Texas Children’s Hospital has earned 2021 Digital Health Most Wired recognition as a certified level 9 organization from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).
The annual Digital Health Most Wired survey assesses how effectively healthcare organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health care in their communities.
Acute and Ambulatory recognition
The survey has evolved from a comprehensive healthcare overview to focus on specialty areas such as “Acute” and “Ambulatory” care. Participants also receive certification based on their overall performance, with level 10 being the highest. Texas Children’s earned 2021 Most Wired Level 9 recognition for both our Acute and Ambulatory operations!
“The digital transformation in health care has accelerated to unprecedented levels over the last two years,” said Myra Davis, senior vice president, chief information and innovation officer. “One of our strategic goals is to leverage technology and digital platforms to revolutionize the way we provide care to our patients and manage our business and health care partnerships.”
The 2021 Digital Health Most Wired survey featured participation by 36,674 organizations. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.
October 5, 2021
Check out the events and activities intended to educate and entertain while educating users on the importance of cybersecurity and encouraging safe online behavior. Read More
September 17, 2021
Information Services (IS) is urging all team members who use Apple devices – whether issued by Texas Children’s or used personally – to update to the latest version of iOS software to address a new invasive spyware called Pegasus.
IS will begin pushing these critical updates to TCH-issued Apple devices this week. Please be prepared to receive the updates when prompted.
IS also strongly encourages team members with personal Apple devices to update to the latest version of iOS as soon as possible. To check your version of iOS, open Settings > General > Software Update.
Essential details about the software update
To ensure a successful update, make sure the devices in your area are charged, powered on and connected to Texas Children’s wi-fi.
The update will take about 20 – 40 minutes to complete. Please plan for devices to be temporarily unavailable since they cannot used during the update process.
If you prefer to download the software updates yourself, please do so prior to the scheduled update. Click here to learn how to perform the updates yourself.
What is Pegasus?
Pegasus is new spyware that is especially insidious because:
It has “zero click” capability to install itself on a device without a user clicking on anything, such as a link.
It is usually delivered as a text via iMessage.
It exposes content in text messages, photos, emails, videos, contact lists and can record phone calls.
It can secretly turn on a phone’s microphone and cameras to create new recordings.
It can compromise an Apple device in such a way that allows the attacker to obtain administrative privileges on a device without the owner’s knowledge.
Is my device eligible for the update?
The latest 14.8 software update is available for the following models:
iPhone 6s and later
iPad Pro (all models)
iPad Air 2 and later
iPad 5th Generation and later
iPad mini 4 and later
iPod touch (7th generation)
If your TCH device is older than the models listed above, please report the issue to the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512.
Remember: At Texas Children’s, security is everyone’s responsibility. By updating your iOS software, you are helping to keep our mobile devices available, reliable and secure.
July 9, 2021
Due to the critical Microsoft “PrintNightmare” vulnerability that affects all Windows devices, Information Services will patch all workstations and servers beginning Friday, July 9, per the schedules below.
Server update schedule
10 p.m. Saturday, July 10 to 6 a.m. Sunday, July 11 (8 hours)
Applications will experience a short outage during the server patching window.
Workstation update schedule
Non-Clinical Workstations Update Window
Desktops/VDIs: 8 p.m. Friday, July 9, to 6 a.m. Saturday, July 10
Laptops 8 p.m. Friday, July 9 to Open ended*
Clinical Workstations Update Window
Even numbered workstations: 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday, July 10
Odd numbered workstations: 8 p.m. Friday, July 9, to 1 a.m. Saturday, June 10
How to check a workstation number:
Click Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the Windows security information box
Workstation number – in blue bar at top of box (next to the words “Windows Security”)
*Laptop updates will begin when users connect to Texas Children’s network
Didn’t receive the update?
If your computer does not receive the update, you will receive popup messages that workstation updates are available. Click here for instructions on how to install the updates manually.
