August 17, 2022

Disney and the nonprofit Starlight Children’s Foundation were recently featured on ABC13 KTRK-TV as they teamed up to host a Spidey-themed delivery event at Texas Children’s to celebrate the launch of “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” season two. Our patients, their families, and our One Amazing team members were among the first in the United States to enjoy a pre-screening of the first episode of the hit series’ new season, which officially launches August 19 on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Cast member Armen Taylor (voice of Hulk), made a special appearance during the celebration to meet with patients and their families.

“Our Texas Children’s physicians and staff were delighted to watch the joy and excitement on the faces of our hospitalized patients as they reveled in this unique Disney visit,” said Tabitha Rice, Executive Vice President, Administration. “Thanks to Texas Children’s established relationship with Disney and support from Starlight Children’s Foundation, our patients and their families experienced pure Disney joy – a most welcome reprieve from the many stresses that can accompany a child’s hospital stay.”

The event was part of Disney’s 2018 commitment of $100 million to help children’s hospitals reimagine the patient experience and deliver joy when it’s needed most. This partnership is transforming our hospital spaces with interactive murals and digital displays; creating personalized moments by delivering Disney-themed Starlight hospital wear, care packages and products; and providing complimentary access to Disney+ and special screenings of newly-released movies, along with our colorful employee badges featuring beloved Disney characters. The ultimate goal of these activities is to provide joy and comfort to patients and their families during appointments.

Read Texas Children’s press release about the event to learn more about our Disney partnership and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. You can also find Disney Partnership training in HealthStream to learn how you can be a Disney ambassador at Texas Children’s.

August 10, 2022

Since the launch of the Disney partnership in 2019, one of the most cherished and beloved elements of the program is having every member of our One Amazing Team adorn a beloved Disney character behind their ID badge.

The character badges offer the chance to create moments of comfort and inspiration for both patients and colleagues. You can use the badges to engage with patients on a friendly and fun level, putting them at ease or just putting a smile on their faces. They also encourage interaction and camaraderie amongst our team members. Take a moment to ask a colleague who their Disney character is and why they chose it. You can learn more about Disney and make a new connection with a colleague.

Every department director should have received a package with a variety of new character badges, bilingual instruction cards and a list of their direct reports. If you have not had the opportunity to choose your new badge, please connect with your leader to inquire about this enhancement to the program.

If you have any questions or have not received your package, please contact the Disney team at disney@texaschildrens.org.

July 13, 2022

Texas Children’s team members now have on-demand access to a new service training powered by Disney Institute and designed with our own unique culture of compassionate care in mind.

Available via HealthStream, Creating Moments of Comfort and Inspiration uses immersive activities and impactful content to explore three key Service Principles that can help you create exceptional service experiences, strengthen connections and elevate beyond our routine tasks to deliver on a higher purpose. To access the training, click here.

The course is part of Texas Children’s collaboration with Disney, who is on a mission to deliver joy to children and families facing serious illness. Using the best of its assets and capabilities, Disney is seeking to improve the patient and family experience, help ease the stress of a hospital stay and support the great work already under way across our organization.

Research has shown that human interactions and emotional connections can have a significant impact on a patient’s overall journey and the health outcomes they achieve. Offering this training to our entire staff is an acknowledgement of the critical role every member of our One Amazing Team play in creating an environment where ordinary interactions become moments of comfort and inspiration for our patients, their families and each other.

Course participants will learn key insights and methods that drive an exceptional customer service at Disney parks and resorts, then connect those concepts to what we do at Texas Children’s – all while sharing best practices and reflecting and applying what you’ve learned to your day-to-day responsibilities.

Click here to learn more about Texas Children’s collaboration with the Disney in support of their children’s hospitals initiative, including the wide range of incredible installations and elements already in place across our campus locations. For additional questions, contact disney@texaschildrens.org.

 

July 1, 2019

As members of the Texas Children’s family, we strive to provide exceptional service each and every day. And, as part of the Disney Team of Heroes (DToH) initiative, we have partnered with the Disney Institute – Disney’s professional development and external training arm – to develop the DToH Children’s Hospital Service Training. This training is intended to enhance our already strong culture of care and service by turning ordinary interactions into moments of comfort, compassion and inspiration for patients, families and each other.

This week, Disney Institute has begun delivering an on-site version of the training to a representative group of employees and leaders from inpatient, outpatient and support services across our system to refine and inform this exciting new program.

In order to effectively roll out this impactful training across our system in the future, we need your help!

We are looking for 25 dynamic and engaging employees (including leaders) to train our workforce on how to deliver exceptional service through our Texas Children’s values and Disney’s service principles.

