February 13, 2018

For nearly 17 years, Maryann Macey has volunteered with the Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children’s Hospital – an opportunity that she describes as very rewarding.

“It is amazing to see all of the progress our organization has made in advancing research to help our physicians at the Blue Bird Circle Clinic diagnose and treat patients with neurological diseases,” Macey said. “It is an honor to be a Blue Bird volunteer and work with such an outstanding group of women.”

On February 6, Macey and 100 Blue Bird members including many of Texas Children’s employees, staff and leaders, attended a special luncheon at the Pavilion for Women to celebrate the Blue Bird Circle’s 95th birthday. The event included a $1.9 million check presentation from the Blue Bird Circle to Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine. A large portion of this gift will support neuroscience research and training.

Since 1998, the Blue Bird Circle has supported the Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children’s with millions of dollars in grants, as well as thousands of volunteer hours. Blue Bird volunteers devote countless hours at the Clinic and The Blue Bird Circle Resale Shop which has helped to raise awareness in the community about pediatric neurological disorders and highlight the incredible work being done at Texas Children’s to improve the quality of life for neurology patients.

“The words, “Blue Bird Circle,” are synonymous with its members’ generosity, volunteerism, commitment and dedication,” said Texas Children’s CEO Mark A. Wallace. “Members of the Blue Bird Circle have been the catalyst for so much of what has happened in pediatric neurology in the past 20 years. The care we provide, the research we conduct because of the Blue Birds benefit the patients we serve here and children with neurological conditions all over the world.”

During the luncheon, Dr. Gary Clark, Chief of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, spoke about the tremendous growth of the neuroscience program at Texas Children’s and shared examples of the research progress that has been made through our partnership with the Blue Bird Circle. To treat patients with an enzyme deficiency in the form of Batten disease, Texas Children’s is one of the few sites that provides therapy to these patients by surgically injecting the synthesized enzyme directly into the brain thereby halting this degenerative form of Batten disease. Texas Children’s also is using novel approaches to treat patients with spinal muscular atrophy, a disease of the nervous system where the spinal cord degenerates due to defects in the SMN1 gene. The treatment involves injecting a DNA molecule into the spinal fluid that turns latent gene into an effective one that makes the deficient protein.

“We are contemplating similar treatments for Angelman and Rhett syndromes,” Clark said. “We are so grateful to Texas Children’s Blue Bird Circle Research Center in collaboration with the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s for helping us make these research breakthroughs possible, and I am excited about what the future holds for pediatric neurology.”

Guest speakers at the event also included Dr. Charles Gay, medical director of Neurology at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, and Dr. Robert Zeller, medical director of the Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology. Texas Children’s Chief of Palliative Care Dr. Tammy Kang delivered the keynote address on the interdisciplinary palliative care program and how it supports patients and their families.

Prior to the luncheon, the Blue Bird members met with neurosurgeon Dr. Daniel Curry and Chief of Critical Care Dr. Lara Shekerdemian to tour different sections of the Legacy Tower which will open on May 22.

For more information about Blue Bird Circle, click here.

February 6, 2018

Just in time for Heart Awareness Month, Texas Children’s Hospital’s No. 1-ranked Heart Center by U.S. News & World Report launched its very own Facebook page!

Packed with information about the Heart Center’s roots, expertise and exciting future in providing top notch care, the page will provide an avenue for Heart Center medical staff and leaders to share information with various audiences, including former, current and future patients and families. The page also will allow members to provide feedback about their experiences at the Heart Center and ask questions about our level of care.

“We are excited about having a new way to reach people who want to know more about who we are and how we do things at the Texas Children’s Heart Center,” said Dr. Wayne Franklin, a cardiologist with Texas Children’s Heart Center and director of Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program. “It’s also a great opportunity to help more children and families who are dealing heart problems and are looking for information.”

With more than half a century of experience in caring for children’s hearts, Texas Children’s Heart Center combines cutting-edge technology with compassion and a family-centered approach to pediatric cardiac care.

The Heart Center has a team of world-renowned leaders in pediatric cardiology, congenital heart surgery, cardiovascular anesthesiology, and cardiac critical care, performing more than 1,000 surgical procedures, 1,200 cardiac catheterizations, and having more than 26,000 patient encounters annually.

Texas Children’s is ranked No. 1 nationally in cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News and World Report, and is also one of only four pediatric hospital’s with heart programs that are named as a Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas by The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. The Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program is also just one of 13 programs in the country to be a Comprehensive Care Center for ACHD.