Workstation update: On campus
If your workstation is located on campus, please leave it turned on to help facilitate the installation.
If a workstation is on and unattended, the updates will load automatically.
If you are at a workstation, here’s what to expect during the update:
You will receive an install notice with a countdown timer displaying the number of minutes until the download begins.
Log off the workstation before the countdown reaches zero. The updates will then begin automatically.
Workstations will not be connected to Texas Children’s network during the updates.
The updates will restart the workstation. Reboot warnings will appear before the machine restarts.
Workstation update: Teleworkers
If you telecommute, follow these steps to receive updates to your TCH computer:
Lock your computer, leave it on and connected to VPN (if applicable). This will help to facilitate the installation of the updates if your TCH device is connected remotely.
Your TCH workstation will REBOOT during this process, possibly several times, so please save all current work.
Remote note: These steps apply only to TCH assets (e.g. laptop) that are connected remotely via VPN. For people that connect via remote.texaschildrens.org on home PCs, there is nothing to do, since your assets in the office will update automatically.
Questions?
For questions about the security updates, call the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512.
July 7, 2021
Over the July Fourth holiday weekend, a ransomware attack hit as many as 1,500 businesses across the globe, with hackers demanding $70 million.
Now more than ever, it’s imperative that the Texas Children’s community be informed about ransomware attacks. Knowing how they can impact Texas Children’s and what you can do to help is the first step in awareness.
What is ransomware?
Ransomware locks a computer system to prevent the owner or organization from accessing data until they pay a ransom. Although there are different ways ransomware can enter a network environment, the most common threat comes from fraudulent email, when an employee may be deceived into clicking a link or opening an attachment that then transmits ransomware into an organization.
What do we know about this latest ransomware attack?
REvil, a Russian-language group, is demanding $70 million after it targeted information technology company Kaseya and 15,000+ customers. It’s the biggest ransomware attack on record and is just one of several attacks that have impacted businesses and health care providers across the globe.
What’s being done to prevent ransomware attacks at Texas Children’s?
Texas Children’s has multiple security systems in place to protect our systems against malware, including continuous monitoring of our network. Employees, though, are on the frontlines of protecting our systems, and it is important that they take steps to prevent dangerous ransomware from impacting our network.
What can you do to help?
Heighten your awareness of external emails from unknown senders, and carefully consider before clicking on website links and opening email attachments, especially links to file-sharing sites like Google Drive. To do that, please follow these steps:
Look for the yellow bar. Every email that originates from outside Texas Children’s network is tagged with a yellow bar at the top of the message. If you see this yellow bar, do not click any links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Pay close attention to who the message is coming from. Look carefully at the sender’s email address. If it is one you do not recognize, or looks suspicious, do not engage with the message.
Spelling and grammatical errors. These are telltale signs of a phishing scam. Treat these messages as a threat to our network and delete them immediately.
Be cautious of links. If you are being engaged to click a link, take a moment to hover your mouse over the link to see where you will be directed upon clicking. Simply put: if the link is not legit, do not click.
What do I do if I receive a suspicious email?
If you receive a suspicious message, refrain from opening it or any attachments, and do not click any links. Simply delete the message from your inbox and notify IS Security by emailing isservicedesk@texaschildrens.org.
If you have any questions about information security or phishing, please call the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512.
How do I sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge?
In the event that Texas Children’s is impacted by a ransomware attack, our IS team may be required to shut down all or parts of our network, including email. Should this happen, Everbridge emergency text messaging would serve as a primary means of communicating with our workforce.
If you are not currently receiving emergency text communications from Everbridge, please sign up for alerts by following the instructions below:
For TCH employees: Add your mobile phone number to your profile in MOLI to begin receiving these messages. Upon logging in to MOLI, simply click on “Personal Information” and then “Phone Numbers.” From there, you will see an area to add your mobile phone.
For BCM employees: To opt-in for emergency text messages, please click here and then log in with your username and password. From there, you will be prompted to submit a mobile phone number.