We are thrilled to introduce the DToH Train the Trainer Program! This new program will offer employees the distinguished opportunity to directly equip the workforce with concepts, skills, behaviors and tools to further our goal of providing innovative, patient-centered engagement.

In order to apply to be a DToH Service Trainer, you must be prepared to fulfill the following time commitments:

  • Deliver a minimum of 12 trainings per year and additional dedicated time each month for preparations and logistics
  • Be available to attend the DToH Train the Trainer Program on Oct. 14 – 18, 2019

Ideal applicants should exhibit a passion for the culture, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a commitment to treat everyone like a valued customer, among other desired behaviors.

Additionally, you must meet eligibility requirements, which are outlined in the online application, and you must complete the following:

  • A 300 – 500 word personal statement on why you want to be a DToH Service Trainer
  • A 90-second video on how you see “Live Compassionately” demonstrated at Texas Children’s

Click here to fill out the online application and submit your video and personal statement, which are due by Friday, July 12.

In order to assist you with your application, we are offering Virtual Information Sessions that will provide a detailed overview of the eligibility requirements, time commitment and selection process. You are not required to attend a session in order to apply.

Dates/times available:

  • Friday, June 28, Noon to 12:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, July 2, 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
  • Tuesday, July 2, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Click here to sign up for a Virtual Information Session. Once you enter HealthStream, select the “TCH DToH Children’s Hospital Service Virtual Information Session” to enroll.

If you are selected to move forward in the process following the review of the applications, you will be called back to participate in live auditions in August.

We look forward to seeing the magic you will create!

June 17, 2019

In 2018, The Walt Disney Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger announced that Disney will dedicate more than $100 million to bring comfort to children and their families in hospitals across the globe, beginning right here at Texas Children’s. Learn more by visiting our 2018 virtual Annual Report.

April 23, 2019

On his blog, Mark Wallace shares the story of how a group of NBA all stars became the Dream Team, and why they remind him of our one amazing team. Read more

April 22, 2019

Disney Magic has officially arrived at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Invited guests from The Walt Disney Company, media outlets and health care organizations across the country joined Texas Children’s clinical and executive leadership to celebrate the launch of the Disney Team of Heroes pilot. Texas Children’s is the first hospital to work with Disney on this comprehensive new initiative that will enhance the patient and family experience at children’s hospitals across the globe through a unique combination of reimagined spaces, personalized moments and engaging content, all featuring Disney’s beloved characters and themes.

Watch the video to see how all these elements came together over the past three weeks.

“Disney’s commitment to bringing comfort and inspiration to children doesn’t stop at the gates of Disneyland or Walt Disney World, and we are so grateful Disney is bringing those values to us in this way,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “The magic and joy we have all experienced at a Disney park is now apparent as you walk throughout our hospital, and I am looking forward to seeing how this special partnership enhances the patient and family experience.”

Texas Children’s relationship with The Walt Disney Company dates back to 1952 when Walt Disney himself gifted the hospital with an illustration depicting his vision for the hospital’s campus at the time. The partnership was further solidified in 2018 when Texas Children’s was chosen as the pilot hospital for this transformative, five-year commitment to the patient experience from The Walt Disney Company.

The Disney Team of Heroes launch was the culmination of a year of hard work and collaboration between a group of more than 80 Disney team members, including Disney’s famed Imagineers, and a dedicated team of Texas Children’s employees and caregivers.

“As the name itself implies, at Disney we know that if you want something to be timeless, and touch the hearts of millions, it requires a talented team to bring it all to life,” said Elissa Margolis, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Social Responsibility at The Walt Disney Company. “We could not have done this without all the guidance, partnership and collaboration from doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, child life specialists, creative teams, tech leaders and also, importantly, parents.”

Guests at the event got a first look at new Disney Team of Heroes experiences on a tour of Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower. These elements included the stunning Magic Mural, which allows patients and families to interact with characters and environments; mesmerizing Magic Windows, where favorite characters pop in for a brief visit before taking off again; captivating Magic Portals, seek-and-find activities that provide distraction while waiting for an appointment to begin; and Disney Products and Hospital Gowns, which help brighten patient rooms and bring familiarity into hospital stays. Additionally, Texas Children’s employees system-wide received themed Disney Team of Heroes Employee Badges featuring Disney characters. The badges will create opportunities to engage patients, and fellow employees, in a fun new way.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth look at the new Disney Team of Heroes elements on our Corporate Communications Instagram, @oneamazingteam. Learn more about Texas Children’s partnership with Disney, and check Connect frequently for more exciting updates.