December 7, 2020

Exciting changes are on the horizon for Texas Children’s with the arrival of a new software solution that will unify our Human Resources, Finance and Supply Chain Management systems and move them into the cloud.

Dubbed the Voyager project to reflect the bold adventure that awaits us over the next 22 months, and the courageous way our employees embrace freedom by fearlessly adopting innovative technology, the new software is developed by Oracle and will replace PeopleSoft. Implementation will occur in four waves, and the Oracle solution is currently on track to go live starting with Human Resources in July 2021.

The Voyager team officially kicked off the journey in September and has now transitioned into the Design Phase, which consists of a series of collaborative sessions that help identify how work will be organized in the future state for HR, Finance, Supply Chain and Information Services.

“In many ways our journey to the cloud is just getting started, but we have all the right people, plans and partners in place to achieve our ultimate vision,” said HR Director Josh O’Brien. “We want everyone to feel confident and empowered to use the new system and navigate the cloud.”

Setting the vision

The change from the traditional PeopleSoft software to a cloud-based system at Texas Children’s has been years in the making. To achieve the vision for what the Oracle software solution should be for the organization and our workforce, the Voyager Leadership Team established four key objectives:

  • Engaging and empowering our employees with an improved, mobile-friendly user experience that provides convenient access to real-time data, and a more efficient system to help you reach your full potential.
  • Seamlessly integrating our systems and processes with increased access to information that was previously segmented into different systems, and reduced maintenance on concurrent systems and integrations.
  • Supporting adaptability and efficiency with thoughtful design that improves the accuracy and compliance our data, as well as the ease of learning and implementing new features and enhancements.
  • Keeping it simple by removing some manual touchpoints and processes, and introducing more harmonious and efficient processes for data entry.
Next stops on the journey

Once the Design Phase ends, and all the foundational information necessary for the move to the new cloud system has been gathered, Voyager’s focus will shift to system configuration.

As we continue the journey to go-live, the Voyager team will also provide ongoing communications and establish a community of Change Agents to increase awareness among all of our Texas Children’s team members, and build greater understanding about this big move to the new Oracle software solution.

October 27, 2020

Thank you to all of our team members who have completed their Annual Required Training (ART) for 2020.

If you have not yet completed ART, you still have time. Please get started today by clicking here to log in to HealthStream. By participating in this important course, you have helped sustain Texas Children’s high standards for care and commitment to excellence.

ART completion rates as of Friday, October 23
  • Texas Children’s Hospital, West Campus and The Woodlands – 78 percent
  • Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care – 83 percent
  • Texas Children’s Health Plan and The Centers for Children and Women – 84 percent
What you need to know about ART
  • New content was added around Diversity and Inclusion as part of our ongoing effort to cultivate an organization where every team member feels valued and accepted.
  • All workforce members are required to complete ART, except for:
    • New Texas Children’s employees (including Texas Children’s physicians) who were hired after January 1, 2020.
      (Note: if you have been rehired to Texas Children’s during 2020, this exception does not apply to you. You will be required to take the course.)
  • Employees who are on a leave of absence are required to complete ART within 30 days of their return back to work.
  • Please only complete the course during your standard work hours and check with your leader for guidance on the best time for you to complete the course.
  • To receive credit, all required workforce members must review all course slides and sign the attestation to confirm they met the completion requirements.
  • Joint Commission and OSHA require staff to renew their knowledge on an annual basis regarding key components such as Patient Safety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Hand Hygiene and several other important topics. In keeping with HIPAA guidelines, Texas Children’s also requires staff to review their knowledge regarding Privacy, Compliance and Information Security.
To access ART from Connect
  • Click on the “ART/Learning Academy/HealthStream” link on the Connect homepage under the ‘Quick Links’ heading.
  • Log in to HealthStream.
  • On the “To Do” tab click on the ‘Start’ link next to the course titled: Texas Children’s 2020 Annual Required Training.
Need help?
  • If you are experiencing issues accessing HealthStream, please contact the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512 (option 2).
  • If you have questions about the course, please email healthstream@texaschildrens.org.
  • If you are having an issue with the course not giving you a completion status once you have signed the attestation, or if it will not allow you to advance to the end of the course, you may need to clear your browsing history. For instructions on how to clear your browsing history, click here.

Thank you for completing ART and helping Texas Children’s sustain a safe and ethical environment in which to work and receive care.

