August 25, 2015

82615AnnualReport640

Texas Children’s Hospital recently unveiled its 2014 Annual Report, a commemorative publication that celebrates our remarkable contributions and historic milestones over the last 60 years.

Centering on the core elements of our mission – patient care, education and research – this 88-page book spotlights our early pioneers and shares the work and accomplishments that have made Texas Children’s such a stellar organization for more than six decades.

As you read through the report, you’ll find beautiful images and inspirational stories that chronicle our hospital’s humble beginnings and the illustrious history that continues to define us. The front and back cover feature a then and now photo of Texas Children’s first patient, Lamaina Leigh Van Wagner.

“Since 2014 coincided with Texas Children’s 60th birthday, our goal was to create an annual report that was memorable, impactful and inspiring,” said Annual Report Editor Rosanne Moore, a member of Texas Children’s Corporate Communications team. “Our efforts involved months of intensive research, creative writing and design and multiple rounds of edits to bring this project to fruition.”

The success of this monumental endeavor would not have been possible without the collaboration from our talented Creative Services team, who meticulously designed this masterpiece with a retro feel in mind.

“We used different color tones, vintage designs and characters to help readers navigate through different time periods in Texas Children’s 60-year history,” said Assistant Director of Creative Services Owen Sears. “All of the design elements came together perfectly to produce this top-notch commemorative publication.”

Click here to read a flip book version of Texas Children’s 2014 Annual Report.

August 18, 2015

81915TexansJuniorCheer640Patients got a special treat last week when the Houston Texans cheerleaders paid them a visit and hosted a mini Jr. cheerleading camp at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“We are going to teach you to dance like we do during the games,” one of the cheerleaders told the crowd as her squad mates handed out fluffy red and white pom-poms. “Show me how to shake ’em.”

For the next hour, the cheerleaders worked with the patients on their dance routine, played games, signed autographs and posed for photos. Excitement filled the room as the patients showed spirit for their hometown NFL team.

“I loved it!” 8-year-old Zoe Rosales squealed. “I want to be a cheerleader and practice all the time at home.”

Following the camp, the cheerleaders visited heart patients, bringing along pom-poms and autographed posters. For cheerleader Ashley S., the August 10 visit was extremely meaningful since she used to be a patient at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Ashley was diagnosed with a potentially deadly disease nine years ago and stayed at Texas Children’s Hospital for four weeks. During her time at the hospital, she enjoyed Radio Lollipop, our fully-equipped, on-site radio station that broadcasts to patients’ rooms via Texas Children’s television system.

“The staff at Texas Children’s Hospital worked really hard to make me feel like I was more than just a patient,” Ashley said. “It’s a blessing to be able to give that experience back.”

Texas Children’s teamed up with the Houston Texans earlier this year to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives through camps, programs and events all year long. We are working alongside the Texans through community engagement and education programs to give Houston-area kids the tools necessary to make healthy choices throughout their lives. Last week’s mini Jr. cheerleading camp is just one of many of the exciting events we’ll take part in throughout the year. Click here to learn about some of the other ones.

July 21, 2015

72215ICD10640In less than 72 days, the codes that health care organizations use to report medical diagnoses and inpatient procedures will become standard across the globe. The federally-mandated conversion from ICD-9 to the expanded ICD-10 coding system will be implemented on October 1. This universal system will help us gather more accurate data, make more informed decisions and ultimately help us achieve better outcomes for our patients.

Texas Children’s ICD-10 preparedness teams have been working diligently for more than a year to ensure we are ready systemwide for this transition. We need you to be prepared as well. If you are a provider or a coder or work in any of the other impacted roles, make sure you complete the required training and education needed to ensure readiness.

Our goal is to reach 100 percent compliance by September 1, which is less than six weeks away.

Based on the latest education compliance statistics, we have a lot of work ahead of us to successfully achieve this organization-wide endeavor. Currently, 11 percent of Texas Children’s providers and 7 percent of nonclinical employees have completed their mandatory educational requirements. By educating ourselves over the next few weeks, the result will be a smooth transition come October 1.

Texas Children’s has partnered with Baylor College of Medicine to provide e-learning videos for our medical staff. Each clinical service area and identified departments have been assigned a self-paced learning module. The ICD-10 education team has prepared an area-specific curriculum for nonclinical employees that is available online through Health Stream.

To access the ICD-10 physician learning modules:
Go to www.healthstream.com/hlc/bcom.

Step 1: Enter your user name and password to log in:

  • Baylor providers – enter your current Baylor user ID and your employee identification number (typically a 5 or 6-digit number. If you need to reset your password, contact the Baylor Help Desk at 713-798-8737.
  • Texas Children’s and Texas Children’s Pediatrics providers – enter your NT login (Epic login). Then, enter this password: icd10. You will be prompted to reset your password.

Step 2: Access your specialty’s courses:

  • Select the My Learning tab at the top left of the screen
  • View the list of courses required for your specialty
    • Note: The assessment at the end of the course must be completed in order for the course to be marked as complete.
  • Optional: If you are interested in accessing other courses:
  • Click on the Catalog tab
  • Type in the specialty of interest to enroll in an additional course

All of the courses have been reviewed and approved by the appropriate section lead.
Note: CME credits are available for the general courses. These courses require a pre- and post-quiz to fulfill CME credits, and only on their completion will the courses be marked “complete.”

