May 26, 2020

While we continue to safeguard our patients, families and staff from COVID-19, we must also make necessary preparations for this year’s hurricane season. According to StormGeo, Texas Children’s Meteorological data provider, the 2020 Hurricane Season, beginning June 1 and ending November 30, is expected to be above normal, producing up to eight hurricanes, four of which are predicted to be major storms.

Preparing for this year’s hurricane season will look much like it has in the past, but with a few tweaks due to the additional safety precautions and protocols we have in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These tweaks as well as tips on how to prepare yourself and your family for this year’s hurricane season are below.

“We understand that everyone is already in a heightened level of awareness and preparedness due to COVID-19. Hurricane season is something that occurs every year and we as an institution are consistently prepared and resilient no matter what it may bring,” said Aaron Freedkin with Emergency Management. “Texas Children’s has thorough hurricane plans in place and we are working to incorporate all appropriate COVID-19 precautions. Most importantly, we are confident that our One Amazing Team will rise to the occasion if we need to activate these plans.”

Employee Disaster Roster

First and foremost, we need employees to register for a team within the Employee Disaster Roster by June 12. Important considerations specifically for 2020:

  • Staff who are flexed down to zero hours will not be required to register at this time
  • Team selections should not be based on an employee’s current or future “flexed down” status
  • Staffing decisions will be based on business and clinical requirements at the time of the disaster declaration

If you have not already done so, please go to the Employee Disaster Roster in MOLI and make your 2020 selection for the Prep Team, Ride-Out Team, and/or Relief Team.  Any exemptions must be entered into the system and approved by your supervisor. Please contact the Organizational Resilience Department at EmergencyMgmt@texaschildrens.org with questions.

Ride-Out

As mentioned above, the size of the Ride-Out Team this year should it be called to action could be significantly smaller than in the past due to decreased clinical activity and heightened safety precautions. In addition, Texas Children’s has historically provided on-site accommodations for Ride-Out Team members. These accommodations will still be available; however, they will take social distancing into account. Organizational Resilience is working with Infection Control, Facilities and the Incident Command Planning Section Leadership to finalize these considerations and determine how they will be implemented.

Preparedness Presentations and Bridge Event

Normally, Organizational Resilience gives in-person hurricane preparedness presentations to requesting departments. This year, these presentations will be given virtually via Microsoft Teams. To request a presentation, please email EmergencyMgmt@texaschildrens.org.

The annual Hurricane Preparedness Bridge Event will also be virtual this year via Microsoft Teams Live. The event, scheduled for June 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will include presentations from Texas Children’s Wellness Team, the Employee Assistance Program and the National Weather Service. Additional information about the virtual event will be communicated soon.

Personal Preparedness

When a storm or hurricane threatens, the best thing you can do is be prepared. That means getting your home and belongings ready to withstand wind and water, and ensuring the safety of your family, pets and loved ones. Once all of this is done, you can focus on helping our patients and families continue to receive the medical care they need. Here are some simple steps to help you get prepared.

Evacuation

  • Sign up for emergency alerts. You can find them at ready.gov/prepare.
  • Check with Texas Department of Transportation or Office of Emergency Management for evacuation routes near you.
  • Know where your nearest emergency shelters are. Download FEMA’s app at fema.org/mobile-app.
  • Keep your gas tank full and buy extra gasoline for your vehicle or generator. Be sure to store it safely in approved containers.

At Home

  • If necessary, board up your windows.
  • Keep gutters and drains free of debris.
  • Install “check valves” in sewer lines to prevent floodwater from backing up into your drains.
  • Set your freezer and refrigerator to the coldest setting to make food last as long as possible without electricity.
  • Put containers of water in your freezer to fill up any extra space.
  • Fill bathtubs with water which can help with cleaning and flushing toilets.
  • Bring in all loose objects from your yard and patio.
  • Charge your cellphone and an extra battery. Buy a car charger if you haven’t already.
  • Program emergency contacts into your phone.
  • If you have an emergency generator, test it to make sure it works properly. Buy extra cans of gasoline in case of power loss after a storm.

Protect Important Documents

Store the following documents in clear, portable, airproof and waterproof containers:

  • Passports and Social Security cards.
  • Prescription information and immunization records.
  • Customer service phone numbers and account numbers for banks and credit cards.
  • Birth, marriage and death certificates.
  • Insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks, bonds and other valuables.

Communication

  • During and after a crisis, people can become separated and communication lines can become jammed. Avoid chaos by developing a plan beforehand.
  • Establish a place to meet near home.
  • Select a friend or relative who lives outside the region to be your contact.
  • Take a cellphone charger when you evacuate.

