is voting and how it is a racial equity issue. Learn how you can take actions to counter voter suppression and increase representation and equity in the democratic process.

Learn about voter rights and suppression

Make sure you are registered to vote

Check your voter registration

Solidify your (safe) voting plan:
Early voting locations, including 24-hour voting (7 a.m. on October 29 to 7 p.m. October 30) and drive-through voting
November 3 voting – find a location that is convenient to you. Did you know there will be a polling place at the Texas Medical Center Commons by the waterfall?

What is your plan for pandemic safety while you vote?
Vote inside safely
Curbside voting for voters with disabilities or if you have COVID-19 symptoms/exposure
Drive-through voting
Vote by mail (if eligible)
Deliver ballot in person (if eligible for vote by mail)

VOTE! Then tell us about it – post a photo of yourself with your “I voted” sticker on social media, tag @TexasChildrens @OneAmazingTeam and include relevant hashtags: #IVoted #TCHTake5 #RacialEquity

Explore opportunities to contribute – report any election violations to election protection hotlines, get paid to be a poll worker, be a virtual or roving poll monitor, bring snacks to people in line, etc.

https://www.houstoninaction.org/election-protection/

October 10 is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual World Mental Health Day. This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when nearly every aspect of our daily lives has changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the pandemic, we have had to adjust to a new normal. Most of us have experienced stress both in our personal and professional lives during this unprecedented time. We often stress over our health, finances, raising children, taking care of elderly parents, and coping with uncertainty or the unknown of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are many different emotional responses during different phases of a crisis, disaster or a public health emergency,” said Texas Children’s Chief of Psychology Dr. Karin Price. “While we work among health care heroes every day, even they are not immune to anxiety, stress, discouragement and difficulty coping with uncertainty. Hope begins with open, honest conversations about mental and emotional health between trusted family members, friends, colleagues and other loved ones. If someone close to you seems to be struggling or asks for help, be there for support. You don’t have to be an expert; just listening can help a lot. If you hear something beyond your ability to help, the EAP is available to support you.”

Texas Children’s Employee Assistance Program: We’re here to help

Chronic stress over time can have effects on our bodies and make us feel exhausted. While we can’t eliminate stress from our environment, we can manage our reactions to it. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at Texas Children’s (833-EAP-PLUS) is designed to help all employees and eligible family members resolve personal and job-related problems as well as promote emotional health, wellness and quality of life at work and home.

“The key to stress management is choosing where to focus your energy,” said Allison Bell, Manager of the Employee Assistance Program at Texas Children’s. “You get to choose what thoughts, emotions, and problems to focus on. We want to respond, not react. We know that everyone has different ways of coping with stress. What works for me, may not work for you. The key to stress management is finding the tools and techniques that help you and using them daily. If you want to reduce your stress levels, you need to be diligent in daily practice.”

In order to encourage team members to start a daily stress management practice, EAP developed resiliency strategies to help you manage stress and boost resiliency. To get started, please review this Stress Management Resources document which provides a variety of ways to help reduce stress. Keep in mind that building resiliency will not only help reduce stress but it will also reduce anxiety, provide your body with energy, promote good sleep patterns and provide greater satisfaction with life.

For more information about EAP resources, stress management and World Mental Health Day, click here to visit the EAP website.