September 29, 2020

STAR Kids Program Lead Educator Lynette Winters said getting her flu shot every year is a no brainer.

“It’s like exercising and eating healthy,” Winters said. “It’s for prevention. It’s a measure we can take to try and keep ourselves healthy.”

Opera Wagner-Ross, director of member services with Texas Children’s Health Plan, agreed and said she gets her flu shot every year to protect herself, her family, her coworkers and anyone else she might encounter, but that this year, with the pandemic, it’s even more important.

“The last thing I want to do is get really, really sick with either of the two,” she said. “So, I’m here to do my part to make sure I’m safe as well as my coworkers and family.”

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.

View photos of your colleagues getting their flu shots below.

Getting your flu vaccine is the first and most important step you can take to prevent transmission of the flu and protect yourself and others – and it’s even more critical this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing and health care systems around the country closely conserving resources.

Employee Health will administer flu vaccines at no cost to Texas Children’s employees; Baylor College of Medicine employees working at Texas Children’s facilities; Morrison, Crothall contract employees; and volunteers at Texas Children’s.

All you need to know about making your flu shot plan can be found at texaschildrensbenefits.org/flu. On this site, you will be able to:

  • 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. Each option is also detailed on this flyer, which you may spot around your campus.
  • View our robust on-site event schedule, which includes multiple dates and locations across the system to better accommodate our team members’ needs.
  • Schedule a car-side appointment or one-on-one flu appointment online.
  • 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.

“By getting vaccinated against the flu, you are helping to keep our patients and their families, our entire workforce and our community safe,” said Vice President of Human Resources Jermaine Monroe. “It’s the right thing to do for everyone involved, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical experts agree that being vaccinated against the flu is more important this year than ever – not only to reduce the risk of infection, but to help conserve health care resources. So, please, if you haven’t already, make a plan and get your flu shot.”

For a step-by-step guide to making your flu shot plan for this year, visit texaschildrensbenefits.org/flu.

September 14, 2020

The 2020 Annual Required Training (ART) course is now live in HealthStream and available to all Texas Children’s employees, contractors and volunteers, who must complete the mandatory training no later than Friday, October 30.

To access ART, simply log into HealthStream and find the training on your “To Do” tab. Then, click on the “Start” link next to the course titled, “Texas Children’s 2020 Annual Required Training.” To receive credit, all required workforce members must review all course slides and sign the attestation to confirm they have completed the course as directed.

What you need to know about ART
  • New content has been added this year around Diversity and Inclusion as part of our ongoing effort to cultivate an organization where every team member feels valued and accepted.
  • All workforce members are required to complete ART, except for:
    • New Texas Children’s employees (including Texas Children’s physicians) who were hired after January 1, 2020.
    • (Note: If you have been rehired to Texas Children’s during 2020, this exception does not apply to you. You will be required to take the course.)
  • Employees who are on a leave of absence are required to complete ART within 30 days of their release back to work.
  • If your work hours have been flexed down, please only complete the course during your standard work hours and check with your leader for guidance on the best time for you to complete the course.
  • If you are a contractor or volunteer, please note that you may be required to complete an Alternate ART course and should reach out to your leader for further instructions.
Need help?
  • If you are having problems accessing HealthStream, contact the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512 (option 2).
  • If you have questions about the course, please email healthstream@texaschildrens.org.
  • If you are having an issue with the course not giving you a completion status once you have signed the attestation, or if it will not allow you to advance to the end of the course, you may need to clear your browsing history. For instructions on how to clear your browsing history, click here.
September 23, 2019

Texas Children’s is implementing new technology that will enhance the way you manage and access benefits. We are excited to announce the launch of a new and improved Texas Children’s Benefits website – a centralized destination for all your benefit needs, available in both English and Spanish.

The new site offers you real-time and round-the-clock access to view, change or update your benefit elections from any desktop and mobile device. You’ll also receive more support and assistance with extended hours in our Benefits Service Center.

“Implementing this new platform will allow us to better accommodate the needs of Texas Children’s growing and diverse workforce,” said Jermaine Monroe, Vice President of Human Resources. “Our goal is to offer our amazing team members enhanced support and empowerment to manage their benefits anywhere, anytime and on any device, which are key components of leading a healthy life.”

