April 29, 2024

Information Security GRC is excited to launch a new, digital Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) module in ServiceNow. Beginning May 1, the TPRM module will improve risk assessment processes at Texas Children’s and make it easier for users to:

  • initiate Information Security Risk Assessments and
  • submit Information Security Policy Exceptions.

To engage this comprehensive online solution for identifying, evaluating and mitigating risks associated with vendor relationships, access the IS Service Portal and complete the required forms.

Click here to view a step-by-step video explaining how to submit exceptions and assessments in the new format.

Key features include:

  • Security Risk Assessments: The module automates and standardizes the assessment process, making it easier for business owners and vendors to connect through a user-friendly portal.
  • Reassessments: Continuous monitoring capabilities ensure risk insights are up-to-date and allow for prompt emerging risk identification.
  • Policy Exceptions: The module facilitates the management of policy exceptions and ensures deviations from established guidelines are properly addressed.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Advanced reporting views and analytics capabilities provide clear visibility into vendor risks and performance metrics.
  • Regulatory Compliance: The module helps ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards – and reduces the risk of penalties for non-compliance.

For more in-depth training materials, including additional videos and guides, visit the Information Security GRC SharePoint site for all you need to utilize the new tool.

Your feedback and engagement throughout this process is valuable. Email questions or concerns to CyberRiskMgmt@texaschildrens.org.

It’s time for Amazing May, a special month-long voluntary fundraising campaign bringing together local businesses and people in the community – in support of Texas Children’s Hospital!

When you dine, shop or give at one of our business partner stores or eateries, Texas Children’s receives a portion of the proceeds. You can go further by designing your own fundraising campaign. From Costco to Kendra Scott, more than 50 shops and eateries support Amazing May – and create the potential for maximum donor impact. Your volunteer participation is valuable and helps improve the future of health care for children and women in Houston, Austin and beyond.

Here’s how you can participate:

  • Attend an event. Visit texaschildrens.org/amazing, and mark your calendars for exciting partner activities
  • Inspire others. Sign up as an Advocate, and fundraise for Amazing May.
  • Show your support. Donate to Texas Children’s Amazing May campaign.
  • Spread the word. Tell others about Amazing May by posting on social media and tagging #AmazingMay each time you dine, shop or give.

Imagine the difference we can make in the lives of children and women when we come together and celebrate Amazing May! Visit the Amazing May website to view a list of participating businesses and learn about direct donations.

We are not even one full week past the launch of our Voices Ignite Possibilities listening tool, and the members of our One Amazing Team are making themselves heard! 16% of our people have shared their perspectives, and we know it’s just the beginning.

Here is the breakdown by entity:
Texas Children’s Hospital: 15%
Texas Children’s Health Plan: 29.2%
TCPs/TCUs: 18%
Baylor College of Medicine: 9%

Head to your email and search for your survey link from our Perceptyx (our survey partner). All Texas Children’s employees and leaders along with Baylor physicians, faculty and staff have until May 10, 2024 to complete the survey. Please note, new team members who started after March 31 are not eligible to participate but will be included in our next workforce survey.

We are committed to confidentiality for our employees and Baylor partners as you answer questions and share your experiences at Texas Children’s. You can feel comfortable openly sharing your perspective in a meaningful way. We will report data in aggregate groupings of five or more responses to leaders.

Your happiness, satisfaction, how you manage stress and sense of purpose are important! Let’s focus on the moments that matter so Texas Children’s can continue cultivating a culture where we all thrive.

For seven decades, Texas Children’s has been making patients feel out of sight with outstanding care and uncompromised connection. You and your team members not only administer life-saving medical treatments, you listen to families’ fears, hold patients’ hands and find ways to get smiles onto faces every day. In honor of our 70th anniversary, Let’s Get Groovy from April 29 to May 3 and celebrate our patients, families and each other for Patient Experience Week!

“Patient Experience Week is a wonderful opportunity to show gratitude to our patients and families for choosing Texas Children’s – and to recognize our One Amazing Team in the work they do to provide quality care with connection and compassion,” said Julie Griffith, director, Patient Experience and Support. “We’re excited to honor and celebrate the people who impact patient experience every day.”

Our plans for the week are so far out, you don’t want to miss one day of the funky festivities. Get ready for 70’s style dress ups, Groovy Grounds coffee kickoffs, Boogie Down events, patient giveaways, special visitors and more!

Feeling the disco fever? Do the hustle to an ice cream or root beer float social, and don’t forget to wear tie-dye! Texas Children’s gift shops will be offering a far out discount of 20% off all tie dye t-shirts through May 3!

Ice cream socials
  • Austin, 2nd Floor Conference Center – Tuesday, April 30 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
  • West Campus, 1st Floor Conference Center – Tuesday, April 30 (8 – 9 p.m.)
  • Austin, 2nd Floor Conference Center – Tuesday, April 30 (9 – 11 p.m.)
  • The Woodlands, 1st Floor by Donor Wall – Wednesday, May 1 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
  • The Woodlands, 1st Floor by Donor Wall – Wednesday, May 1 (9 – 11 p.m.)
  • Medical Center, 3rd Floor West Tower, Legacy Tower, and Pavilion for Women – Wednesday, May 1 (9 – 11 p.m.)
  • West Campus, 1st Floor by Donor Wall – Friday, May 3 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
Root beer float social
  • Medical Center, Legacy Tower 1st Floor – Wednesday, May 1 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

For more details on the calendar of events, please visit the Patient Experience Week SharePoint site.