Later this year, the center will move into Legacy Tower, allowing clinical staff and leaders to serve even more children with critical heart conditions from the Houston community, across Texas and throughout the nation. The 19-floor vertical expansion will house eight floors dedicated just to the Heart Center, including four new cardiac operating rooms, four cardiac catheterization labs, 48 cardiovascular intensive care unit beds, and a cardiac acute care floor.

All of this and more can be found on the Heart Center’s new Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/texaschildrensheartcenter.

“We encourage you to like the page on Facebook and share with your family and friends,” Franklin said.

The Mark A. Wallace New Employee Pep Rally was held at West Campus last week complete with giant foam fingers, pompoms, dance music, and of course, our President and CEO, Mark Wallace. The gathering gave nearly 100 new and recent hires a cheerful and uniquely spirited welcome to the Texas Children’s family.

The pep rally, modeled after the redesigned Texas Children’s Hi orientation that sends new employees back to school to learn about the organization and its special culture, is an opportunity for new employees to become better acquainted with the organization as a whole and meet executives and other leaders within a friendly and festive atmosphere.

The high-energy pep rally format replaces the more traditional new employee reception that Wallace has hosted for decades. All new employees invited to attend were part of the Texas Children’s Hi Class of 2017 with their mascot the “Armadillo.”

“You don’t work for me; I work for each and every one of you,” said Wallace, who personally introduced himself to every new employee attending the pep rally, trading jokes and posing for photos and selfies – complete with duck-faces.

Recalling the days when Texas Children’s consisted of just one, seven-story building with fewer than 300 registered nurses, Wallace discussed the growth the organization has experienced since he arrived in 1989 and the plans to expand even further by moving into Austin and opening the Legacy Tower in the Texas Medical Center. Having so many great employees dedicated to the Texas Children’s mission plays a key role in driving that progress, he said.

“This is not just a job. You can build a career here,” Wallace said. “Thank you for choosing us and allowing us to choose you for this partnership. You’re going to enjoy working at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

Jordan Nedbalek, an orthopedic technician at Specialty Care Bellaire, attended the West Campus pep rally with colleagues and radiology specialists Anjail Abdullah and Amanda Schell. All three said they especially enjoyed the themed decorations and the lighthearted, warm mood set by Wallace and the other leaders and staff volunteers at the event.

“At every point you’re always made to feel welcome,” Nedbalek said.

Many new hires at the pep rally agreed and said their Texas Children’s careers are already off to a good start. Few expected to ever meet Wallace or leaders like Executive Vice President Michelle Riley-Brown, given the size of the organization, and they appreciated their chance to make a more personal connection.

“When I met Mr. Wallace it was like I’d known him for years,” said Ina Gill, an ambulatory service representative who handles scheduling for the Sleep Center at West Campus. “The pep rally experience is fun. We know all this is for us, which makes a difference. I’m loving it at Texas Children’s and learning a lot. It already feels like family and I’m here to stay.”

Texas Children’s Pediatrics acquired its first practice site in 1995. Two decades later, 50 more have been added and as of December 2017, all practices, hold the highest Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

NCQA Recognition Programs allow employers, patients and consumers to make quality informed health care decisions. This prestigious distinction celebrates patient care organizations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving quality care for their patients.

“NCQA has become the gold standard for quality of care amongst primary care physicians around the country,” said Dr. Stanley Spinner, Texas Children’s Pediatrics chief medical officer and vice president.

All 51 of the Texas Children’s Pediatrics practice sites submitted documented evidence to demonstrate data requirements for the distinction. All clinics are structured to follow the six required PCMH 2014 Standards:

  • Patient Centered Access
  • Team Based Care
  • Population Health Management
  • Care Management and Support
  • Care Coordination and Care Transitions
  • Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement

“Achieving this high level of quality of care has led to improved outcomes, often at a lower cost,” Spinner said. “Texas Children’s Pediatrics is extremely proud of the work that has been done throughout all levels of our organization during the past three years. This offers us a distinct advantage in our current managed care market.”

To date, Texas Children’s Pediatrics has achieved three successful cycles of PCMH Level III recognition, signifying organizational commitment to excellence by working together at every level across the system.