May 4, 2021 Front row – Anita Harris-Brown. Back row (left to right) – Kathleen Ulanday, REgina Wysocki, Pippa Andrews-Brown, Lakeesha Etienne
The Smart Pump Interoperability Project recently went live at the Medical Center, West Campus and The Woodlands, thanks to a committed team that pushed forward to bring the innovative technology to Texas Children’s despite disruptions from the ongoing pandemic.
Smart pumps are known to help prevent adverse drug events, especially when linked with electronic health records. These pumps include auto-programming, which allows for specific medications to be transferred directly from a patient’s records to the smart infusion pump, and auto documentation, which allows information like start and stop times to be sent electronically.
To support the project, a total of 2,111 Texas Children’s nurses completed Alaris Interoperability training and gained the skills to improve medication safety and quality practices, and reduce infusion administration errors.
Epic Trainers, Nursing Professional Development Specialists and Clinical Nursing Informaticists collaborated to deploy the training, which was provided as part of nursing education at the system level with the support of Biomedical Engineering, Information Services and Pharmacy. The curriculum included 15 online learning modules with video demonstrations and learner engagement simulations, followed by live hands-on practice.
Additionally, more than 230 nurses served as Interoperability Skill Validators and used the Rover, Alaris pump and Epic EMR integration in an interactive training environment to prepare in-patient and Emergency Center nurses to implement the new practices in time for go-live on January 19 at the Medical Center/Pavilion for Women, and February 9 at West Campus and The Woodlands. Tabletops were conducted with various specialties to assist in preparing clinicians, and a clinical readiness training video was livestreamed with the help of the Simulation Center to give nurses a view of workflows and answer their questions.
Making the project happen
The go-live was implemented in two phases to ensure that nursing staff and those working behind the scenes at each campus would have the necessary support. During the transition at Medical Center/the Pavilion, 233 current infusions were connected to smart pump interoperability. At West Campus and The Woodlands, 35 infusions were connected within just a few hours.
At the center of the effort was the Clinical Subgroup, which drove all decisions and clinical practice. The subgroup consists of clinical nurse specialists and nurse educators from across the organization.
Also instrumental were informatics resource liaisons (IRLs), who worked along with the IS Command Center to help centralize calls surrounding the project. IRLs validated other bedside nurses with hands-on demonstrations; provided necessary feedback related to decision on workflows impacting the project; relayed necessary concerns and information from other bedside staff; and provided hands-on support while maintaining their own patient care load. As trusted liaisons, IRLs communicated problems to IS and communicated their findings and additional information back to their units.
A particular point of pride was the interaction at the unit level, which proved critical to the project’s success. Led by CVICU Clinical Specialist Lauren H. Salinas, nursing staff prepared their units by providing a worksheet to transition their current infusions. At the Pavilion for Women, High- Risk OB Clinical Specialist Tara Barrick and RNC-OB Educator Coordinator Melinda Trussell led the way in validating their staff by adopting the theme, “Operation Interop.”
Praising the project’s success
Nursing staff and vendors who supported the project had plenty had of good things to say about bringing the Smart Pump Interoperability Project to life:
“It was easier than I thought; we should have done this earlier.” – 14WT RN
“The modules made this way scarier than it truly was.” She said “I felt like I was going to forget something when it’s actually just 2 more steps to our BCMA process.” – 12WT RN
“So far, it’s been a smooth transition with no major issues!” – West Campus PICU RN
“Back association is beautiful where I never have to guess and go all the way back in the MAR then document my fluid. With back association, it all pulls in and do it right there at the bedside with another nurse.” – RN Float Nurse West Campus
“That is excellent work! The average pumps go live will see organizations hover at around 70% compliance for the first week, so we’re trending above that which is great news.” – Bryan K. (Epic TS)
“This is the best go-live I have ever supported. Expect some phone calls from our other pediatric customers.” – BD support team
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.