Click here for additional details, and visit for additional details, and visit Texas Children’s Benefits today to check out all the exciting, new features for yourself!

September 4, 2019

Our 2019 Annual Required Training (ART) course is available in HealthStream through Friday, September 27. All Texas Children’s employees, contractors, and volunteers, are required to complete the course to satisfy Texas Children’s compliance requirements.* The completion goal is 100 percent across the organization.

What you need to know about ART:

  • All workforce members are required to complete ART except for:
    • New Texas Children’s employees (including Texas Children’s physicians) who were hired after January 1, 2019.
  • All staff members must review the course content and complete the attestation to receive credit.
  • Employees who are on leave of absence are required to complete ART within 30 days of their release back to work.
  • It is a Joint Commission and OSHA requirement for staff to renew their knowledge on an annual basis regarding key components such as: Patient Safety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Hand Hygiene, Diversity and several other important topics. Texas Children’s, in keeping with HIPAA guidelines, also requires staff to review their knowledge regarding Privacy, Compliance, and Information Security to ensure that Texas Children’s continues to sustain a safe and ethical environment in which to work and receive care.

How to access ART?

  1. Click on the ‘ART/Learning Academy/HealthStream‘ link on the Connect homepage under the ‘Quick Links’ heading.
  2. Log in to HealthStream.
  3. On the ‘To Do’ tab, click on the ‘Start’ link next to the course titled: Texas Children’s 2019 Annual Required Training.

Need help?

  • If you are having problems accessing HealthStream, contact the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512 (option 2).
  • If you have questions about the course, please email healthstream@texaschildrens.org.
  • If you are having an issue with the course not giving you a completion status once you have passed the course test, or it will not allow you to advance to the end of the course, you may need to clear your browsing history. For instructions on how to clear your browsing history, click here.

* All contractors and volunteers (with the exception of RightSource) will complete the Alternate ART course which will be administered by his/her leader instead of through HealthStream. If you are a contractor or volunteer, please see your leader for further instructions.

April 2, 2019

Texas Children’s employees are now just a phone call or secure video conference away from connecting with board-certified doctors and pediatricians anytime, anywhere, for more than a dozen common or chronic health conditions.

All employees and their eligible dependents who are enrolled in a Texas Children’s medical plan have access to Cigna Telehealth, a new benefit introduced during 2019 Annual Enrollment. Eligible members can use Cigna Telehealth to reach a doctor from home or when traveling throughout the United States, for a variety of general issues: allergies, fevers, headaches, infections, insect bites, nausea, joint aches and more. Pediatric care for your covered dependents is also available via Telehealth for cold and flu, constipation, nausea, pink eye and earaches in children.

Consultation and prescribing are provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by doctors from Amwell, a leading telehealth platform. All telehealth consultations are subject to the same confidentiality requirements that apply to consultations in a doctor’s office. Simply follow these instructions to download the Amwell for Cigna app to register, find a doctor and access services via phone or video for a $20 co-payment under Texas Children’s Traditional Plan, or a 20 percent coinsurance under the Consumer Plus Plan. For more information about Telehealth, click here to view this short video or visit our Benefits website (scroll down to Telehealth). Employees are highly encouraged to download the Amwell for Cigna app to their phones today and register their information in advance so they and their covered dependents can utilize the service immediately when a need arises.

Some members who have already used Telehealth have shared that the service has been a welcome addition to their Cigna benefits. Others have expressed how impressed they were by how easy it is to navigate and use the app, and how quickly they were connected with a doctor after requesting an appointment.

One Texas Children’s employee recently used Telehealth for her 12-year-old son, who needed treatment for an itchy and rapidly spreading rash. With the pediatrician’s office closed and her son more miserable by the minute, she downloaded the Amwell for Cigna app. The employee found it easy to enter relevant health history and upload pictures of the rash, and had a diagnosis from a doctor and a prescription called in to their pharmacy. The whole process took less than 30 minutes.

When another employee developed a case of poison ivy on a recent weekend, she downloaded the app and was face to face with a doctor via video conference in what she expressed “seemed like no time at all.”

Questions?
Please contact our Total Rewards team at 832-824-2421, select option 1 and then 7 to speak to a Benefits team member from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday or email totalrewards@texaschildrens.org.

Already used Cigna Telehealth?
We want your feedback on this new benefit offering! Please share your experiences with us via email at wellbeing@texaschildrens.org.