November 11, 2014

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Texas Children’s Hospital is working hard to prepare its staff and its facilities for a patient with Ebola or a similar infectious disease.

Isolation units have been designated. PPE has been purchased. Staff is being trained on how to use it. And, leaders are meeting regularly to assess the organization’s preparedness as it relates to the most current information available.

Another initiative in the works will give the hospital the capability to test for the Ebola virus onsite instead of depending solely on lab results from state and federal government laboratories.

Dr. James Versalovic, who heads up the hospital’s pathology department, said he is in the process of purchasing equipment that will allow his staff to test for Ebola and similar infectious diseases at the main campus. Being able to test for such conditions at Texas Children’s Hospital will enable medical staff to quickly determine and provide appropriate care.

Currently, lab samples from suspected Ebola patients are sent to the Texas Public Health Department in Austin and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Georgia. Results are typically released within 72 hours. In the meantime, the patient is isolated and his or her symptoms are treated.

Versalovic said even with onsite diagnostic capabilities, lab samples from suspected Ebola patients still would be sent to the state and the CDC for confirmatory testing. Treatment, however, could be started sooner with the initial result in hand in hours compared with days. And, by ruling out Ebola more quickly in suspected patients, the correct diagnosis can be made more rapidly.

All onsite testing will be done at the main campus by a specialized team in a negative-pressure bio-containment laboratory. A similar unit is being planned for the west campus.

The goal is to have both labs ready and equipped to test for Ebola and other such diseases next year. The upgrades and additions will provide Texas Children’s with the best tools to diagnose and treat patients with infectious diseases, Versalovic said. The tools also will position the organization’s staff for effective patient care, optimal protection and safety.

 

Return to Ebola Response site.

 

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The enrollment period for 2015 benefits ends Friday, November 14, so you better sign up fast.

If you know what you want, sign up for your 2015 benefits online at My Online Information or MOLI. If you are still debating on which health benefits to sign up for next year, go to our new employee benefits website and use Decision Direct, an interactive tool that gives you tips on which plan works best for you and your family.

When you access Decision Direct, you’ll be guided through a series of questions related to your health care preferences and how much you use and pay for health care during a year’s time. Once you’ve answered the questions, the tool will provide you with advice on which medical plan might be best for you.

Other tools and resources on the employee benefits website can help you estimate the cost of your prescription drugs and find a provider in your network. You also can compare the rates of the different health plans and learn about what each one has to offer.

If you still are unsure about which plan to sign up for or if you need assistance in the enrollment process, representatives from Human Resources will be offering their help from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, November 13, on The Auxiliary Bridge. On the last day of the enrollment period, Friday, November 14, the Total Rewards Main Phone Line at Ext. 4-2421 will be staffed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

If you want to change plans or coverage levels, or if you want to participate in the Flexible Spending Account, you’ll need to elect your benefits during the enrollment period. If you don’t actively enroll during that time, your current medical, dental and other benefits will automatically carry over next year. Flexible Spending Account participation does not carry over from one year to the next, so you will need to reenroll.

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If you are holding off on getting a flu shot because you got one last year and think it’s still protecting you, think again.

The flu vaccine is seasonal and is designed to protect against the main flu viruses that research suggests will cause the most illness during the upcoming flu season. Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline elaborates on why it’s important to get vaccinated against the flu each and every year.

“The flu is a virus that changes every year and the vaccine has to change with the virus,” Kline said. “We achieved a great protection rate last year, better than 90 percent here at Texas Children’s Hospital, but that doesn’t protect us this year. So, we are asking everyone to get a flu vaccine to protect themselves to protect their families and to protect their patients.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a lot of research goes into the composition of the seasonal flu vaccine. More than 100 national influenza centers in more than 100 countries conduct year-round surveillance for influenza. This involves receiving and testing thousands of influenza virus samples from patients with suspected flu illness. The laboratories send representative viruses to five World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza.

In February of each year, WHO consults with experts from WHO Collaborating Centers, Essential Regulatory Laboratories, and other partners to review data generated by the worldwide network of influenza laboratories. Afterward, WHO makes recommendations for the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere.

The U.S. Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which is a part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, considers the WHO recommendations and makes a final decision regarding the composition of seasonal flu vaccine for the United States.

Employee Health is administering free seasonal influenza vaccinations to all Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers. Leaders from Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Health Centers and The Center for Women and Children will inform their staff about seasonal flu vaccination details.

Click here to view vaccination schedules for both Main and West Campuses. Employee Health strongly encourages you to get your vaccine at one of the times listed on the schedule. If you are unable to do so, please schedule an appointment to get the flu vaccine at the Employee Health Clinic.

