October 28, 2020

Since 2004, the Adult Congenital Heart (ACH) Program at Texas Children’s has provided groundbreaking care, and next week, the hospital will open a first-of-its-kind dedicated facility designed by and for adults with congenital heart disease. The 27,000-square-foot space, situated on the 24th floor of Texas Children’s Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower, will include a 16-bed inpatient unit, outpatient clinic, cardiac rehab gym, diagnostics lab and more.

“This innovative approach to care is unprecedented, and another step forward for our no. 1 ranked hospital for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report,” Dr. Cameron Dezfulian, director of the ACH ICU, said. “While we have been caring for adult patients for many years, this dedicated, state-of-the-art space is tailored to them and their families. It will bring together adult practitioners with the expert pediatric congenital heart care of Texas Children’s. Everything we do in this space will be done with the goal of reducing the impact of these conditions on adults living with congenital heart disease.”

Today, there are more adults than children living with congenital heart disease in the United States. Significant advancements in cardiac care, and improvements in survival after undergoing heart surgery as a baby or young child have resulted in this growing population. While it may seem counterintuitive for adults to be cared for at a children’s hospital, data suggests that if you are an adult living with congenital heart disease and are in need of surgery or cardiology follow up, the outcomes are likely to be better if you are operated on by a congenital heart surgeon and cared for by a cardiologist at a children’s hospital.

“It’s important to recognize that adults living with congenital heart disease have unique issues that are not typical to adults with acquired heart disease,” said Dr. Peter Ermis, medical director of the ACH Program, said. “Because of these unique issues, some adults with congenital heart disease do not get the care they need in an adult setting. It’s only after they develop symptoms that they recognize there is an issue, and at that point, it may be too late. Our goal is to keep these patients in our care so we are able to anticipate the issue before they arise.”

Texas Children’s ACH Program is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) and is one of only three accredited programs in Texas. As pediatric patients with congenital heart defects transition into adulthood, members of the team – with the help of our Cardiology Transition Medicine Team – advise patients on health and lifestyle choices for their adult needs, including physical challenges, exercise options and family planning. The ACH Program offers comprehensive medical and surgical care in collaboration with colleagues at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and Texas Children’s Fetal Center.

The new outpatient clinic will open November 4. The inpatient unit will open in January. Before the floor opens, a lot of preparation and training took place. On October 8 and 9, multidisciplinary teams successfully completed a series of simulated patient care scenarios on the state-of-the-art floor to test the workflow processes and address any concerns.

The program’s leadership team is comprised of Ermis, Dezfulian, Dr. Ed Hickey, surgical director; Dr. Prakash Masand, director of ACH imaging; and Barbara Vazquez, director of ACH nursing. The program also is home to the largest number of ACH accredited cardiologists in the state, 25 dedicated ACH inpatient nurses, five ACH ICU advanced practitioners, techs, assistants and sonographers.

“We currently care for about 2,200 adult patients, but that number is growing exponentially,” Hickey said. “Due to advancements in medical care, surgical care and technological innovations, about 95 percent of children born with congenital heart disease survive and many reach adulthood. With this new space, we can better provide continuity of care from birth through adulthood.”

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.

To help ensure Texas Children’s is a place where every member of our team can feel they are valued and belong, all employees are invited to participate in the first Amplify Unity Waggl survey on diversity and inclusion before it closes this Friday, October 30.

Waggl is a pulse survey tool that provides an easy and interactive way to hear directly from our team members, while also keeping respondent identities confidential. To participate, follow the link below or text TC VOICE to 797979. From there, take the steps below:

  1. Answer the question, “What is one thing we should start doing to cultivate more open and honest conversations on diversity and inclusion?”
  2. Vote on your colleagues’ anonymous responses.
  3. Return to the pulse often to see results in real-time, and continue voting to help determine the top responses.

Click here to anonymously share your insights

As we’ve seen this year amid the ongoing fight for equality, inclusion, and justice for all, meaningful change almost always begins with open and honest dialogue that allows each of us to tell our own unique story, while also learning from the experiences and perspectives of others. Launching the Amplify Unity Waggl expands our commitment to lead tirelessly in supporting diversity and inclusion by providing a platform for every voice to be heard.

After the Waggl closes, our team members’ thoughts and ideas will be incorporated into tangible action that more deeply grounds our culture in equality, inclusivity and compassion. Updates on the pulse – as well as more information about Texas Children’s ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives – will be provided in the coming weeks.

The health plan’s Member Services department has recently captured attention for record-setting performance. Even amid an onslaught of change, their service has increased and improved.

Could it get any better?

With the implementation of Epic Tapestry next summer, health plan leaders say YES! The performance of the department – and the value they bring to members – is about to be better than ever.

Let’s start with our workforce …

“One of the most significant benefits Epic Tapestry will bring to our team is the use of one system,” said Opera Wagner-Ross, director of Member Services. “Right now, the team must use multiple systems to serve our members, which can be time consuming and complicated. Tapestry will eliminate this.”

Wagner-Ross adds that the implementation will also streamline the communication between all parties involved in a member’s care.

“It’s a domino effect,” she said. “Improved workflow brings improved employee satisfaction. And satisfied employees are certainly more productive.”

So, what are the primary benefits to our members?

In two words – CONVENIENT ACCESS.

Tapestry will allow for the development of an enhanced member portal. Through the portal, families can access a number of convenient tools 24 hours a day/seven days a week, which may reduce the number of phone calls they make or time they have to wait for information.

According to Wagner-Ross, only 5,000 members used the portal last year out of more than 400,000 members. She says the low numbers are due to the portal’s limited functionality and the inability to adequately meet our member’s needs. “We are very hopeful that this will change.”

