In addition to leveraging virtual town halls twice a year, Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jo Andre has launched a new monthly video series on Voice of Nursing that she and others will use to share brief updates about the nursing strategic plan and other timely topics including preparing nurses for the upcoming Nursing Engagement Survey. Read more
In celebration of Customer Service Week, Texas Children’s Health Plan ushered in their new Healthy Rewards Program, formerly known as the Value Added Services.
Employees gathered for lunch, catered by local restaurant Maria’s Kitchen, in celebration of all they do for our members. They also had a chance to learn more about the healthy rewards that members can receive through the revitalized effort.
As part of the insurance coverage that health plan members receive, they also have access to a variety of perks. These include:
To learn more about the Healthy Rewards Program visit healthyrewardsprogram.org. To learn more about the Health Plan’s dedication to becoming customer-obsessed read the latest edition of “Hayes on The Health Plan.”
Did you know that the pharmacy department dispenses over 300,000 doses of medication each month? With each dose, pharmacy personnel work with other members of the health care team to ensure the five rights of medication safety:
Right patient, Right medication, Right route, Right dose and Right time
Pharmacy would like to add one more right.
Right there when you need us, easy to reach and ready to help. Pharmacy can be right there whenever you need them to answer medication questions, educate patients and provide expertise in patient care.
Pharmacy Week is October 20 to 26. Join us in celebrating all that our Texas Children’s Pharmacy department does to ensure safe and effective medication use for our patients when they need it most!
As a Texas Children’s employee, it is important to make informed, thoughtful decisions about what you choose to post online. Read more
Cami Cannary and Milli Cruz are truly a dynamic duo. The mother and daughter both have faced pediatric cancer and fought it with everything they’ve got.
Cami was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 1989 and battled it with the help of Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, director of the Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Long-Term Survivor Program. Diagnosed with leukemia in 2018 when she was just 20 years old, Milli also is Dr. Dreyer’s patient, receiving care at Texas Children’s Cancer Center. She currently is in the maintenance phase of her treatment plan and is looking forward to completing her therapy in about a year.
“It’s been a long, tough road, but I’m getting to the good spots, and my mom has been a huge help,” Milli said. “She’s provided me with so much support and insight that only she could give.”
To celebrate how far they both have come, Milli and Cami, along with other cancer patients and survivors, walked the runway on October 11 at the 12th Annual Champions Luncheon and Fashion Show, formerly known as the Celebration of Champions, at River Oaks Country Club.
“Caregivers at Texas Children’s Cancer Center recognize that health concerns for childhood cancer patients do not end when their cancer treatment is successfully completed,” said Dr. Susan Blaney, Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers. “The Long-Term Survivor Program, which currently follows about 1,500 pediatric cancer survivors, has developed an international reputation as a leader in the field and has attracted world-renowned faculty involved in local, national and international research that benefits today’s pediatric cancer patients and future survivors.”
During the event, pediatric cancer patients and survivors from Texas Children’s Cancer Center were escorted down the runway by local philanthropists or “Community Champions.” Milli and Cami were paired with Dreyer, who said she has never cared for both a parent and a child during her career at Texas Children’s.
“These two women are very special,” Dreyer said. “They have a powerful bond, and I’m so glad they are getting to celebrate that today at this beautiful event.”
View photos from the event below.
Five-year-old Gatlin Massey walked the runway with Ed and Gwen Emmett. Ed Emmett served as Harris County Judge for 12 years and is now a professor at Rice University, a senior fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and a distinguished senior fellow at Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute. Gwen Emmett is active in the community on many levels and is currently board chair for Baker Ripley. Her passion is children and making them safe and capable young adults.
“It’s absolutely wonderful to be part of something so special,” Gwen Emmett said.
The Champions Luncheon was chaired by Sidney Faust, Judi McGee, Elsie Eckert and Scott Basinger, who have overseen the luncheon each year since its inception. Thanks to underwriting by Faust Distributing Company and Mach Industrial Group, Inc., each patient was able to keep his or her hand-picked outfit – much to the delight of the “models.”