Pantry

  • Water – Buy and store plenty of extra water.
  • Food – Purchase enough for at least three days.
  • Utensils -Don’t forget a hand-held can opener.
  • Fuel – Have wood, charcoal or propane handy.
  • Pets – Make sure you have extra food and water for your pets.
  • Medication – Refill prescriptions and have other regularly used medical supplies on hand.

Disaster Bag

If you are called to one of our locations to help keep operations up and running during a storm, you will want to take a piece of home with you to make your stay as safe and comfortable as possible. That’s why having a disaster preparedness bag ready to go is important. Here are some of the things you should pack.

  • Your Texas Children’s/Baylor employee badge
  • Sleeping bags or linens, blankets, and a pillow
  • Change of clothing, uniforms, undergarments and sleepwear
  • Comfortable shoes and socks
  • Personal toiletries, towels and washcloths
  • Prescription and over-the-counter medications
  • Cash and small change
  • Nonperishable* food, special dietary requirements and snacks
  • Bottled water
  • Diversional activities (no electronic devices)
  • Phone, charger and list of important phone numbers
  • *Examples of nonperishable food items include:
    • Bottled water, Gatorade, box juices
    • Peanut butter
    • Nuts
    • Granola bars
    • Any type of breakfast bar
    • Baked beans
    • Tuna or other canned meats
    • Jerky
    • Crackers
    • Fruit cups
    • Fresh fruit, e.g., bananas, apples
    • Puddings
    • Hard candies
Update Your Information

Making sure your contact information is up to date in MOLI is key to receiving essential communications during a hurricane or other emergency. You don’t want to miss out on key information. To update your information, click here.

For more information, go to Texas Children’s Emergency Management page on Connect.

All employees have access to EAP Plus for 24-7 counseling services, solutions for child, elder and pet care, guides for maintaining your emotional and psychological health on the front lines, tips for working from home and much more to help you navigate this challenging situation.

Find more information on the COVID-19 Resources site under “Employee Assistance,” including instructions for contacting EAP Plus by phone or visiting online.

Remembrance 

The following passage was written by Texas Children’s Chaplain Natalie Peters.

This week marks a national holiday, Memorial Day, during which we remember fallen members of the military. As a chaplain, I can identify with the significance of this day but believe it fits a wider audience, especially this year. The world has experienced so much loss and change over the past few months, I can’t help but feel that every day could be Memorial Day.

Memorial Day signifies the fallen and the world has fallen victim to coronavirus. We all have fallen victim in one way or another whether it be having a personal connection to the stories we hear about the virus, knowing someone who has tested positive for the virus or having heard stories about the virus. All of our lives have been uprooted on so many levels. Businesses are struggling to survive, families are still contending with visitor restrictions, and so on and so forth. Many have fallen victim to this pandemic and we are often caught remembering what life was before.

The Oxford Dictionary defines remembrance as: “The action of remembering something. A flash of understanding or remembrance passed between them.” We all are having to digest that life after the pandemic will never be the same, and we all are trying to define and navigate our new normal. Remembering is part of that process. Remembering people, experiences, places, even moments helps us move on.

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I was in band from middle school through college and my parents instilled in me a love for music from at an early age. As a result, I have quite an eclectic mix of music that speaks to me. I am an avid concertgoer and was looking forward to seeing so many great shows this summer and fall but that all has changed as tours have been postponed or canceled altogether. I will miss being able to sing my favorite songs with crowds of people. I remember moments from concerts where the performer hits the note just right, gets the crowd going, and strikes an emotional cord. These experiences have given me a lot of joy, and I do not know how they will look from here on out.

As I dwell on my concert experiences from the past, I also look forward to the future. I will be able to enjoy my concerts again. It will look and feel drastically different but as I remember what used to be, I am reminded of just how much to look forward to. The events of the past and how we have experienced them individually and communally propel us into the future and our new normal. I believe these new normal will include dining at your favorite restaurant, seeing your family, being able to travel and so much more. As we remember the past and the fallen, let’s continue to work together as a family and navigate our ‘new normal together.

May 20, 2020

After months of planning and renovating, the Department of Radiology is excited to announce that it has installed a brand new state-of-the art 3 Tesla MRI unit at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The Siemens 3T unit is one of now two MRIs at West Campus.

The ultra-high magnetic field strength of 3 Tesla will allow for:

  • Higher resolution imaging with optimized contrast
  • Bio-matrix guided imaging for faster scanning
  • Improved and expanded functional MRI capabilities

In addition, the modern design and high-end technology has multiple additional advantages including:

  • Wide Bore to accommodate a better fit and enhanced accessibility to the patient
  • Virtual Cockpit – Siemens scanner access from other locations Texas Children’s locations.

