If your working hours have been temporarily changed because of how our operations have been impacted by this pandemic, your Texas Children’s benefits coverage still remains the same.
Hit the “What’s New” button on the front page of the COVID-19 Resources site for the latest information and updates on available benefits and community resources, including your:
403(b) Savings Plan
Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account
Health Care Flexible Spending and Reimbursement Accounts
Texas Children’s Health Plan is continuing its pursuit of an accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This is the most widely-recognized accreditation program in the United States and going through the process demonstrates the health plan’s commitment to quality.
“The fact that we are continuing our process in the face of COVID-19 demonstrates the high level of commitment we have to our members,” said Emmalou Torres Cabrera, Director of Quality Management at Texas Children’s Health Plan. “The quality of our care isn’t wavering due to this pandemic. In fact, we are working to ensure that we raise the bar even more so.”
The first big milestone in the process was completed on April 14 with the submission of 262 documents. The next step is preparing for the file review that surveyors will focus on during the virtual audit, which replaces the onsite visit on June 1 and June 2.
Cabrera extends appreciation to everyone involved in the process, with special recognition to Quality Improvement Specialists Rosendo Cardoso Gonzalez, Jeremiah Judkins and Joshua Fernelius.
NCQA surveyors will ensure that the health plan is meeting quality standards in the following areas:
Quality Management and Improvement
Population Health Management
Network Management
Utilization Management
Credentialing and Re-credentialing
Members’ Rights and Responsibilities
Member Connections
For more information about the National Committee Quality for Assurance, visit NCQA.org
Michael Mizwa has been named Chief Executive Officer of Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Mizwa has served as the Chief Operating Officer and senior vice president of BIPAI since 2010. His vision and his strategic planning with BIPAI leaders throughout the network has resulted in the organization being internationally recognized for excellence in patient care, research and education.
Mizwa has 33 years of experience in non-profit HIV/AIDS prevention and social services and extensive experience globally in pediatric HIV/AIDS program development, administration and management, human resources development and government relations.
He has received numerous local, state, and national awards in HIV prevention and leadership, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Price Fellowship in HIV Prevention Leadership for developing the first HIV/AIDS offender education training-of-trainers program throughout the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
“I know that you all join me in thanking Mike for accepting the position of CEO,” said BIPAI Board Chair Claire Bassett. “He has the full support of the BIPAI board and the leadership of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital.”
Bassett added that everyone invested in BIPAI can take great pride in the advances that have been made since the organization began 20 years ago but there is still much to be done for the children and families in the BIPAI network.
For more information about BIPAI and the work they do for children and families across the globe, click here.
Facing vulnerability
The following passage was written by Texas Children’s Chaplain James Denham.
We made it to May! I celebrate that we have walked through the beginning of all of this. I, like you, am tired. As Mark Wallace encouraged us in his blog post, we are filling in the gaps for each other when our journeys through the past two months have challenged us and tired us out. We fill the gaps and get through it.
Sometimes, we get through because of some things that mean a lot to us, like a smile or stirring music or amazing food or that beautiful beach we love. Most times, though, it is people who show us the way and lead us with their extraordinary compassion. Brene Brown writes that “To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees – these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude and grace.” Indeed, her words ring powerfully true to me. It is a true wonder to me to see just how many people here at Texas Children’s embody this quote.
I wonder who you know here at Texas Children’s who leads by loving others so fiercely? I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads through their whole hearted belief and grace? I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads through facing vulnerability with joy? I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads by fulling engaging in their life and work here in the face of uncertainty? The answer I trust is many. And I trust that there are specific names who come to mind too. These are the people who inspire strength in us, who engender positivity or teamwork, who sustain our faith when we need it, who inspire us to love and lead more fiercely, even when we feel vulnerable.
My answer to this: our Texas Children’s nurses, across the board. I stand amazed at these nurses who embody Brene Brown’s words. During this pandemic and our response, they stand face to face with patients, adults, kids, mothers, fathers, and others who bring their vulnerability, and they have loved their patients fiercely through advocacy and genuineness regardless of the PPE they wear, celebrated moments and progresses through masks, believe in serving the those are sick with their whole heart, and who yet embody the joy of ordinary things, gratitude for life, grace towards others, and grit that we all need. This week as we begin the move into May and the march to summer with lots of uncertainty, we march forward with the fierce strength of our nurses, and the fierce strength of one another at Texas Children’s.
What I am challenging you to do is not be afraid to face the vulnerability of our lives now, not with just your own resources, but with the presence of others who can encourage us on through these times. In the kid’s book, Wonder, R.J. Palacio states this: “Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” Our nurses embody those qualities. And you and I know others who do too, whether staff here or your kids or neighbors or those at your place of worship. Be grateful and let them know how you appreciate them. Tell a story to others about them. Call them. Show your joy for the people that get you through. And then just like them, let courage, fierce love, kindness, friendship, and character define you too.
May 1, 2020
Effective May 1, any member of the Texas Children’s workforce (employees, Baylor faculty or staff members) are permitted to travel anywhere within the state of Texas via ground transportation and will not be subject to a 14 day quarantine upon return, provided the workforce member is asymptomatic.
