September 3, 2024

At Texas Children’s, the fight for the health of mothers and their babies is a team effort. Our Fetal Center team thrives under the guidance of three remarkable leaders: Aimee Jackson, Erika Fisher and Kimberly Hase. Each leader brings a unique set of skills and experiences that, when combined, create a powerful force for patient care.

A Fetal Center Trio Embracing Teamwork 

Aimee Jackson, director of Ambulatory Services MFM-Fetal, has been a driving force behind the growth of the Texas Children’s Fetal Center. Her 13 years of leadership have been marked by strategic vision and a commitment to excellence. Erika Fisher, assistant clinical director, joined the MFM-Fetal team with a background in operations and a passion for improving processes. Her contributions to the team have been invaluable. Kimberly Hase, ambulatory nurse manager of our Fetal and Infusion Centers, brings a wealth of clinical experience and a nurturing spirit to this leadership trio. Her leadership style is both hands-on and inclusive, creating a supportive environment for her team.

Cornerstones of Success in Patient Care

A culture of mentorship is deeply ingrained in the leadership styles of Aimee, Erika and Kimberly. They recognize fostering talent and paving the growth trajectory for individuals significantly impacts the entire system. “Mentorship empowers others to take the initiative and contribute meaningfully,” said Aimee. “When we invest in our team, we invest in the future of patient care.”

The Fetal Center team’s collaborative approach has a direct impact on patient care. “Our leadership team is always accessible and supportive,” said Nurse Stephanie Creighton. “They listen to our concerns and help us resolve issues or improve processes.”

“Kimberly has adjusted our meeting schedule and made our workflow processes easier,” explained Fetal Center Nurse Kelley Jett. “This allows us to focus more on patient care and be available for our Fetal Center patients.”

A Culture of Collaboration

The hands-on approach of leaders has transformed the culture within the Fetal Center. “Erika and Kimberly’s leadership style has created a positive workplace environment,” Kelley continued. “This has significantly increased our team morale.”

The leadership team’s accessibility and support have significantly impacted patient care too. In one case, a mother from another state faced financial difficulties securing housing while awaiting the birth of her baby with a complex condition. Through the team’s efforts, temporary accommodation was arranged, alleviating her stress. In another instance, a patient with a rare blood type required multiple intrauterine blood transfusions for her unborn child. The collaboration with leadership was crucial in coordinating the complex logistics, including finding compatible blood donors among the patient’s family members who traveled from abroad to Houston.

Together, Aimee, Erika and Kimberly embody the belief that in healthcare, as in all things, we are truly strongest when we work together. Their leadership empowers others, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and drives change that directly benefits both their team and the patients they serve.

At Texas Children’s, attention to detail and careful planning help to set our patients up for positive outcomes. The same can be said for the design and architecture of our buildings. Each facility is planned methodically, beginning with the selection of a great location and allocating the space for the right functions. The architectural design is often a reflection of the local community depicted through a design theme. The finishes, art and graphics reflect that theme and ultimately create a healing environment. Everything you see while walking the halls of the hospitals is there intentionally.

Enter the Facilities, Planning and Development team. This dedicated group is comprised of project managers, interior designers, space planners, and graphics consultants, to name a few. There is also a real estate team dedicated to managing Texas Children’s portfolio, buying, selling and leasing properties and managing our assets. A facilities information team keeps detailed records of every square foot of Texas Children’s property and know who sits in each room and the function of every space. With 30,000 rooms across the entire organization, this is no small feat.

The FPD team also manages the design standards across all Texas Children’s buildings ensuring they select furniture, finishes, art, graphics and security using specific guidelines based on best practices and industry trends. These team members not only keep a finger on the pulse of best practices in the industry and evidence-based design principles, but also consult with the professionals utilizing the space to make sure these elements work and are in the best interest of patients, families and employees. For instance, art selected for a women’s clinic is very different from what would be in a pediatric space or a specialty space like a physical therapy clinic. Pieces for each of these areas are selected to evoke very specific feelings and emotions while promoting healing.

Furniture requires a surprising amount of testing. There are mock-ups and simulation exercises to ensure the furniture is right for the space, fits functional needs, is easy to clean and maintain and is aesthetically pleasing. Evidence-based design principles become critical in making informed decisions, especially with the large amount of data supporting how furniture impacts work efficiency. The FPD team keeps this top of mind when working with furniture manufacturers.

Signage and wayfinding are an integral part of the patient and family experience. When the Facilities team lays out circulation within buildings, they want the path to be intuitive and easy to navigate as well as playful to distract young patients from what they are experiencing. Natural light, clear signage, calming art and Disney murals all play a role in making this happen.

With a palette of 20-30 approved colors, having so many options also help keep our hospitals fun and whimsical. Accent walls are kept “clean” by coordinating locations for thermostats, fire strobes and other infrastructure elements.

These elements and many more were incorporated into the design of two our most recent properties: the North Austin Campus and Pavilion for Women Tower II. A Central Texas landscape theme was used as the inspiration for the interior and exterior design and finishes, like the graphics in the wayfinding signage.  A courtyard for patients, families and team members sits in the center of the building for easy accessibility. The design also incorporated many sustainability principles, like re-using the water condensate from the air conditioning system to irrigate the landscape. The building earned an Austin Energy Green Building Council rating of three stars out of five for sustainable design.

With the Pavilion for Women Tower II being an existing space, FPD had a unique challenge to make the large, football field length floorplate feel welcoming. The design carefully divided the large floor into smaller pods of six to nine exams per pod with multiple pods on each floor. Each pod now has its own unique graphics and color theme to break up the floor. This helps patients feel like they are in smaller boutique clinics rather than one overwhelmingly large waiting room attached to 56 exam rooms.

Thanks to the careful attention paid to the design and architecture of Texas Children’s buildings, our spaces are warm, inviting and comforting to our patients and families. The Facilities, Planning and Development team continue to do great work and help us put our best (and most beautiful) foot forward!