April 26, 2017

Jennifer Abernathy, February 2017 Employee

Jennifer Abernathy of Endocrine and Diabetes clinic, is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star employee. “A super star is someone who is able to bring a smile to BOTH patients and co-workers.” Read more of her interview below and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Your name, title, and department. How long have you worked here?
Jennifer Abernathy, Clinical Program Coordinator, Endocrine & Diabetes clinic. I have worked here for almost two years.

What month are you Super Star for?
February 2017

Tell us how you found out you won the super star award?
One of the providers asked me to assist her with a meeting. When I walked in, I saw everyone was already seated in the room with a big smile on their faces!

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
I was so honored to be recognized by my department. I got a little teary-eyed during the speeches! My practice administrator, manager, and several of the physicians have approached me throughout the months to offer support and advice on achieving my goals. For example, because of their support, I was able to create a poster for presentation at last year’s national pediatric endocrine nursing society conference. In addition, they encouraged me to go back to school for my master’s degree in nursing administration. I will begin later this year!

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
Patients need to feel that we are listening and genuinely want to help them. Co-workers need to feel that we really treasure them and share a team spirit. I think a super star is someone who is able to bring a smile to BOTH patients and co-workers.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
I see the struggles of families trying to manage difficult health issues. Every interaction, whether it is a clinic visit, a visit at the bedside, or a phone call is my chance to let the family know that I am here to support them. So many parents are appreciative about being able to share their burden, even for a little while.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
The endocrine and diabetes department has so many great people with big hearts and they are truly passionate about their patients! My department is the absolute best, hands down!

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
My definition of a leader who someone who inspires others to follow his or her example. Everyone at Texas Children’s is a leader because we all can inspire others in so many different ways – to be more kind to co-workers, to be more smart with our resources, to be a better patient advocate, to be mindful of our health, etc. The ways to inspire others is endless!

Texas Children’s neuroradiologist Dr. Michael Paldino received the 2017 Lucien Levy Best Research Article by the American Journal of Neuroradiology (AJNR).

In his article titled, “Brain Network Architecture and Global Intelligence in Children with Focal Epilepsy,” Paldino and his colleagues Drs. Wei Zhang and David Chu are working to translate quantitative imaging techniques for mapping the network of the human brain into clinical tools that will someday improve the care of children with epilepsy. Their work is helping to advance the mission of Texas Children’s as we lead with cutting-edge technology in the global community. Paldino is the first neuroradiologist at Texas Children’s to receive this prestigious award.

This award is named for the late AJNR senior editor who championed its establishment and recognizes the best original research paper accepted in 2016. Paldino’s award-winning paper was published electronically on October 13, 2016, and appeared in the February print issue.

In March, employees across Texas Children’s participated in National Nutrition Month events sponsored by the Food and Nutrition Services department, in partnership with Employee Health and Well-Being. As a result, many participants were inspired to make small changes toward living a more healthy lifestyle.

Hear from a few of these employees and view a photo gallery of the various festivities held throughout the month, themed “Put Your Best Fork Forward.”

Clinical Dietitian Brittney Day – “I enjoyed participating in the Chef Challenges and even wrote a blog about how to choose a variety of low-fat or fat-free dairy products as part of meals and snacks.” Click here to view the blog.

Account Representative Alysha Grant – “I started my weight loss journey three years ago in March and to date I have lost 92 lbs. It takes a conscious decision and effort to make changes which can improve your life. Celebrate your success along the way and recognize the small steps of progress you make! I always push forward and remember I am better than I was yesterday.”

Registered Nurse Norma Terrazas – “As health care workers, we truly have to take care of ourselves first in order to take better care of others, our patients and our own families. We are the only ones who can put our best foot and fork forward. Whether you decide to dine in or eat out, every bite counts. I believe that is the spirit of National Nutrition Month.”

Did you know?

Texas Children’s offers a Health Coaching and Nutrition Consulting program at no cost to employees. Visit the Well-Being site on Connect to learn more.

