January 22, 2024

Lunchdrop is an innovative program featuring a new selection of local restaurants each day for free delivery. Simply place your order before 10:30 a.m. and Lunchdrop will text you between Noon to 12:30 p.m. when your lunch arrives. Lunchdrop allows easy menu selection to meet all your dietary restrictions.

To sign up for Lunchdrop, visit https://lunchdrop.com. Once signed up, you have the option to receive daily text messages with food options. Your lunch will be dropped off at your designated Lunchdrop shelf, and a Lunchdrop team member will message you once your food is delivered.

See below for locations and designations of the shelves available at Texas Children’s:

  • Feigin Shelf: First floor, near the café
    • Shelf ID: 7N
  • Legacy Shelf: First floor, near the escalators
    • Shelf ID: 9K
  • Pavilion for Women Shelf: First floor, outside of Room F0180.05
    • Shelf ID: 6T
  • Woodlands Shelf: First floor, near Guest Services
    • Shelf ID: 3B
  • West Campus Shelf: First floor, Main Entrance
    • Shelf ID: S9
  • West Loop South Shelf: Eighth floor, in the lobby
    • Shelf ID: 9T
  • Meyer Shelf: First floor, in Meyer Market
    • Shelf IDL Z3
  • Austin MoPac: First floor, next to the Mailroom
    • Shelf ID: S2

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Well-Being team at wellbeing@texaschildrens.org.

January 16, 2024

Texas Children’s Hospital is excited to unveil our newly renovated Dialysis & Apheresis Center! Last week, the team officially moved into the new space on West Tower 6 and began treating patients.

The revitalized unit is tripled in size from the original, topping out at over 24,000 square feet with 23 patient care stations. The space is inviting with an abundance of natural light, and patients can enjoy the “Under the Sea” theme complete with wall art and fish tanks. It also features a dedicated patient and family support area, including a large waiting room, family lounge, play zone, and quiet space for nourishment and relaxation.

As the top-ranked program grows in volume and service offerings, leaders felt an expansion plan was needed for outpatient dialysis and apheresis to better meet the unique needs of our patients and families.

“The opening of our new Dialysis & Apheresis Center is a transformational event for the renal service, our patients and their families,” said Chief of Renal Services Dr. Michael Braun. “We are grateful to Mr. Wallace and the Board of Trustees for their commitment to the care of children with kidney disease…these facilities have set a new standard for pediatric dialysis and apheresis units in the United States.”

Click the gallery for more photos of the new Dialysis & Apheresis Center. Ranked #1 in Nephrology by U.S. News & World Report, Texas Children’s is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric renal services in the world. Click here to learn more.

One of the many ways our Austin team is preparing for the opening of North Austin Campus in less than a month is making sure they know how to handle emergencies. Recently, the Organizational Resilience team put several staff members to the test with intense, multi-day decontamination and evacuation training.

“This is the first time since before the pandemic we were able to hold an in-person training, and the response was amazing,” said Chelsia Elmore, manager, Organizational Resilience. “So many people across different departments showed up to learn, and we appreciated their time and focus on emergency preparedness.”

The two-day training included both classroom and hands-on learning focused on different aspects of decontamination and evacuation, specifically:

  • Identifying hazardous substances and knowing the risks associated with them
  • Understanding roles and responsibilities in the Emergency Plan
  • Learning about the potential outcomes of a HAZMAT event
  • How to identify the need for additional resources
  • When and how to notify key individuals
  • Selection and use of PPE
  • Ambulatory/Non-ambulatory Decontamination

The classroom training also included learning about antidotes in a terrorist attack, which chemicals we are able to treat and our mass casualty capabilities. The hands-on training included putting employees in Level C Hazmat suits in the EC, setting up the decontamination tent and even using the evacuation sled to learn how to move someone safely down the stairs.

The response to the training was positive from participants:

  • “Doing this training made it very real.”
  • “I learned a lot and felt like I was a part of something important…that I could make a difference.”
  • “It was out of my comfort zone but made me feel empowered.”

The Organizational Resilience team will hold similar training for team members at The Woodlands Campus, West Campus and the Medical Center in the coming months.

Do you thrive on ensuring safety? Sign up to be a decontamination team volunteer – contact orgresilience@texaschildrens.com to learn more.