And, remember, getting an annual flu shot is part of Texas Children’s P3 incentive plan, which is an important component of the total rewards you receive at Texas Children’s Hospital. As part of P3, we are amplifying unity and working together to get at least 90 percent of our staff vaccinated by Monday, December 1.

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When you think about our outstanding neurology team at Texas Children’s Epilepsy Center – one of the largest Level 4 epilepsy centers in the nation – one particular attribute comes to mind: their passion for innovation.

“Our focus has always been to discover new and innovative ways to treat and cure children with various forms of epilepsy,” said Dr. Angus Wilfong, a Texas Children’s neurologist who is leading the hospital’s first worldwide clinical trial of a cannabis-derived experimental drug to treat pediatric Dravet Syndrome.

The syndrome, which occurs in about one in every 30,000 births, is a rare and catastrophic form of intractable epilepsy that causes patients to experience dozens or even hundreds of seizures a day. If left untreated, children struggle with developmental delays, serious health complications and death.

That’s the grim reality 6-year-old Izaiah Ruiz faces daily. His grandmother, Lori Fountain, says Ruiz’s epilepsy is so severe that despite taking numerous seizure medications, nothing seems to produce long-term relief. Ruiz’s first seizure occurred when he was 2 months old, and since then, he’s almost lost his life twice. “I want him to be a normal little boy without having to worry about a seizure every time he goes to the playground or when he gets a runny nose,” said Fountain.

Ruiz is one of 30 patients worldwide enrolled in Texas Children’s study to examine the safety and efficacy of Epidiolex®, a highly purified cannabis extract that contains pure Cannobidiol (CBD). Although it is derived from the cannibas plant, Epidiolex contains no tetrahydrocannabional (THC), the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. GW Pharmaceuticals, who will fund the trial, is the only company in the world that produces pure plant-derived CBD, which is believed to help control seizures in children. The CBD medication is administered orally as a suspension or via feeding tube.

Wilfong, who is the study’s lead investigator and the first physician to administer Epidiolex in Texas, says the trial will be conducted in two stages. The first phase will determine the ideal dosage for children with Dravet Syndrome and the second phase will evaluate the drug’s safety and efficacy in this patient population.

“We are hopeful that in the next year, the results of this trial will show this drug has a positive impact on enrolled patients and that it will have implications for patients with other forms of intractable epilepsy,” said Dr. Gary Clark, chief of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience at Texas Children’s.

Texas Children’s first began using Epidiolex in April of this year under a compassionate use protocol approved by the Food and Drug Administration for patients with catastrophic forms of epilepsy who were not responsive to seizure medications.

Wilfong said, “Initial trials of Epidiolex demonstrate promising signs of efficacy in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy. We are excited to partner with GW Pharmaceuticals in the first worldwide trial for this group of patients with such a catastrophoic form of epilepsy.”

Fountain hopes her grandson receives the experimental CBD medication rather than a placebo, but she knows that if he doesn’t, he’ll get the drug soon thereafter.

“If this drug could reduce Izaiah’s seizures and give him any semblance of a normal life, I can’t tell you how ecstatic I’ll be,” said Fountain.

Currently, Texas Children’s Epidiolex trial is accepting only pediatric patients with confirmed Dravet Syndrome. To learn more, click here or call Christina Tally, BS, CCRP, at Ext. 2-1276.

Click the link for more information about Texas Children’s Epilepsy Center.

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Read the newest “Super Star” Q&A featuring Juan Rivera, Patient and Family Services below.

“I am motivated to make a positive impact by serving others and to be the best I can possibly be,” Rivera said.

Questions & Answers:

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Juan J. Rivera, Administrative Coordinator, Patient and Family Services. I’ve been a part of Texas Children’s Hospital for five years.

What month are you Super Star for?
I am Super Star for August 2014.

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
The good news came from Valdemar Garza, Assistant Director of Guest Services in the presence of great leaders.

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do?
I am truly blessed and honored; I am very grateful for this award.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
“Leadership always influences or determines outcome – not some of the time but all of the time.” – Mark A. Wallace. A Super Star is someone who strives to make a positive difference on a daily basis. I believe we are all leaders.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
I am motivated to make a positive impact by serving others and to be the best I can possibly be.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
The best thing about working at Texas Children’s Hospital is the opportunities to serve, learn and grow.

Anything else you want to share?
I thank God for all that he has done in my life. Being a part of Texas Children’s Hospital “family” has been a tremendous life changing experience. I am grateful to be surrounded by leaders who believe in me.