However, if the in-state travel is 150 miles or greater from your normal work location, you will still be required to complete this Travel Declaration Form to ensure you are asymptomatic upon return.
We will continue to ask that all workforce members refrain from traveling by airplane, or to any location outside of Texas at this time. Those who do will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return, and will need to use PTO for the duration of their quarantine period or take an unpaid leave.
Lastly, given that the pandemic will remain a fluid situation for the foreseeable future, we advise all employees that these travel restrictions could change quickly if areas of the state encounter a sudden surge in activity. Should that happen while an employee is visiting an impacted location, he or she will be required to self-quarantine upon return, and will need to use PTO or take unpaid leave.
If you must travel, please click here for guidance and additional information about how to protect yourself and others during your trip.
April 30, 2020
More than 50 Houston high-school students are sending a special message to the Texas Children’s caregivers and health care professionals on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19: “Thank you for being our heroes.”
The students – all part of Hillary Houle’s class at Episcopal High School – recently wrote letters to express their gratitude for the hard work and sacrifices the entire local medical community has made in response to this pandemic.
With many in her class feeling anxious and concerned about all that has transpired with COVID-19 over the last few months, Houle wanted to provide a way for students to battle that inner darkness by bringing light to doctors, nurses and others experiencing stress during this crisis.
“I am writing to you today to let you know how much you are appreciated,” Natalie, a senior, said in her letter. “You are doing so much and so many look up to you as a leader, as well as myself. Thank you for all that you do. To make a difference in one person’s life is to make a difference in the world.”
To make sure our One Amazing Team and employees at health care organizations around the area could read and be encouraged by the students’ heartfelt sentiments of hope and appreciation, Houle uploaded each letter to a digital drop box for convenient access.
She’s adding more letters to the file as she receives them, and hopes her students’ efforts will inspire more teachers and young people to reach out with kindness and compassion at a time when so many who work in health care need it the most.
“While we may be trapped in our homes, we can still send love and light and gratitude out into the world,” Houle told ABC 13.
Click here to read the students’ letters for yourself.
April 28, 2020
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Texas Children’s has remained focused on caring for our patients and their families while preserving their safety and the safety of our workforce. One area where this is especially important is in the operating room where the risks of contagion could be higher than the average hospital setting.
“The operating room is a high-risk environment because of the potential to need to intubate and extubate patients,” said Children’s Surgery Program Manager Joyce Enochs. “Both of these procedures generate aerosolized particles, which can put medical workers at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 from an infected patient.”
To protect the perioperative staff from any undo exposure or risk, the Departments of Surgery and Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine have taken a two-phased approach in protecting families and staff alike. The first phase entailed creating a training program for a new care paradigm for potential COVID patients. Dr. Chris Glover, medical director of Perioperative Services, in conjunction with Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative and Pain Medicine Simulation Committee Members – Dr. David Young, Dr. Lisa Caplan, and Dr. Kathleen Chen – created the program from the ground up to reinforce this new workflow.
The program includes an information session where team members learned about COVID-19 and how Texas Children’s employees are protecting themselves from the disease; a simulation where team members learn how to don and doff PPE appropriately and confidently; and a simulation where team members transport a mock patient from an intensive care setting into the operating room, intubate them, return to the intensive care unit.
In addition, the training covers additional precautions to limit transmission risk in the operating room. These precautions include modifications during intubation and extubation, such as the use of N95 masks and goggles, as well as the incorporation of High Efficiency Particle Air or HEPA filters on the anesthesia circuits to filter out particles and ensure that none are emitted into the air. Another effort to mitigate aerosolization in the operating room is modifying induction techniques by using plastic barriers for patients.
The second phase of this new care approach is the incorporation of expanded testing so that every patient presenting for surgery receives COVID-19 testing prior to arrival. This further answers concerns on potential exposures of our perioperative staff as well as taking a judicious approach to appropriately utilize PPE.
“This is an overarching effort to ensure our health care workers, our folks who are on the frontlines, are protected as we’re dealing with this unprecedented event,” Gover said “For us to proceed along this pathway, we’ve had a lot of support and guidance throughout the organization.”
Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos agreed and said the efforts and countless hours from the anesthesiologists who led this simulation training should be commended. “Not only are they leading at Texas Children’s Hospital, but they are setting standards for potential future outbreaks at all Children’s hospitals,” Andropoulos said.
The training positions the team well as it continues to prepare to care for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and as the team begins to take on elective surgeries again. In light of Gov. Abbott’s decision to loosen restrictions put in place for elective surgeries, the Department of Surgery is prioritizing cases that initially may not have been urgent, but are now more important due to the several week delay.
“Through a phased approach, our surgical team is working through the large number of cases that are pressing, primarily outpatient cases, and prioritizing them appropriately based on a variety of factors,” said Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “During the previous order, Texas Children’s continued to serve patients who needed us while remaining mindful of the impact elective surgeries may have had on critical supplies and resources. We remain prepared to care for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and cognizant of our supply levels while providing the best care possible to all patients, as we are here for them during this time and beyond.”
