August 9, 2016

81016qualityposter640Have you implemented a quality improvement project in the last 18 to 24 months that aims to significantly improve patient outcomes and safety, operational processes, patient experiences, and/or organizational systems at Texas Children’s? If your project has implemented at least one round/PDSA cycle of improvement, please consider sharing your work at this year’s Quality Day.

Below are important dates to keep in mind for employees interested in submitting a poster:

  • Deadline for intent to submit poster: Monday, August 15.
  • Participant notification of acceptance: Tuesday, August 23
  • Deadline for poster submission for printing: Thursday, September 1.

The selected posters will be presented during poster sessions at the 2016 Texas Children’s Hospital Quality Day on Friday, September 16 at the Pavilion for Women Conference Center. The theme this year is “Leading Tirelessly: Always Improving.”

Organized by Texas Children’s Quality Education Team, Quality Day will showcase the exciting improvement initiatives implemented by the graduates of the Advanced Quality Improvement 14 class as well as spotlight other projects developed by staff and leaders across the organization that are aimed at improving outcomes and processes.

For questions regarding the Quality Day Call for Posters, contact Dana Danaher at Ext.4-2160. Be sure to click on the flyer to get more details on poster requirements.

August 1, 2016

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Texas Children’s is dedicated to supporting you in achieving optimal health and well-being. That is why we are pleased to invite you to participate in Go for the Gold, a well-being challenge that encourages you to be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day for a minimum of 20 days.

The challenge is taking place August 1 through August 31, to parallel the Rio Summer Olympics. Registration is now open! Click here to sign up for the challenge. For challenge details, visit the Wellness site.

To support you along the way, we are also pleased to invite you to our Go for the Gold kick-off events at Main and West Campuses on Wednesday, August 3 and to our group exercise classes happening throughout the month of August. Click here to learn more.

July 19, 2016

72016alkalinebattery640From implementing eco-friendly programs to reduce medical waste, enhance energy conservation and promote recycling practices, Texas Children’s Green Team continually engages employees and staff around collaborative initiatives to help Texas Children’s go green every day.

On July 14, the Green Team launched a pilot program for recycling alkaline batteries, which is being rolled out in strategically designated areas of the hospital at Texas Children’s medical center campus.

“We had a lot of interest expressed during events about the possibility of recycling alkaline batteries,” said Ron Robb, Texas Children’s assistant director of Biomedical Engineering. “We checked with the City of Houston for guidance, and ultimately decided to move forward with expanding our recycling program.”

Considering that Texas Children’s uses more than 10,000 pounds of alkaline batteries each year, the Green Team will pilot the recycling program in areas that are the largest users of alkaline batteries which include Pharmacy, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Cardiology, Biomedical Engineering and Facilities.

The recycling bins are located in the following areas:

  • NICU (West Tower, fourth floor) – Pod A and Pod B Utility Room
  • EP Lab (West Tower, 20th floor) – Cartech office
  • Pharmacy (Pavilion for Women, seventh floor)
  • Facilities Operations (Abercrombie Building, B2) – Reception area
  • Central Distribution (Abercrombie Building, B1) – Decontamination area

When recycling these items, do not tape or cover the leads on the alkaline batteries. Only alkaline batteries will be accepted.

For hospital areas that will not receive collection containers, employees can drop off their alkaline batteries at the Biomed Front Desk on the sixth floor of Abercrombie Building near the Red Elevators.

“Our long-term goal is to expand this program system wide,” Robb said. “The program will be rolled out in phases, depending on compliance and participation, which will drive the number of containers and frequency of collection.”

Facilities Operations will monitor the recycling bins to see how quickly they fill up. If a recycling bin is full, contact Ted Walker at Ext. 4-5197. For more information about the pilot program, contact Robb at Ext.4-1808 or Eric Swaim at Ext. 4-3685.

Save the Date: Energy Conservation Event

On Tuesday, August 2, from noon to 2 p.m., the Green Team will host an energy conservation event on The Auxiliary Bridge.

Several community vendors will provide eco-friendly, cost-saving tips to employees including how to become more energy efficient all year round as well as information on energy and utility incentives available, tips on rain water harvesting, how to maximize energy conservation in your home with the installation of solar roofs and panels, and much more.

Be sure to save the date and encourage your colleagues to participate.

Stay tuned to Connect for more details about upcoming Green Team activities including the hospital’s October launch of the pharmaceutical waste recycling program. Also, if you’d like to reach out to the Green Team with your green ideas or suggestions, email teamgreen@texaschildrens.org

72016PaulaMcSwain175Paula McSwain of Texas Children’s Pediatrics Baytown is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star leader. “Working for an organization that values and recognizes employees for their efforts has raised the bar for my professional and personal goals as well,” McSwain said. Read more of McSwain’s interview below and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Your name, title and department.
Paula McSwain, Practice Manager, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Baytown

What month are you Super Star for?
Third Quarter (July – September) 2016 for Texas Children’s Hospital

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
A surprise breakfast meeting was planned by my staff/providers; Kay Tittle, president of Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Pat Coleman, director of regional operations; and Claudia Cerrato Day, assistant director of regional operations.