Caught You Caring

These 70 years of helping patients live healthier lives are only possible because of our people – and the amazing ways team members show up for children, women and each other. Our Caught You Caring recognition program allows patients, families, colleagues, vendors, volunteers and visitors to share how a Texas Children’s team member made a difference for them.  Click here to submit a recognition for a colleague. The recipient and their leader will receive an email notification. Since its inception in 2015, there have been more than 40,000 recognitions submitted.

Check back on Connect this week as we highlight a handful of our dedicated team members making a difference every day.

Hear what Nikashia finds most fulfilling about her work.

For Assistant Clinical Director of Palliative Care Nikashia Franklin, the consistency and level of joy at our hospital are signs we are doing something right.

“Every time I see a patient family smiling, I’m reminded we’re able to be here to help them do that,” said Nikashia. “And when, no matter how hard they look, they can’t find a reason to smile, it’s because of the reputation of this organization that they feel safe enough to share those moments with us too.”

The Privilege of Working in Palliative Care

As a NICU nurse at another Houston-area hospital, she experienced a patient’s death for the first time. Feeling paralyzed and out of her depth, she turned to her preceptor for help guiding and comforting the family.

“He took the reins, and I watched how grateful that family was for him being beside them during those moments. I decided I wouldn’t miss that opportunity again.”

Nikashia began her career at Texas Children’s 13 years ago. At first, she couldn’t see herself working outside the NICU. She was already a nursing leader when the retiring incumbent in her current position reached out to see if she was interested in an opportunity with the palliative team.

“When I explain to people what I do, they say they can’t imagine how difficult it is –and some days are – but it’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever had the opportunity to do.”

The Gift of Collateral Beauty

Nikashia and her team do their absolute best to mitigate obstacles for the greater good of their patients and to help them find what she calls the “collateral beauty” in their circumstances.

She recalls an opportunity she and her team had, to take care of a young lady whose greatest wish was to get out of the hospital and see her puppy. Working with the clinical care team, Nikashia’s palliative care team arranged to transport the girl to the valet concourse where her dog was waiting outside.

“There was so much joy in her face, and the dog recognized ‘this is my girl,’” remembered Nikashia, who found the experience especially meaningful as a dog mom herself. “Everyone deserves to have a small glimpse of joy in the face of such uncertainty or during their most difficult days.”

April 24, 2024

Continuing to advance the well-being of Texas Children’s people, the Employee Medical Clinic (EMC) at the Medical Center campus reopened on April 22 to great fanfare. With confidential full-service primary care, preventive care, urgent care, acute visits, referrals and more, this clinic is available to all active Texas Children’s employees.

During the ribbon cutting, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Linda Aldred announced the dedication of the clinic to its founder, Denise Medina. An onsite clinic for employees to receive care was a ten-year passion project for Denise, and her tireless leadership made it a reality. “Of the thousands and thousands of people who have worked here, they have been Denise’s focus. She is the one common denominator of caring for the people who work here,” said Linda.

President Debbie Sukin also extended her heartfelt congratulations to Denise and thanked her for her 35 years of service and continued volunteer work at Texas Children’s serving our patients. She remarked, “It’s very clear it’s your passion that drives you for doing what you do, and always has.”

For just a $10 copay, active Texas Children’s employees can access these services with both same day and virtual appointments.

Nursing Assistant Clinical Director Tanya Hilliard, who has received primary care at the EMC for years, said, “The staff is friendly, attentive and I entrust them with my medical care.”

The newly reopened EMC, now on the second floor of the Abercrombie building, is now located in a more convenient and larger space. Team member and Social Worker Onyekachi Ezenwa, who recently utilized EMC services commented on the convenience of the clinic, “The EMC has given me an opportunity to better myself and take my health seriously.”

“I would recommend any of my colleagues utilize the EMC if they are looking for friendly staff, efficiency and thorough medical care, no matter how minor or chronic the need is,” Tanya added.

Denise spent her career caring for others and that level of dedication doesn’t just end when you stop working full time. “I still dream of patients three months after retirement,” Denise laughed. “My focus was really on taking care of people, that’s always been my focus.”

The EMC continues that mission to this day with the wonderful care it is providing for our One Amazing Team!

Call 832-824-2424 to schedule an onsite or virtual appointment and click here for more information about the services offered at the EMC.

April 23, 2024

The expectations and motivations of our workforce have changed in the past few years, and placing a focus on holistic wellbeing is essential for a thriving workforce. An organization that supports and encourages happy, satisfied and purpose-driven employees can move boldly together toward a successful future. So, tell us where and when you feel your best at Texas Children’s! Our goal is to build upon those moments to create a culture where we all grow and thrive together.

To make this goal a reality, we’ve built an innovative new framework and survey tool to understand your perspective: Your Voices Ignite Possibilities (or V.I.P.). V.I.P. is an opportunity to use your voice to share your thoughts on the best parts of our culture to help us continue adapting and evolving.

You have an email in your inbox from Perceptyx (our survey partner) with a link to the V.I.P. survey. We are asking all Texas Children’s employees and leaders along with Baylor physicians, faculty and staff complete the survey by May 10, 2024. (Please note, new team members who started after April 1 are not eligible to participate.)

We are committed to confidentiality for our employees and Baylor partners as you answer questions and share your experiences at Texas Children’s. You can feel comfortable openly sharing your perspective in a meaningful way. We will report data in aggregate groupings of five or more responses to leaders.

Please take the time to answer the questions openly and honestly so we can continue to support our workforce in the best way possible. Your happiness, satisfaction and sense of purpose at work matters! By focusing on where we thrive, we can walk boldly into the future together.