“This is an opportunity for our organization to show and prove that we only want the best care for our patients and their families,” said Natasha Fields, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Nanes Practice Manager. “Moving forward I believe it will continue to display our dedication, passion and integrity for all. It’s a special occasion and we all should celebrate.”

Texas Children’s Transplant Team recently received a glowing review from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recertification evaluation team during an unannounced four-day visit to survey the program for recertification.

This was the first recertification survey for the entire transplant program, which was initially certified for kidney transplants in 1987 and lung, heart and liver transplants in 2012. The recertification period is every four to six years.

During the team’s recent survey, surveyors reviewed patient medical records, interviewed patient families, staff nurses, and the transplant multidisciplinary team to ascertain continued compliance with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Transplant regulation. They also reviewed more than 50 medical records, and conducted a review of the team’s Transplant Quality program and its integration into the Texas Children’s Hospital Quality Program. The team finished the survey with only one deficiency found in documentation in a medical record.

“The transplant team did amazing,” said Executive Vice President Mark Mullarkey. “The reviewers were so complimentary. It was obvious that the hard work that has occurred in transplant with quality and structure has resulted in something our surveyors felt was fantastic.”

Medical Director of Transplant Services Dr. John Goss said he is proud of his team and the hard work they put into providing the best possible care for some of Texas Children’s most delicate patients.

“Your efforts are significant and make such a difference in the lives of so many,” Goss said.

“Congratulations on a job well done. I know you will continue to strive for the best.”

Stephen Davis, a manager with Texas Children’s Pharmacy Department, was recently honored by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) New Practitioners Forum as one of six recipients of a distinguished service award.

The awards were presented at a reception during ASHP’s 52nd mid-year clinical meeting and exhibition in Orlando, Florida. The ASHP Pharmacy Practice Sections and New Practitioners Forum Distinguished Service Award recognizes a member whose volunteer activities have supported their mission and helped advance the profession.

For the past 75 years, ASHP has made efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. The organization has more than 44,000 members including pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings.

Davis is the residency program director for the Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency at Texas Children’s. This program offers residency slots to students, residents, and pharmacists, to help them develop their clinical and leadership skills.

He is a former chair of the ASHP New Practitioners Leadership and Career Development Advisory Group, a faculty member for the ASHP manager’s boot camp, and is a member of the organization’s Commission on Credentialing as well.

He is the former chair of the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists Editorial Advisory Board, and a current member of its Education Affairs Council.

January 30, 2018

On January 22 to 24, four appraisers from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) evaluated Texas Children’s for Magnet® re-designation. The Magnet® appraisers had very busy schedules during the site visit and were kept on track by the Texas Children’s staff nurse escorts. The appraisers visited and held sessions with a variety of the Texas Children’s patient care areas including the Medical Center Campus, West Campus, The Woodlands campus, health centers and maternal fetal medicine clinics. The appraisers will write a summary of their site visit and send to the Magnet® commission for review and final approval of re-designation.

Since 2003, Texas Children’s has been a Magnet-designated organization. Every four years, the hospital applies for Magnet® re-designation, which is the highest and most prestigious recognition provided by the ANCC, and reflects Texas Children’s commitment to providing excellence through quality, safety and outcomes that positively influence patient and family-centered care.

“This successful site visit was a true team effort, and we are well on our way to Magnet® re-designation,” said Texas Children’s Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jo Andre. “We will learn the status of our official re-designation in a couple of months, and we have every confidence we will be receiving good news.”

What Magnet® appraisers noted

The appraisers remarked that our nurses’ teamwork, collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, dedication to the care of their patients and supportive practice environment were apparent throughout the organization.

Texas Children’s nursing excellence was seen throughout the organization. Here are some of the appraisers’ positive feedback:

  • Nurses are proud to work for Texas Children’s
  • Nursing Shared Governance – bi-directional communication
  • Family Centered Care – staff live it; patients/families know it
  • Continuity of care across all setting and facilities
  • Response to Harvey
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration was seen throughout the organization
  • Legacy Tower – input provided by staff on design and workflow, staff participation in simulation
  • Great leaders cascades down throughout the organization

“We are very proud of our nursing and interdisciplinary team members and are grateful for their participation in making the Magnet® site visit very successful,” said Texas Children’s Magnet® Program Director Emily Weber. “During the site visit, our nurses and entire health care team shared their accomplishments, highlighted our great partnership, exceptional care delivery and collaboration to enhance patient outcomes.”