“This is a very exciting step toward broadening the scope of highly specialized care we can offer our patients in the West Houston area,” said Radiologist-in-Chief Dr. Thierry A. Huisman. “One of our main goals in the Department of Radiology, and across the Texas Children’s system, is to provide the right care, at the right time at the right place. The addition of the Siemens 3T helps us do that more so than ever.”

The room where the new MRI unit is housed was designed specifically for children. Covered in an aquatic-themed mural, the soothing ambiance helps reduce anxiety and decrease the need for sedation.

“We also use MRI- safe video goggles designed specifically to assist patients in MRI with minimizing claustrophobia and anxiety,” Huisman said, adding that children can pick a movie to watch during their procedure. “These goggles create a 3D virtual entertainment environment while reducing MRI noise.”

Due to the use of this entertainment environment and child-friendly atmosphere, 70 percent of MRI exams are now performed without sedation.

The addition of the Siemens 3T MRI adds to what is already a comprehensive suite of radiology services offered at West Campus. What is now offered at the community hospital is:

  • MRI (1.5 T and 3T)
  • CT
  • Ultrasound
  • X-ray and Fluoroscopy
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Multiple subspecialty pediatric radiology expertise including Musculoskeletal Radiology, Neuroradiology, Cardiac Imaging and much more.

“I’m very excited about what this new addition will bring to the hospital, our medical staff, and most importantly, our patients,” Huisman said.

May 19, 2020

Nell Jenkins, a patient care manager for the cardiac patient care unit at Texas Children’s Legacy Tower, shares her courageous battle and recovery from COVID-19 and what she is doing to help other patients who are fighting this virus. Read more

May 18, 2020

As Texas Children’s begins its fifth official week of phased reopening and redesign, the organization continues to focus on a careful, strategic plan that supports family-centered care for our patients and meets our organizational expectations around quality and safety.

What this means for our patients and families is that services will open in phases, not all at once. For employees, a phased reopening means some of us will resume a full work schedule either at home or at one of our Texas Children’s facilities sooner than others.

“Patience and prudence are key,” said Chief Information and Innovation Officer Myra Davis. “We want to ensure everything we do operationally is safe and volume-driven. This means that just as we flexed down to demand, we will also flex back up to demand, where appropriate. The next few weeks and months ahead will be a thoughtful balance between the two and will help pave the way toward a successful future.”

Davis, along with Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier and Executive Vice President Dan DiPrisco, are leading the Phased Reopen and Redesign Command for Texas Children’s.

Signs of success

Two areas of our system that have seen early success during the phased reopening and redesign are Surgery and Radiology. Since reopening in late April, the Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Services have opened schedules in operating rooms across the system to nearly 50 percent capacity. To date, 700-plus cases have been completed at our community locations and more than 1,000 pediatric and women’s cases have been conducted at the Texas Medical Center Campus.

Two weeks ago, Radiology began its phased reopening and redesign, aiming for 50 percent of pre-COVID-19 imaging volume that week. The service line exceeded that goal, completing more than 640 studies per day. Pre-COVID-19, daily activity across the system was about 1,100 studies per day. During COVID-19, daily activity dropped to 350-400 studies per day. As a result of the steady uptick in patient volume, Radiology has completely reopened all of its appointments.

“We are encouraged by the quick response from the community to our thoughtful and agile reopening and redesign plans,” said Radiologist-in-Chief Dr. Thierry Huisman. “We are committed to continuing to serve our patients and families while keeping them and our staff safe and healthy during this pandemic.”

Hollier said his department plans to thoughtfully open additional ORs to match demand, all while maintaining social distancing protocols and other rigorous safety measures.

“Our primary goal has been and always will be to keep our patients and families safe and healthy,” he said.

Safety first

Safety measures and protocols have been put into place to protect our patients and families during their entire experience with Texas Children’s. This experience begins before they walk into one of our facilities and doesn’t end until long after they leave.

Before anybody comes into our facilities, they’re screened, to the best of our ability to make sure they are safe and healthy. This means all doctors, nurses, staff, patients and family members. Once they’re inside, everyone is required to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing.

“We want to respect these rules because we feel they protect patients from contracting the virus,” Hollier said. “We also feel it’s very important to test patients who are undergoing surgery and other procedures for COVID-19.”

