February 26, 2024

Thanks to our long-standing institutional commitment to the highest standards of surgical care, we are proud to share the American College of Surgeons (ACS) recently reverified Texas Children’s Hospital in the Medical Center as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center and Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, and accredited The Woodlands Campus as an Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Center.

ACS Quality Programs use the best data, expert input and proven processes to help surgical care teams across the nation deliver the highest quality care. As a participant in multiple programs, Texas Children’s has earned distinction as an ACS Surgical Quality Partner in these three areas.

“As one of the very first children’s hospitals in the country verified by the American College of Surgeons, we are proud that we have now successfully completed three rounds of rigorous surveys,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “Additionally, we are honored to be one of only seven children’s hospitals recognized as an adolescent bariatric surgery center in the country.”

ACS-verified Trauma Centers must meet essential criteria to ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance. Verified since 2010, Texas Children’s Hospital is the only freestanding Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in our region, providing comprehensive around-the-clock coverage to evaluate and treat the most severely injured children and adolescents. Our trauma process improvement program carefully monitors and evaluates patient care and system performance while ensuring implementation of a safety-first culture.

Texas Children’s Hospital was one of the first Level I Children’s Surgery Centers to earn the distinction in 2016. A Level I verification requires us to provide surgery and anesthesia for all major pediatric specialties for children of all ages, from premature infants to adolescents. In addition to robust data collection, outcomes assessment and quality improvement efforts, the hospital must also have the highest level NICU and pediatric emergency medicine physicians and radiologists available all day, every day.

The process for ACS verification includes 12 to 18 months of rigorous preparation and collaboration. Both the Trauma and Children’s Surgery programs surveyed under new ACS standards, which required compliance with elevated metrics for multiple surgical and non-surgical subspecialties and allied health teams.

Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands is home to the only adolescent bariatric surgery center in the state with a multidisciplinary clinical staff certified to meet the surgical, medical and psychological needs of its patients. Last year, they met the rigorous criteria to receive national accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the ACS. Click here to read our previous story with more details on their inaugural accreditation.

Congratulations to our surgical teams on these outstanding accomplishments!

Texas Children’s is committed not only to providing exceptional care to our patients but also to fostering the growth and development of health care professionals. We believe in taking proactive steps to cultivate talent within our organization and the broader health care community. That’s why we are thrilled to announce our Surgical Technology Entrance into Practice Program (STEPP).

We’re STEPPing Up

STEPP is our latest approach to creating a pipeline of skilled surgical technologists who will enrich our workforce. Designed exclusively for students enrolled in the Houston Community College (HCC) Coleman College for Health Sciences Surgical Technology program, STEPP offers students financial assistance toward the completion of their education and opens doors for potential job placement within our hospital. This program not only benefits Texas Children’s by ensuring we have a skilled and dedicated team of surgical technologists but also contributes to the overall improvement of patient care in our community. We look forward to providing aspiring surgical technologists with the support and resources they need to succeed.

You can step up, too!

As we champion the growth and development of tomorrow’s health care professionals, we want to empower you to shape our talented surgical teams today.

Employees who refer qualified Surgical Technologist I & II candidates through our Everyone is A Recruiter Now (E.A.R.N.) program will receive a reward of $5,000 for each successful referral.

Here’s how the E.A.R.N. program works:

Refer: Share career opportunities at Texas Children’s with your network through Voyager. Ensure your referral includes your complete name under the “How did you hear about us?” section. Your referral should complete their profile, listing you as the sole referral source.

Collect Your Reward: You’ll receive 100% of the E.A.R.N. reward approximately two pay periods after the your referral’s successful hire and completion of new employee orientation. The reward will be listed under “Select Dollars” on your paycheck.

The E.A.R.N. program pays $5,000 for featured job referrals. Employees receive $1,000 for all other successful referrals. Click here for more details about the E.A.R.N. program.