Moreover, the enhanced portal will improve care for members who are also patients of Texas Children’s Hospital because the portal will integrate with MyChart.

The member portal also includes …
  • Benefit Information: Provides information about the member’s benefits associated with the coverage and links to metered benefits and out-of-pocket benefits.
  • Referrals: Gives members access to information, such as the provider who referred them, who they were referred to, the status of the referral, the start and expiration dates of the referral, and the number of authorized and remaining visits.
  • Claims: Allows members to view their Tapestry claims and paperless explanation of benefits. Members can take a look at what claims have been posted for services rendered to them.
  • TCHP/TCH linked access: Members who are also patients of Texas Children’s Hospital will have expanded access to view Health Plan member features and Texas Children’s MyChart patient features.
  • Temporary ID card: Members can access and print a temporary ID card and request replacements electronically.
  • PCP update: Gives members the ability to electronically request a PCP change via the portal.

Missed the first story in our series? It’s all about Healthy Planet.

Read all about Member Services’ stellar performance.

Social Media is used by billions of people all across the globe. Many of us use social media to communicate with friends and family, post photos and videos, market products, promote brands, connect to customers and foster new business relationships. When it comes to social media restrictions involving patients in health care, potential risk may expose patient information, breach of data, and violation of patient privacy.

Are you balancing patient privacy through Social Media?

Restricting the privacy of patients’ protected health information (PHI) is one of the most significant concerns related to social media use. In view of the fact that boundaries between appropriate versus inappropriate and personal versus professional use of social media can easily be obscured, managing privacy risks can be challenging. For example, numerous instances have occurred in which healthcare workers have posted pictures of, or confidential information about, patients on professional or personal social media pages without the patients’ consent. Therefore whether intentional or not, the likelihood of exposure and patient privacy rights is increased.

What are the risks?

The risks of sharing too much information on social media platforms can have devastating effects on both healthcare organizations and employees if patient specific information is shared. Healthcare employees should avoid potentially hazardous mistakes while using social media and medical blogs to avoid Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) violations altogether.

Common examples of social media HIPAA violations include:

  • Posting verbal “gossip” about a patient to unauthorized individuals, even if the name is not disclosed.
  • Sharing of photographs, or any form of PHI without written consent from a patient.
  • A mistaken belief that posts are private or have been deleted when they are still visible to the public.
  • Sharing of seemingly innocent comments or pictures, such as a workplace lunch which happens to have visible patient files underneath.
What can you do to reduce risks?

It has become common practice for people to discuss the events of their day via social media, but for a healthcare provider, doing so maybe illegal. To reduce risk to your organization, you can start by following company policy in accordance with social media and patient privacy. You want take responsibility and use your best judgment to avoid making costly mistakes. If you think twice before you post patient information, you align with HIPAA compliance involving patient data. Patient privacy is vital and should be protected at all times.

Prohibit or set limitations on the photographic use of cellphones and other portable electronic devices as part of organizational policy.

When posting content containing patient identifiable information to the organization’s social media sites, ensure patient consent is obtained. The consent should explicitly state how the information will be used. Have someone who is familiar with HIPAA and state privacy regulations review social media content to ensure information does not violate patient confidentiality.

Be aware that responding to a patient post or review on a social media site might violate HIPAA or state privacy laws.

Understand the technical limitations and terms and conditions of any social media sites that you plan to use. For example, information sent via messaging functions likely is not encrypted, and the site might maintain the right to access any personal information.

October 20, 2020

Courtney Prewitt shares creative ways our nurses can stay connected virtually and non-virtually while adhering to social distancing guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety. Read more

Providing the highest standard of care for obstetrical patients has always been paramount for the team at The Center for Children and Women. The Southwest location of The Center has recently received the stamp of approval from the state of Texas thanks to a new Level II Maternal Designation issued by Texas Department of State Health Services to CHI St. Luke’s Hospital in Sugar Land.

With more than 90 percent of the obstetrical patients at The Center–Southwest delivering at CHI St. Luke’s, this is a big win for our families and the entire Sugar Land community.

This achievement was spear headed by one of our own, Dr. Michelle Jones. As the Maternal Medical Director at CHI St. Luke’s Hospital in Sugar Land, she led the team through a two-day hospital survey conducted by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologist and state health services.

“This Level II Specialty Care designation validates that we can safely and competently provide high quality care for moderate-to high-risk antepartum, intrapartum, or postpartum conditions,” said Dr. Jones, Maternal Medical Director at CHI St. Luke’s Hospital in Sugar Land. “This state-issued designation means that we understand and have implemented the standards of care identified as necessary to provide quality care for obstetrical patients. Recognizing and addressing early warning signs which will help us decrease obstetrical complications is a key focus of our in-patient teams.”

Dr. Jones goes on to say that the designation sends a strong message to patients that we are doing what is best to improve the quality of care for them.

Why is this so important?

Unfortunately, national data shows a continuing trend that although we are one of the richest countries we lag behind other developed countries in the category of insuring good health care for expecting mothers. Maternal mortality and morbidity has increased by at least 200 percent from 1993 to 2014. Black women have a 3.3 times greater risk of complications compared to non-Hispanic white women.

And to make matters even more challenging, three out five pregnancy-related deaths in the US are preventable. Reducing the number of preventable deaths has been the primary goal of reducing maternal mortality initiatives in Harris County.

“We are working with standards of care that will save more lives,” Jones said. “And this designation will ensure that we are accountable for the care with provide. I am proud of our team and excited for our patients.”