Seven surgeons in the Texas Children’s Hospital Department of Surgery received Faculty Awards for Excellence in Patient Care from Baylor College of Medicine. The awardees will be formally recognized at the Baylor Annual Education Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 18.

There are three categories of awards to recognize clinical excellence: Early Career, Star Award for mid-career faculty and Master Clinician for senior faculty members. The Early Career and Star Awards replaced the Rising Star Awards, which were given in previous years.

“I am immensely proud of the clinical expertise and accomplishments of our surgeons at Texas Children’s – including those who received recognition this year and those who will be honored in upcoming years,” said Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., Texas Children’s surgeon-in-chief.

Early Career Awards

Four Texas Children’s surgeons received Early Career Awards: Dr. Carlos Mery from Congenital Heart Surgery; Dr. Laura Monson from Plastic Surgery; Dr. Bindi Naik-Mathuria from Pediatric Surgery; and Dr. Julina Ongkasuwan from Otolaryngology.

Early Career Award recipients are full-time instructors or assistant professors who spend at least 50 percent of their time engaged in patient care and have been in clinical practice as a Baylor faculty member for between two and five years.

The review committee examines applications for clinical excellence and expertise, a consistently high quality of patient care, professionalism and communication, leadership potential, the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students and administrators, and continuous service to the Baylor community.

Star Awards

Star Awards were given to Dr. Jeffrey Heinle from Congenital Heart Surgery, Dr. Chester Koh from Urology and Dr. Allen Milewicz from Pediatric Surgery.

Star Award recipients are full-time assistant professors, associate professors or professors engaged in patient care for at least 50 percent of their time, who have at least six years of clinical service as a Baylor faculty member. Faculty members who have transferred from other institutions and have comparable years of service are eligible for the award after three years as Baylor faculty members.

The Star Award committee bases decisions on similar criteria to the Early Career Awards adding the factors of local, regional or national reputation and clinical innovation.

“The dedication to their patients and families shines through for these Early Career and Star Award recipients,” said Dr. Larry Hollier, associate surgeon-in-chief for clinical affairs at Texas Children’s. “They set wonderful examples for their surgical teams, fellows and residents to follow.”

April 25, 2017

In 2012, we first met the Perkins sextuplets on Connect when they were born 10 weeks premature at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. Today, these babies aren’t so little anymore. On April 23, Andrew, Benjamin, Caroline, Allison, Levi and Leah celebrated their fifth birthday.

“Part of me can’t believe we made it this far,” Lauren Perkins said. “I remember when they were little babies dreaming of this time. If I can make it until they are four or five and we’ll be past all these bottles and the potty training and the diapers, then we’ll know we’re good. We definitely survived the little years.”

For Lauren and her husband Dave, every day is a busy day in the Perkins home, especially when you have to keep up with six energetic five year olds who will start Kindergarten in the fall. Leah, who stayed at Texas Children’s neonatal intensive care unit much longer than her siblings, already attends a special school for children with developmental and physical disabilities.

So, what is a typical day like in the Perkins home? Recently, we visited the family to find out and to see how much their babies have grown over the last five years.

Referred to as the Perkins Pack – Texas’ first surviving set of sextuplets – a typical day includes preschool class three days a week, swim, soccer and dance classes. While they love to listen to music, watch TV and play outside, they also enjoy helping their mom cook. The sextuplets also have plenty of chores to do around the house like making their beds and picking up their toys. They are at an age where they all enjoy playing together.

“It’s definitely a lot of teamwork for me and my husband,” Perkins said. “I take care of them during the day, and when Dave gets home from work in the evening, he prepares dinner, gives them baths, and is very involved in their day-to-day lives including being an assistant coach on their little soccer team.”

The Perkins never imagined that they would be blessed with six beautiful babies. After struggling with infertility, the couple decided to try one round of intra-uterine insemination and ovulatory stimulating drugs to conceive what they hoped would be their first child.

“It’s pretty crazy that I carried six babies at once and they’re all here and we’re all good,” Perkins said. “It’s a miracle and a true testament of what God can do.”