February 19, 2024

Meet Darcie Robert, advanced quality specialist for Women’s Services at Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin. In addition to leading quality improvement projects across women’s inpatient and outpatient areas, she’s tasked with reviewing safety scoops for North Austin Campus and ensuring regulatory requirements for the state and Joint Commission are met.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?

I moved to Austin in 1996 to study journalism at UT Austin, and after graduating, I worked for nearly a decade at The Austin Chronicle as the associate music editor and proofreader. I spent most of my 20s covering the local live music scene, for which Austin is known. I loved my time there, but wanted to do something more for my community. I eventually returned to UT and enrolled in their Alternate Entry MSN program for maternal health. I’ve spent my entire nursing career in L&D and education, so when I found out TCH was coming here, I was incredibly excited for the opportunity to do more for women and children in Central Texas with a hospital that truly values quality, patient care and employee retention. The chance to work in quality for women’s services was an obvious choice for me, and I’m loving it! I get to tell my kids I was cool once, but now I get to empower moms and help babies enter the world safely.

What are you most excited about as we open North Austin Campus?

I’m most excited about offering Austinites and Central Texans something new and amazing. Not only are we providing exceptional care to all women and children, but also highly specialized services like surgical interventions on fetuses. Austinites are somewhat used to the status quo, and TCH is so much greater than that. The culture of this organization speaks volumes for what the future holds.

What makes Austin a great place to work and live?

It’s such an incredible place to live and raise a family…the only downside is that too many people were let in on the secret! From the endless days of sunshine to the miles of hiking trails and creeks, it’s an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Austinites are welcoming to everyone regardless of background, and the more the city grows, the more diversity in culture and food it creates. It’s really difficult to narrow down my favorite restaurants in town, but I love Uchi, Otoko, Justine’s, Matt’s El Rancho, Fonda San Miguel and Ramen Tatsuya. We also love camping in Central Texas. There are so many state parks close by, Inks Lake being my favorite, and hiking the Greenbelt is always great.

What does providing the “Right Care” mean to you?

It means giving patients the choice and education to make empowered decisions about their health care. Historically, folks have had few options in Austin for their needs. Now we are building the opportunity to make educated choices about the future of the community. We’re offering truly family-centered care with real informed consent from the most amazing nurses and providers, all closer to home.

What do you like to do outside of work to recharge and unwind?

My three girls keep me pretty busy on normal days. We are a traveling family. If I’m not at work, I’m probably at the beach, camping in our RV or at Disney World. We are one of those crazy Disney families who visit Florida at least once a year.

Our dedicated team at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women provides comprehensive care to women in every stage of life, from preconception to long after the birth of a child. With the opening of North Austin Pavilion for Women and our neighboring OB/GYN clinic, the community can expect the same commitment to excellence, innovation and patient-centered care that we’re known for delivering in Houston.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for opening updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

Pectus Program celebrates 1,000th pectus carinatum patient.

Texas Children’s Hospital is proud to celebrate new treatment milestones for two of our world-renowned programs. Congratulations to the Motion Analysis & Human Performance Laboratory on 1,000 clinical gait studies conducted, and to the Pectus Program on 1,000 pectus carinatum patients treated.

The Motion Analysis & Human Performance Lab at The Woodlands Campus, part of our nationally ranked Orthopedics program and one of the only pediatric labs of its kind in the state, celebrated their milestone back in October and continues to grow in prominence.

The laboratory leverages the expertise of a team of physicians, therapists, biomechanists and exercise physiologists, along with state-of-the-art computer and sensor technology, to study and improve how the human body moves. There are two different clinical focuses and groups of patients served by the lab – patients who have been referred for clinical gait analysis due to a movement disorder or underlying condition affecting their ability to walk, and those seeking sports performance assessments. Click here to watch a video highlighting these services.

Texas Children’s Pectus Program is part of the Division of Pediatric Surgery and led by a multidisciplinary team treating an assortment of chest wall abnormalities. The two most common types are pectus carinatum or “pigeon chest,” which is a deformity where the breastbone and ribs are pushed outward, and pectus excavatum, where the chest has a sunken or caved-in appearance.