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 honored to receive this award from the organization. Working for an organization that values and recognizes employees for their efforts has raised the bar for my professional and personal goals as well.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?

  • To be Committed to the values of Texas Children’s
  • To be Motivated to come to work every day looking for ways to help others.
  • To be Determined that every decision you make is centered on the patient and their families for a positive outcome.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
I like to know that families are receiving the best possible care for their children as I would want my own children to receive. Texas Children’s is an organization that leads health care around the world, and I take pride every morning when I put my badge on knowing that I am a part of that team.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
Being able to help others, be it a patient, staff member or a provider. Also when I meet someone off of the job while in the community and they ask where I am employed, I proudly tell them Texas Children’s!

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your Leadership definition?
I believe that part of being a leader is having the ability to influence others by your actions. I realize that every day my co-workers are watching my actions and are reacting to those actions as well. I also see the same thing going on with other staff members within the clinic daily, so we all can be leaders.

Anything else you want to share?
Over the years I have told my staff and providers that every patient should be treated as we would like our own families to be treated. Customer Service is something that I feel is very important and I strive daily to exceed the expectation of our patients and their families. I love helping people while at work and in the community as well.

93015JohnDormans175Chief of Orthopedics John Dormans, MD, received an honorary professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery from the School of Medicine at the University of Basrah in Basra, Iraq. He was presented with the honor at the university’s spring graduation ceremony by Thamer Hamdan, MD, chancellor of the University of Basrah. Dormans received this honor for his humanitarian work with the international pediatric orthopedic community.

72016WayneFranklin175Wayne Franklin, MD, director and founder of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, was recently selected to participate in The Aspen Institute Fellowship, a two-year fellowship focused on strengthening the leadership of innovators across the U.S. health care ecosystem.

Called the Health Innovators Partnership and in conjunction with South Carolina’s largest non-profit healthcare system, Greenville Health System, the Aspen Institute’s primary objective for the fellowship is to create meaningful change in health care with the help of 21 newly appointed fellows, including Franklin.

Franklin and his associate fellows were selected to innovate change and improve the health and well-being of all Americans. The team – made up of experts in pharmaceuticals, public health, biotechnology, insurance, mental health and government – will collaborate to institute the advancements of America’s health.

Rima Cohen, the managing director of the fellowship, described her excitement about the fellow’s various backgrounds, energy, and expertise as being united to “tackle our nation’s most pressing health care challenges.”

72016fetalconference640The International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society (IFMSS) led by co-presidents Doctors Oluyinka and Olutoyin Olutoye, will convene for its annual meeting in Kasane, Botswana from August 2 to 7, 2016. This is the second time the meeting has been held on the African continent in the society’s 35-year history.

The IFMSS is an international gathering of fetal medicine practitioners from all over the world,” said Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, co-director of Texas Children’s Fetal Center. “The annual meeting is the forum where innovations in fetal therapy are discussed even prior to general dissemination.”

Topics that will be discussed at the meeting include updates on the management of fetuses with spina bifida, innovative therapies for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), advances in the management of complex twin problems, as well as topics on ethics, anesthesia, genetics, cardiology, diagnostics, neonatal care and long-term outcomes amongst others.

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos is one of the invited keynote speakers. The other keynote speaker is the Executive Director of the BIPAI Center of Excellence in Botswana, Prof. Gabriel Anabwani. Other Texas Children’s physician attendees include Dr. Darrell Cass, co-director of the Fetal Center, who will present the hospital’s experience with the management of CDH, Texas Children’s neurosurgeon Dr. William Whitehead who will deliver a presentation on the fetal management of spina bifida and Texas Children’s maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Alireza Shamshirsaz who will present on fetal intervention for non-immune hydrops.

Other meeting attendees include Drs. Karolina Adam and Joanie Hare of Houston Perinatal Associates, and research fellows Drs. Stephanie Cruz and Patricio Lau who will also present at the meeting and are two of the seven recipients of the young investigator travel award. Kristen Kaiser, PhD, of Texas Children’s Pediatric Surgery Division together with Adam Gibson and Taylor Napier Earle of Texas Children’s Global Health have graciously provided administrative and logistical support for this international meeting.

In addition to the IFMSS meeting in Kasane, Botswana, a pre-meeting symposium will be held in conjunction with the Botswana Pediatric Association and the University of Botswana in the capital city, Gaborone, Botswana from July 31 to August 1. This symposium, also involving international speakers, will address issues in prenatal diagnosis, pediatric anesthesiology, obstetrics, pediatric surgery, cardiology and critical care, and is targeted at Botswana physicians not involved in fetal therapy.

“Serving as co-presidents of an international society is an honor and privilege,” said Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye, director of the Fetal Anesthesia Service at Texas Children’s. “It acknowledges our participation in the society’s activities over the years, reflects our contributions to the field, and places Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine amongst elite institutions whose faculty have led such a prestigious organization.”

The logo for the 35th IFMSS meeting was designed by Beth Sumner of Texas Children’s Department of Surgery, with inspiration from the co-presidents. The elephant acknowledges the region of Botswana where the meeting will be held, which is home to the largest concentration of elephants in the world. The fetus encased in the elephant trunk acknowledges the care of the fetus that is the focus of the meeting.