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 countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

Appreciative colleague submitted the following Caught You Caring recognition for Patient Care Assistant Marcasia Robinson.

“Marcasia is such a hard worker she is always willing to pick up shifts to help out the unit. She displays a positive and fun energetic attitude throughout all her shifts. Even when it is not her patient she helps out when asked.”

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.

January 15, 2024

Texas Children’s will open the doors to our first hospital in Austin in the coming weeks. The brand new campus will cater to both children and women with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services – many of which are not available locally or even offered at our own community hospitals in Houston.

Come join the fun and celebrate at the Texas Children’s North Austin Campus Keep Austin Healthy Family Run & Walk. This free event will have activities for the whole family.

When
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024

Event schedule
10:15 a.m.: Health & Wellness Village Opens
11:00 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk Begins
12:45 p.m.: Kids K Begins
1:15 p.m.: Kids Bike Ride Begins
2:00 p.m.: Event Concludes

Location
Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin Campus
9835 North Lake Creek Parkway
Austin, TX US 78717

Admission
FREE

Register
Click here to access a flyer and QR code to register.

More information
Health & Wellness Village
Opens at 10:15 a.m. Join us for the many family/kid friendly activities we’ll have waiting for you. Craft workshops, ambulance tours, photo booths, bounce houses and climbing walls are just scratching the surface!

5K Run/Walk
Begins at 11:00 a.m. The route will consist of multiple loops within the campus. Want to run/walk more than a 5K? That’s perfectly fine! Want to finish early? That’s fine too! Regardless, we’ll have an easy exit point into the Healthy & Wellness Village along the route.

Kids K
Begins at 12:45 p.m. with one amazing lap (0.8 mile) around the loop with the little ones!

Kids Bike Ride
Begins after the Kids K – around 1:15 p.m. The course will be open for bikes until the event close at 2:00. So bring the kids’ bikes (and helmets!) and let them take a spin – or 10 – around the course. No bike? Our friends from Woom will be out with their demo bikes and helmets.

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

 

January 11, 2024

On Mark Wallace’s blog, he honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and shares what inspires him to pursue peace for all in 2024. Read more

It’s that time of year where everyone seems to be coughing, sniffling and sneezing. We are experiencing increased upticks across the community with cases of COVID-19, flu and other respiratory illnesses. Below are a few reminders on how to protect yourselves and others against these viruses and where to get help if needed.

  • Masking. While masking remains optional, we recommend you consider masking at work. In the community, consider masking, particularly in crowded areas. Masks are strongly encouraged for those with high-risk conditions. Please note that masks are widely available at Texas Children’s hospital campuses and care locations at building entry points.
  • Hand hygiene. Clean your hands frequently and thoroughly to protect yourself and your patients. Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer. Follow the Five Moments for Hand Hygiene ENG|ESP.
  • COVID-19 vaccines and staying up to date. We continue to offer the updated COVID-19 vaccine to all team members (including BCM faculty and staff) through Employee Health at our Medical Center, West and Woodlands campuses in addition to Austin Mopac. The current COVID-19 vaccine provides greater protection against more recently encountered Omicron subvariants. To schedule a free appointment at one of these locations, please click here. If you prefer to receive the vaccine at an outside provider, most medical plans cover COVID-19 vaccines at 100% under preventive care at an in-network provider. Out-of-network coverage depends on the plan in regards to cost share. Employees can visit www.myCigna.com or use the myCigna app for more information.
  • Feeling sick. Stay home if you feel sick and get tested if you have respiratory symptoms compatible with COVID-19 or flu. Note that antiviral treatments are effective if administered early enough for influenza or COVID-19. Early diagnosis and treatment also reduce spread of viruses in the workplace. Click here to review the COVID-19 Return to Work process. For non-COVID-19 related illnesses, click here to review the Illness in the Workplace Policy.
  • Employee Health Virtual Assistant. Access the Employee Health Virtual Assistant from any device, any time, on or off the Texas Children’s network for COVID-19 related guidance and support.

If you have any questions, please contact the Employee Health Nurse Support Line at 832-VACCINE (832-822-2463), open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Team members can also email employeevaccines@texaschildrens.org.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit our COVID Command website on Connect.