As our new Pediatrician-in-Chief, Dr. Catherine Gordon has her sights set on solidifying Texas Children’s position as a global leader in children’s health. Read more
October 19, 2021
Texas Children’s Chief of Psychology Dr. Karin Price delivered key testimony this month to the Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety about the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on children and adolescents across the state.
Price appeared before the committee in Austin on October 4 alongside witnesses from the Meadows Institute, UT Health and the Health and Human Services Commission. Working with Texas Children’s own Government Relations team, she coordinated and prepared testimony that highlighted the increase in patients presenting with behavioral health needs throughout the pandemic.
Hospital data shows that from 2019 through this year, the number of patients coming to Texas Children’s Emergency Center locations for behavioral health crises grew from less than 100 patients monthly to more than 400 per month.
Price noted in her testimony to the committee that this growth in patient behavioral health crises is particularly concerning given the severe gaps in Texas in mental health care along the entire of continuum care in terms of access, capacity and workforce availability – from early intervention and detection, through crisis intervention and stabilization.
Price also reinforced Texas Children’s goal to keep children out of crisis, living safely at home with their families and not returning to our Emergency Centers for treatment.
“We at Texas Children’s know children and adolescents are incredibly resilient, and as we all continue to experience major disruptions in our everyday lives and routines, we will continue our work now to help mitigate the lasting effects of COVID-19 on our children,” she said.
Trang Vu shares an amazing new opportunity for nurses to learn more about research and evidence based practice. Read more
As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021, Information Services hosted their first ever SECURITY FEUD, hosted by John Westbrook
And
Team Community vs. Team Healthplan
Who was crowned “The Most Secure” at TCH??
Click above to watch the Executives faceoff on a game of SECURITY FEUD!
October 13, 2021
Rachel Arnold, a physician assistant from Interventional Cardiology, shares her experience caring for a courageous, young heart warrior who beat the odds. Read more
Providing the best care to our Texas Children’s patients and their families starts with looking after and taking care of ourselves. For the month of October, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Well-being are sharing how the simple act of mindfulness can reduce the negative impact of stress and anxiety.
Practicing mindfulness throughout your work day
Mindfulness is not just about meditation or carving out long periods of relaxation – it’s about enhancing focus and awareness while you are in the midst of your workday and your daily life. As you practice removing distractions, your attention comes back to the present moment. This improves your concentration, your mood and your ability to cope with daily stressors.
Try taking control of your own mindfulness by trying these three easy, in-the-moment mindfulness activities and see what they do for you. You can also download the Three Ways to Be Mindful Throughout the Day flyer here.
- Washing your hands
Check in with your thoughts every time you wash or sanitize your hands. As you wash your hands, feel the water or sanitizer on your hands. Think about your thoughts – are you in the present moment, or is your mind on the past or the future? Check out this video for more on hand-washing as a mindfulness practice.
- Opening a door
Before you enter a room, touch the door knob and focus on taking a deep breath and focusing your mind on a positive thought, such as “I enter this room fully present.” Walk into the room with a calm perspective and leave your old thoughts outside the door.
- Taking a break
Taking breaks throughout the day can help you avoid burnout, renew your perspective and refresh your creativity. This can be a long break, like lunch, or a short 5-minute walk away from your work area. Change up your scenery, take some deep breaths and refocus your intentions.
Additional mindfulness tools and resources
- Watch on-demand mindfulness videos, such as mindfulness guided meditation and unwinding before bed on Texas Children’s Well-Being website.
- Log into Netflix and watch the interactive “Unwind Your Mind” video series from Headspace.
- Download the Insight Timer app that helps you to practice mindfulness at any time.
- Tune into the Mindfulness and Meditation Podcasts | Cigna CLIMB Program from Cigna, or access the Cigna Stress Management Toolkit.
- Review the Mindfulness and Relaxation toolkit from EAP Plus.
- Take a look at the Managing Stress Toolkit from Cigna. There are also guided mindfulness and meditations.
- Register to take a Healthstream course (hosted by EAP):
- Authentic Happiness – First Friday of every month
- Building Resilient Staff – Second Friday of every month
- Mental Health First Aid – Third Friday of every month
- Stress Management – Last Friday of every month
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.