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By: Julie Griffith

I am so pleased to announce that my son, Cameron William Griffith, arrived the day before his due date on July 17 at 1:06 p.m., weighing in at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 20 inches long.

My birth expectation was that I would labor at home until my contractions hit the cardinal, 5-1-1 rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute in length for at least an hour) and then my husband and I would peacefully drive to Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, and labor for a couple more hours.

111214BWCameron640-2Our reality was more like that of a Hollywood movie scene, complete with plowing through trash cans in our neighborhood, running red lights, and screaming in excruciating pain as my husband wheeled me through the Pavilion lobby. We arrived in the nick of time, as Cameron was born just 26 minutes later.

Leading up to birth, I figured my maternity leave would be more like a maternity ‘transition’; a time to not only care for my new baby but to embrace the fact that my life would never be the same again. Going in, I had pretty clear expectations, some of which were spot on, and others, well…what was I thinking?!

Expectation #1: I would be a whirlwind of productivity.

Reality: I considered writing one thank you note and showering before 4 p.m. a productive day. I had envisioned spending my “down time” trying out new recipes, organizing the junk drawer, and working on my scrapbook. In reality, I spent most of my days hunkered down on the couch clipped into my nursing pillow. When I wasn’t sitting and nursing, I was playing with Cam or laying down as he napped on my chest. We tried to stick to the EASY routine: Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time. However, I was often too on edge to enjoy the “You time”, in anticipation of Cameron waking. During any fleeting moments of guilt for my lack of daily accomplishments, I would remind myself that this was precious bonding time. The dishes in the sink could wait!

Expectation #2: Breastfeeding would be hard.

Reality: Breastfeeding/pumping is really hard. From the beginning, we struggled with latch issues and a sleepy eater who needed constant stimulation to stay awake to feed. At Cameron’s one month checkup, we learned that he was in the 10th percentile and not gaining weight appropriately. Our pediatrician recommended we see a lactation consultant right away. I learned he was not transferring milk well due to a poor latch caused by a lip tie, plus his lazy feeding behavior. This had also affected my milk production. And so commenced what I called the “triple feeding:” breastfeeding followed by breast pumping, then topping him off with a bottle of breast milk. This feeding process lasted about an hour and a half and then the process would start over again two hours later. We had his lip tie corrected, strictly monitored his weight gain, and did everything under the sun to boost my milk supply. Needless to say, Operation Feed Cameron consumed my life for the greater portion of my maternity leave. Even though breastfeeding is still challenging, I am happy to share that Cameron is now thriving.

111214BWCameron640-3Expectation #3: I would be gallivanting around town with baby in tow.

Reality: I predicted lunching with friends, walking around Memorial Park, and even mentally planned a family vacation for while I was on leave. Between the daunting task of packing the diaper bag, 100 degree summer temperatures, navigating the stroller in tight situations, and being tied to my Medela pump, it simply felt more comfortable staying at home. Our big outings seemed to be trips to H.E.B, Babies”R”Us or the grandparents’ house.

Expectation #4: I could handle caring for a newborn on my own.

Reality: I don’t typically seek support from others, however the first few weeks became a quick lesson on how caring for a newborn takes a village, and why I needed to be willing to let that village in. My “village” recognized the fact that this was precious mother-son bonding time and they demonstrated their support by helping me get caught up on cleaning, laundry, and errands. Plus, we were extremely grateful to friends and colleagues with dinner deliveries in the first few weeks!

Before Cameron arrived, we tried to prepare for life with a newborn by attending most of the prenatal education courses offered through the Pavilion for Women. All of the classes provided valuable information however the Bringing Baby Home course was the most impactful. After eleven years as a twosome we expected that transitioning from a couple to parents would be challenging. This course helped ground our expectations and taught us practical skills to be the best parenting team possible. Although everyone’s experience with a new baby is different, I will always look back fondly on this dedicated time with my son as the beginning of an indescribable love that continues to blossom every day.

 

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The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) awarded a $1.8 million contract to Dr. William Whitehead, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital, to study ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus, a medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles, or cavities, of the brain.

Whitehead and his research team will work with the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network and the Hydrocephalus Association to conduct the study. The four-year randomized controlled trial will determine which shunt entry site results in the lowest rate of shunt failure.

The study is one of 46 proposals PCORI approved for funding to advance the field of comparative clinical effectiveness research providing patients, healthcare providers and other clinical decision-makers with information that will help them make better-informed choices.

“We believe that our study proposal will answer an important question and has the potential to significantly improve the care of pediatric patients with shunted hydrocephalus,” Whitehead said.

Whitehead’s study and other projects approved for funding by PCORI were selected from 490 applications through a highly competitive review process.