November 26, 2019

 

An unprecedented future and unlimited possibilities were the talk of this year’s Health Plan Town Hall, hosted at the Bayou City Event Center on November 1.

The strong tone of optimism and opportunity was only made stronger by the event’s inclusion of Mark Wallace’s 30th anniversary celebration. Wallace, who is the president and chief executive officer of the Texas Children’s system, opened the event with an organizational overview and closed the event following a special film that documents his life and leadership.

Mark Mullarkey, president of Texas Children’s Health Plan, presented a “state of the health plan” to his nearly 900 employees who were enthusiastic and energized about the year ahead.

Fiscal Year 2019 accomplishments included …

  • People and Structure: The Health Plan opened over 100 incremental positions and better leveraged the subject matter expertise of 18 senior leaders.
  • Stronger Connection to the System: The Health Plan strengthened its connection to the Texas Children’s system and became an even more integral part of our One Amazing Team.
  • Focus: Health Plan leaders rallied around four key priorities to drive process improvement and operational excellence – Customer Obsession, Membership Growth, Effective and Efficient Operations, Highest Quality Care in a Cost Effective Manner.

In 2020, the focus will be on …

  • Continued intensity on the four key priorities listed above.
  • Assisting the Health and Human Services Commission (our state funding agency) as they attempt to reach the goals outlined in their new “Blueprint for a Healthy Texas.”

Links to visit:
The top10 things you should know about The Health Plan
HHSC’s Blueprint for a Healthy Texas
All about Mr. Wallace’s 30th anniversary and his legacy as the leader of our organization

After making the 1,500-mile trek to Houston, Mary Schaeffer reflects on her journey to Texas Children’s and how this life-changing career move was the best decision she ever made. Read more

The Woodlands Campus’ therapy dog, Cohen, recently turned two years old and the campus threw him a fabulous party. Employees, patients, and their families all gathered in the campus lobby where they were able to meet and take photos with the birthday boy.

Cohen arrived to The Woodlands Campus in July of this year as Texas Children’s Hospital’s first community campus therapy dog. He is a golden retriever, doodle mix, and is the fourth therapy dog in Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, which uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

His birthday festivities included a happy birthday song, games, popcorn, a cake and a host of balloons and other decorations that really set the scene.

Many leaders and executives came to wish Cohen a happy birthday, along with our President and CEO Mark Wallace.

As part of Prematurity Awareness Month in November, the March of Dimes activated “Operation NICU Parent Support” at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, delivering 25 care packages to parents of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“Most parents of NICU babies are not prepared for their newborn to be in the NICU,” said March of Dimes Development Manager Christine Chapman. “The March of Dimes wanted to make sure that they have what they need so they can spend time watching over their little one.”

Throughout the month, the organization gathered and delivered care packages that volunteers helped stock and organize for the NICU in The Woodlands. Almost 10 percent of the babies born last year in Montgomery County, where The Woodlands is located, were premature. About one in 10 infants nationwide are born before their 37th week.

“We are extremely appreciative of the support the March of Dimes provides the NICU here in The Woodlands,” said Susan Romero, assistant director of the NICU in The Woodlands. “It enhances the experience of families that are going through a lot.”

The Woodlands Rewards and Retention Committee recently presented the fourth quarter’s Woodlands Shining Star winners, Roxanne Vara, Assistant Clinical Director of Acute Care and Cynthia Sanders, Nurse Practitioner for Diabetes and Endocrine Care Center.

Vara goes out of her way to support not only her team but her patients and their families. Whether it is helping take vitals and giving medications, encouraging her staff to grow professionally, or assisting families in need, she exemplifies Texas Children’s core values in her everyday actions.

“When you have a leader that is more than ready to do any job, any role, it is wonderful role modeling,” Acute Care Unit Physician, Dr. Amrita Singh stated when talking about Vara. “She also does all of it with a wonderful, ‘go getter’ attitude. When you’re around her, or you bring a problem to her, you always feel like anything is possible!”

Sanders has won the hearts of both her co-workers and patients. Her true compassion and dedication shows through her everyday interactions and is every encouraging and contagious for her team.

“The morale of the team is given a boost, and it is during those rough times, that we can think back on what Cindy has said, and feel better about ourselves,” Karen Kelley, Ambulatory Services Representative explained.

Through her support and compassion for her patients, Sanders is dedicated to making sure her patients receive the needed treatment, education, and overall excellent care.

“Cynthia truly has the heart of a nurse and serves our patients with extreme kindness, compassion, and concern,” Registered Nurse Yvonne Barham said. “She consistently demonstrates this to our patients while providing excellent care.”

Congratulations Vara and Sanders and thank you for being the shining stars that you are and going above and beyond for our patients, families, and co-workers!

A year’s worth of planning and preparation came to fruition last month as Texas Children’s Hospital hosted the 24th Annual Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) Conference, bringing together experts from more than 40 national and international liver transplant centers.