The standard treatment for pectus carinatum has radically improved over time – shifting from large and complicated surgeries to nonsurgical bracing. Bracing is both highly effective and free of major complications, often taking several months to two years to correct, depending on how fast and how much a child grows.

“We are incredibly proud of our team for reaching this important milestone,” said Dr. Mark V. Mazziotti, Director of the Pectus Program. “People with pectus carinatum often struggle with reduced self-esteem…successful treatment can therefore have an immediate impact on self-image, as well as on quality of life in the long run. Our Pectus Program is highly specialized and prides itself on offering individualized care – we are privileged to make a life-changing difference for so many patients across Texas, the region and the country.”

Click here to read the full story on the Pectus Program.

Appreciative colleague submitted the following Caught You Caring recognition for Ambulatory Services Representative Mithie Solis.

“Since I transferred to Austin from Houston she has been so incredibly kind and patient with me. I have worked for TCH for some time already, but when I transferred I needed to quickly learn the different work flows and the providers’ schedules of the Specialty Care office, and she has been more than welcoming. It truly set the tone of the new environment for me and I will always appreciate her.”

Caught You Caring

There are countless examples of how team members make an impact every day. Through our Caught You Caring recognition program, anyone (patients, families, colleagues, vendors, volunteers or visitors) can provide a kind word about someone who went the extra mile. Even the smallest act of kindness can brighten someone’s day. Click here to submit a recognition for a colleague. The recipient and their leader will receive an email notification. Since its inception in 2015, there have been more than 40,000 recognitions submitted.

February 12, 2024

Appreciative colleague submitted the following Caught You Caring recognition for Director Gary Brown.

“Gary came to assess a leak in my office and ended up going above and beyond to help put the finishing touch on a piece of patient-created artwork that was destined for auction at a fundraiser. I really could not have finished the final product without his (and Manuel’s) help and the artwork ended up bringing in $8,000 to help fund quality of life programming for kidney transplant and dialysis patients!”

Caught You Caring

There are countless examples of how team members make an impact every day. Through our Caught You Caring recognition program, anyone (patients, families, colleagues, vendors, volunteers or visitors) can provide a kind word about someone who went the extra mile. Even the smallest act of kindness can brighten someone’s day. Click here to submit a recognition for a colleague. The recipient and their leader will receive an email notification. Since its inception in 2015, there have been more than 40,000 recognitions submitted.

Texas Children’s Hospital is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey J. Kim, MD to the role of Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology. Dr. Kim is a tenured professor with Baylor College of Medicine, internationally esteemed cardiologist and longtime leader at Texas Children’s top-ranked Heart Center.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce Dr. Kim as the new Division Chief for Cardiology,” said Dr. Lara Shekerdemian, Texas Children’s Pediatrician-in-Chief and Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor of College of Medicine. “Dr. Kim is a trusted leader, a brilliant clinician and highly respected throughout his field. I am certain that under his leadership, Cardiology will continue to reach new levels of excellence.”

Kim joined Texas Children’s in 2002 starting with fellowships at Baylor College of Medicine, and he has previously served as Director of Electrophysiology & Pacing and Chief of Strategic Operations for the Heart Center. He also currently serves as the Vice Chair of Faculty Development for the Department of Pediatrics. He is involved in collaborative translational research in cardiology, and is on faculty with the Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Department. He sits on numerous national boards and is currently acting President of the Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society.

“I am humbled and excited to serve as the next Division Chief for Cardiology…it’s an incredible team that has maintained unwavering resolve to innovate, advance the field and provide the best patient-centered care possible,” said Dr. Kim on his promotion. “The passion from this group has helped us become the world standard of excellence in lifelong care for those impacted by childhood cardiovascular disease. My hope is to find ways to make this remarkable division even better, and contribute more to our existing legacy at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

As part of an expanded leadership structure, Dr. Daniel Penny will now serve as Executive Director of Texas Children’s Heart Center. A search is now underway for his surgical Executive Co-Director.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kim on his appointment!