No more than 48 hours before a surgical procedure, patients will receive a COVID-19 test, typically at one of our drive-through facilities for convenience. If the test is negative, the surgical procedure will proceed. If a patient tests positive for the coronavirus, the procedure will be delayed and retesting will occur to ensure the patient is negative before they undergo surgical or any other procedure that deems prior testing.

Radiology implemented a new process that allows patients to wait in their vehicle and call from the parking lot/garage upon arrival at our community locations, rather than entering the building and having to sit in the waiting area. Radiology services at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands went live with pre check-in for patients who have a MyChart account. After a brief trial period, Radiology will implement this at West Campus and at our Medical Center Campus as well.

A mom who had rescheduled her daughter’s MRI due to safety concerns related to COVID-19, said she was relieved to learn about all of the safety measures and protocols Texas Children’s has in place to protect patients and families.

“Everything was easy and very smooth,” the mom said. “I appreciated calling from the garage, and I felt very safe.”

To learn more about additional precautions Texas Children’s is taking to protect our patients, families and staff click here.

Moving forward

This week, we launched plans for the reopening of our Ambulatory services and are working to ensure our facilities can accommodate increased activity while maintaining infection control guidelines.

Ramping our services back up at Texas Children’s is a welcoming indicator. It’s exciting, but this is merely the start for us. We are reopening thoughtfully and in phases, based on where we have the most demand for our services.

It will take much more time and careful planning to reopen completely. But moving strategically is what will restore us for the long-term, and what will ultimately ensure our organization’s future success and sturdiness.

“Thank you for all you are doing,” DiPrisco said. “The care you are providing for our patients and their families through this evolving situation is outstanding and proves that our challenges of the past few months have made us even better equipped for what’s ahead.”

 

In less than a year, the Member Services team at Texas Children’s Health Plan has completely transformed the way they work, the way they win, and the way they are regarded across the system. A true Cinderella story.

Once known for struggling to meet performance expectations, Member Services now shines in team spirit, employee performance, and the delivery of services to members and providers.

April 2020 marked the most successful performance month for the department in over four years – an accomplishment that is beyond remarkable considering the changes they’ve faced during the current global pandemic.

A comparison of May 2019 and April 2020 demonstrates a number of key accomplishments including but not limited to an increased answer rate of 19 percent, decreased abandonment rate of 7 percent, and a decreased rollover rate of 22 percent to our back up vendor.

“I am so proud of my team and what we have been able to accomplish together. Most importantly, I am especially pleased that our improvements are having a positive impact on the members and providers that depend on us,” said Opera Wagner-Ross, director of Member Services.

Wagner-Ross, who joined the Health Plan in May of 2019, is the undeniable linchpin who has made this transformation possible; however, she doesn’t see it that way. She readily credits her team and the incredible leadership she has received from Richelle Fleischer, senior vice president; and Mark Mullarkey, president of Texas Children’s Health Plan and executive vice president of Texas Children’s Hospital.

“Even the best leaders benefit from good leadership,” she said. I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with both Richelle and Mark. They are both dynamic leaders with high expectations. I have learned a great deal over the past year and feel lucky to be a part of the team.” Wagner-Ross went on to say that having great coworkers and a friendly dose of competiveness is also a great motivator. She credits the Claims department at the Health Plan as being an inspiration and a motivator.

“April Riggs, director of Claims, and her team have been very successful in turning things around in the Claims Department. She has been a great partner in that she challenges me, holds me accountable, and can be counted on to make me laugh when faced with challenging situations. She’s the best!”

So how did they do it? How exactly did they spark this kind of change within the department?

Here are the major keys:

  • A defined career path for members of the team. By creating a clear career path, employees understood what their options were for growth. With increased opportunity for growth, department retention improved.
  • An increase in the number of Spanish speaking agents. A large percentage of health plan members speak Spanish; however only 16 percent of our agents spoke the language. Today, that number sits at 46 percent.
  • Appropriate span of control for managers. With a more appropriate span of control, managers are now able to provide better support, coaching and accountability to their teams.
  • Improvement in the training of employees. Staff members received an increased amount of training including a special course taught by the Patient Experience staff, which specifically focused on customer service.
  • Allowing data to drive change. Whether it was a process to improve, a system to introduce or a technology to enhance, all decisions were made based on information.
  • Improvement in the quality of all phone calls. Increased quality review and monitoring of phone calls and improved handling of escalations with a focus on customer satisfaction.
  • Celebrating the small wins. The team looks for every reason to celebrate and highlight accomplishments.

Wagner-Ross says that as a leader she really doesn’t have a secret sauce. She simply believes in finding the right people and always looking for opportunities to improve.