The Bad Pants Open, an annual golf tournament raising funds for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Hospital, celebrated an exciting milestone recently with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the new, 14-bed NICU at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.

A $1 million donation from The Bad Pants Open was the catalyst for the NICU at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, which will care for premature and critically-ill babies, closer to home for residents of The Woodlands.

During the ribbon-cutting event, members of The Bad Pants Open committee had the honor of meeting the first patients of the Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands NICU, twins Emma and Lillian and their mother, Rebecca Vadala.

One of Houston’s most colorful golf tournaments, The Bad Pants Open is celebrating 20 years of raising critical funds, totaling over $6 million, to support needs of premature and sick newborn babies and their families at Texas Children’s Hospital. Presented by RBC Wealth Management and Capital Markets, this light-hearted annual golf tournament at The Clubs of Kingwood on Thursday, October 12, is chaired by Vice President of Texas Aromatics Rob Cooksey.

Texas Children’s Hospital, together with Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, house the nation’s largest level IV NICU, caring for more than 2,500 infants each year. The NICU at Texas Children’s provides all services that critically-ill or premature babies might need, including on-site neonatologists available 24/7, the highest level of respiratory support, advanced imaging, pediatric surgery, pediatric anesthesiology and more.

On April 20, Texas Children’s leaders and staff joined community members in the Third Ward to celebrate the relocation and renaming of two Texas Children’s entities that have the unified goal of building a community of healthy children and are dedicated to providing the highest quality pediatric care to the children and families they serve.

The two celebrated entities are: Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center, formerly the Residents’ Primary Care Group located in the Texas Medical Center, and Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center, formerly known as Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cullen.

Both practices are now located in the heart of the Third Ward at 5400 Griggs Road.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to better and more conveniently meet the needs of underserved children and their families in the Third Ward,” said Texas Children’s Pediatrics President Kay Tittle.

Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center is a community-based collaborative health and wellness project that provides an accessible medical home to children and families. Its staff of four health care providers offers ongoing community and organizational support for family-focused health services that address the broad social, health, educational and spiritual needs of children.

As part of its goal to build a community of healthy children, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Community Cares Program provides trusted, high-quality pediatric medical services for children who otherwise would seek care from emergency rooms or possibly go without care or treatment due to low family incomes and/or lack of health insurance. Regardless of the family’s financial situation, the Community Cares Program provides health care to children from birth to age 18 and offers the opportunity to develop a trusting, long-term relationship with a board certified pediatrician.

When the doors to Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center first opened in 2000 at its original location, it was the first Texas Children’s Pediatrics Community Cares practice and was the vision of Dr. Robert Austin.

“Dr. Austin is the founder of and was the first pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cullen and believes, as we do, that we have an obligation to take care of any child who needs us and help ensure their future is healthy,” Tittle said. “Thank you, Dr. Austin, for your vision and for your continued dedication to this program.”

Resident’s Primary Care Group Clinic

The Texas Children’s Hospital Resident’s Primary Care Group Clinic recently moved from the Clinical Care Tower to the Palm Center at 5400 Griggs Road, Suite 101. The clinic also was renamed to Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center.

Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center provides comprehensive routine and preventive health care including well child check-ups, sick visits, sports physicals, immunizations and management of chronic pediatric medical conditions.

The medical staff at the clinic remains the same and will continue to be actively engaged in medical education. Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center will serve as the largest Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine practice that provides primary care experience for pediatric medical students and residents.

“Moving this clinical practice to the Palm Center neighborhood in Houston’s Third Ward offers a great opportunity to serve the community while modeling best practice to the next generation of pediatricians,” said Clinic Chief Dr. Teresa Duryea. “We are excited to build collaborations within the community and advocate for the needs of the children.”

The clinic’s new location offers free parking and is conveniently located at the Palm Center Station on the MetroRail’s Purple Line. Please call 346-227-7275 to facilitate transfers. Referrals can be made in Epic to Primary Care Practice (TCH Resident Continuity Clinic). Appointments can be made through Central Scheduling at 832-822-2778.

For more information on Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center click here. For more information about Texas Children’s Pediatric Palm Center click here.