All funds raised during the luncheon will benefit Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Long-Term Survivor Program, one of the nation’s only long-term childhood cancer survivor programs that sees survivors through adulthood. Today, more than 37,000 survivors treated at 138 clinics around the world are using Passport for Care, a free online resource developed at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine that provides individualized health care information to guide care for effects from childhood cancer treatment. Patients who are not signed up through their clinic may benefit from Passport for Care’s resources by using the newly-developed Screenings Recommendations Generator.
The Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic in McAllen, Texas, a site of Texas Children’s Cancer Center, hosted a similar fundraising event on September 25. The 6th Annual Celebration of Heroes Fashion Show and Luncheon was held at the McAllen Convention Center and raised over $140,000. All proceeds benefitted the Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic’s Charitable Care Program. For more information about Vannie Cook, click here.
Stop for a minute and let’s go back in time. Let’s travel back to 1989. Where were you? What were you doing? What were you planning and hoping for?
It may take you some time to remember; but for Mark Wallace, our president and CEO, the memories are vivid. That was the year he took leadership of our organization and started living out his destiny to make Texas Children’s one of the best hospitals in the nation.
In celebration of that year, we thought it would be fun to flash back and relive what was going on in the world. Reading these fun facts might trigger a few memories of your own.
Memorable events of 1989
The cost of living in 1989
Most popular movies of 1989
Most popular television shows of 1989
Top 10 Songs of 1989 (Billboard Hot 100)
Quotes/Sayings that entered pop culture in 1989
It was a busy year and these are just a few snapshots of what happened. Did you enjoy your trip down memory lane? To learn what was going on at Texas Children’s in 1989 and all the ways we’ve grown since, check out the special microsite honoring Mr. Wallace at https://www.markawallace30years.org/
Make sure to visit the Guest Book and post a note of congratulations!
Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropolous is routinely one of the first people in line at the earliest scheduled Employee Health flu vaccine event, and this year was no different. A short time after the Employee Health team started giving out flu shots on The Auxiliary Bridge, Andropolous rolled up his sleeve and stepped up to the plate to get his vaccine.
“I come down every year and get my shot so that I can protect our patients and myself from getting the flu, an illness that for anybody is a really bad experience, but for many of our patients, can be life threatening,” Andropolous said, adding that Texas Children’s makes it extremely easy for employees to get the flu vaccine. “It took me less than three minutes, and it didn’t hurt a bit.”
More than 5,000 employees have taken the lead in getting their flu shots so far this year. Employees who receive their flu vaccine by November 1, 2019, will be entered into a drawing to win one of 25 Nutri Ninja Pro Blenders. Employee Health will notify the winners via email on Friday, November 8. To view the Employee Health flu vaccine event schedule, click here.
Employee Health will administer flu vaccines at no cost to Texas Children’s employees; Baylor College of Medicine employees working at Texas Children’s facilities; Morrison, Crothall, or Compass contract employees; and volunteers at Texas Children’s. Upon vaccination at Texas Children’s, staff will receive a 2019-20 flu season sticker to affix to their badges.
To reduce wait times at the flu vaccination events, employees are recommended to complete their Flu Vaccine Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal prior to attending the event.* Click here to view a quick video tutorial on how to access the Flu Vaccine Consent Form online. Click here for instructions on how to log in to the portal or click here to view step-by-step instructions.
Employees at Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Urgent Care, and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Centers may be vaccinated at their respective practices, please speak to your leader for more information. Employees who work remotely may be referred to a designated occupational health clinic by Employee Health, or can receive their vaccine covered at 100 percent through Texas Children’s medical plan when administered by an in-network pharmacy under medical coverage.
View photos of your colleagues getting their flu shot below.
Employees who receive their flu vaccine outside of Texas Children’s must submit their attestation and proof of vaccination via this online form.
Employees who decline the flu vaccine for approved exemptions may be required to use protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. For more details, see Required Influenza Vaccination Policy #317 and Procedure #4218.
If you have questions about the Flu Program, contact Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2.