The two-day event, designed for health care professionals involved in the care of pediatric liver transplant patients, featured speaker presentations, panel discussions, and case and poster presentations. Major discussion session topics included:

  • Unique Transplant Considerations
  • A Village Approach to Liver Intensive Care
  • Surgical and Interventional Considerations
  • The Many Faces of Rejection
  • Advocacy

Texas Children’s multidisciplinary approach to liver transplant care was on display throughout. Of the 36 presenters who spoke, 15 were from Texas Children’s and academic affiliate Baylor College of Medicine. This year’s SPLIT meeting also boasted the best attendance ever, with 236 attendees, which included physicians, surgeons, advanced practice providers, trainees, data and transplant coordinators, dietitians and social workers.

The event was spearheaded by Dr. Daniel Leung, Texas Children’s Director of Pediatric Hepatology and Liver Transplant Medicine, and the event’s Continuing Medical Education (CME) Activity Director; and Melissa Nugent, education coordinator for Transplant Services, who was the event organizer and the meeting’s Nurse Planner for Continuing Nursing Education. Thanks in large part to the planning committee, the conference was such a success that it won Texas Children’s award for Best CME Course.

The planning committed included:

  • Dr. John Goss, Medical Director of Transplant Services
  • Diesa Samp, Director of Transplant Services
  • Julie Economides, RN, SPLIT data coordinator at Texas Children’s

“It was an honor to be selected to host this year’s SPLIT Conference,” said Leung. “We not only showcased the breadth of our subspecialty expertise – including ICU, infectious diseases, immunology, interventional radiology, transfusion medicine, nephrology and others – all dedicated to pre- and post-lever transplant care at Texas Children’s, but we also continue to lead the country by example in how we collaborate and learn from one another. I am truly grateful for our special team of surgeons, hepatologists, coordinators, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers. It really does take a village.”

About SPLIT
The Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation is a unique multidisciplinary, multicenter consortium focused on optimizing outcomes pediatric liver transplantation through research, advocacy, and dissemination of best practice in this field. SPLIT is the only such academic body dedicated to pediatric liver transplantation.

About Transplant Services at Texas Children’s
Transplant Services at Texas Children’s was the nation’s largest pediatric transplant program in 2018, performing a remarkable 107 solid organ transplants including the highest volumes of pediatric liver, lung and kidney transplants.

Transplant Services provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referral to hospitalization and outpatient management. Our team of experts includes physicians and surgical advanced practice providers, transplant coordinators, pediatric ventricular assist device coordinators, perfusionists, child life specialists, dietitians, social workers, financial counselors, pharmacists, inpatient and outpatient nursing and support staff, Perioperative Services, physical and occupational therapists, Radiology, Pathology, our LifeGift partners, and many others.

Our depth of skill and service enables us to offer world-class care for patients, from newborns to young adults, in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. That expertise has allowed us to successfully treat some cases that other national and international programs might consider untreatable.

Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s Hospital.

November 25, 2019

When Jennifer Bryan showed up at the hospital to deliver her second child, she was in a considerable amount of pain, more than she had experienced with her first child, but not enough to request an epidural.

Desperate for relief, Jennifer asked for nitrous oxide, more commonly known as “laughing gas.” Being a labor and delivery nurse at the Pavilion for Women, she knew the hospital had just started offering the gas as a pain reliever for labor pain and was curious if it worked.

To her pleasant surprise, it did! About five minutes after inhaling the mixture of nitrous and oxygen through a face mask, Jennifer stopped feeling the pain of her contractions.

“It gave me some breathing room to decide whether to get an epidural or try to have natural child birth,” Jennifer said. “I would definitely do it again and am happy to be able to offer it to our patients.”

The Pavilion for Women started offering nitrous oxide for labor pain in October. The gas is administered via mask about 30 seconds before a contraction begins and is continuously breathed in until the contraction ends. Starting before a contraction begins helps the gas reach its full effect as the contraction reaches its peak.

No extra monitoring is required and there are no known effects on the baby. Nitrous oxide is the only pain relief method for labor that is cleared from the body through the lungs. As soon as a patient pulls the mask off, the effects of nitrous oxide quickly diminish.

“It’s fast acting and it’s fast to wear off,” said Kristin Thorp, assistant clinical director of nursing for the inpatient portion of the Women’s Assessment Center. “It’s a viable option for pain relief and women love it. It’s the No. 1 requested method of pain relief for labor pain.”

Since offering the new pain relief option several women have received it and many soon-to-be moms have inquired about it. Labor and delivery clinicians believe both of those numbers will continue to rise.

“All of my patients have responded positively when they’ve heard we are offering nitrous oxide for labor pain,” said Dr. Jennifer Bump, assistant director of Quality and Patient Safety for Obstetrics at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. “I think it’s an excellent option for our patients who want short-term relief and am happy to have the opportunity to offer it.”

Women can use nitrous oxide as an alternative to other pain management options, or they can use it for the reason Jennifer did, as a way to buy time while deciding to have natural child birth, have an epidural or have intravenous narcotics. Nitrous oxide cannot be used with intravenous narcotics. It also cannot be used by women who:

  • Cannot hold their own facemask
  • Have received a dose of narcotics in the past two hours
  • Have pernicious anemia or a B12 deficiency and are taking B12 supplements
  • Have one of a very few other rare medical conditions

Other situations in which nitrous oxide can be used and will be offered at the Pavilion for Women include external versions, IV starts, placement of cervical ripening balloons, manual removal of placenta and lacerations repair.