If you have questions with the Precyse learning modules, email Marcy Medlak at mamedlak@texaschildrens.org

To access the ICD-10 nonclinical learning modules:

To view, log into Health Stream (http://decisioncritical.ad.texaschildrenshospital.org/)

Step 1: Choose student/manager role. The courses are directly assigned to you.

Step 2: Click “Enroll in this course” to view.

Below are links to a quick fact sheet and helpful sites with basic information on ICD-10 to see how this change will impact your own medical record documentation:

ICD-10 Video
ICD-10 Fact Sheet
ICD-10 Industry Updates
ICD-10 Myths and Facts

72215nursingeducation640Nurses from all over the organization are invited to join an around-the-clock nursing professional day designed to educate through knowledge sharing. The 24-hour event is a first-of-its-kind seminar-style program that allows nurses with expertise in specific areas to present, sharing their knowledge with their colleagues. The nursing professional day is aimed at improving patient care and promoting professional development and nursing excellence. It fosters collaboration and teamwork within the vast department of more than 2,700 nursing professionals.

The day was organized based on identified learning needs gathered from a survey sent out to nurses across the organization.

“The concept came about in order to educate and develop all nurses via ‘knowledge sharing’ on a global scale in a meaningful and impactful way,” said Leslie Morris, one of the event’s organizers. “The purpose of this day is to promote professional development of registered nurses throughout the organization.”

The sessions provide increased knowledge and clinical skills. Participants will receive up to six hours of CNE credit with no fees.

Various topics are approached by different nurses presenting to their colleagues from across the organization.

The sessions include:

  • Building Relationships
  • Workplace Civility
  • Team Collaboration
  • Crucial Conversations
  • Escalating Concerns
  • Delegation
  • Managing Conflicts
  • Team Building
  • Communication with patients and families
  • Specialty Certification
  • Nursing Portfolio
  • Risk Management
  • Legal Issues
  • Ethics in Care
  • Evidence Base Practice
  • Disease Management
  • Treatment Decisions
  • Quality Improvement
  • Documentation Practice
  • Standard of Care
  • Code Management
  • Patient and Family Education
  • Trauma

The day will be a come-and-go format and does not require registration. The 24 hour period is designed to encourage all nurses to join for as long or as little as they can throughout their workday or before and after work. The session is coordinated in the 24-hour format to allow both day and night nurses to take advantage.

Nursing professional day will be held from 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 29, to 8 a.m. Thursday, July 30, on the fourth floor of the Pavilion for Women.

Texas Children’s Hospital is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

July 7, 2015

7815BWLeaming640By Dr. Katherine Leaming-Van Zandt

Our world shifted when we were told that our son had Down syndrome. Although I was 37 years old, and acutely aware of my “advanced maternal age,” I was more apprehensive of the sleepless nights and non-stop feeds and diaper changes versus the risk for a chromosomal abnormality. Intermittently, I would reflect on the possibility of our baby having a genetic disorder, but would quickly suppress those thoughts and feelings with a nonchalant response of “Well, it wouldn’t make a difference” or “I’m just being paranoid.” Perhaps, as a physician, I should have taken more time to consider the medical evidence and undergone further genetic testing, but as a mother, I just wanted to envelop myself in the excitement of being pregnant with a healthy baby.

Our baby’s 20-week ultrasound was an emotional turning point for us. Unexpectedly, we were informed that our son possessed some soft markers for Down syndrome, and to know if he truly had a genetic disorder, we needed to decide whether or not to undergo an amniocentesis. Because my husband and I wanted a more definitive answer and if need be, time to process and accept his diagnosis, we agreed to the procedure and found ourselves in the very same waiting room where we had happily and anxiously awaited our baby’s initial ultrasound. This time, however, we sat in silence, holding back tears and clinging to each other for support, as we watched couple after couple emerge from their ultrasound rooms with smiles and laughter. In those moments, I envied their happiness and joy…and, felt overwhelmed by the plethora of emotions that bombarded my mind and soul.

After our son’s diagnosis was confirmed, my husband and I did a lot of soul searching, both as a couple and individually. We knew that he would be at increased risk for certain developmental and medical conditions more commonly associated with Down syndrome, and we worried about his health and well-being, quality of life and future needs. However, even as we struggled with these potential unknowns and “what-ifs,” we embraced our son’s life and sought to learn as much as we could by reviewing the medical literature, reading parenting books and online blogs, and contacting the Down Syndrome Association of Houston. We also scheduled a fetal echocardiogram and follow-up ultrasound, met with the medical team at the Texas Children’s Hospital Down Syndrome Clinic, toured the Rise School of Houston, and conversed with an estate planning lawyer who specialized in special needs trusts.

For me, although planning and preparing for our son’s potential medical, educational and financial needs alleviated many of my concerns and worries, the brief, unexpected interactions that I had with some of the parents of children with Down syndrome while working in the emergency center gave me the most hope and reassurance. With some hesitation, I’d tell them about my son’s diagnosis and they would shower me with stories of optimism and strength and offer me unconditional guidance and friendship. Those moments, along with our family, friends and colleagues’ love and support, allowed us to overcome many of our fears and doubts and focus on the joyous arrival of our son, Joseph Dash Van Zandt.

7815BabyLeaming640Joseph was born on April 16, 2015, and his father, older sisters and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have this wonderful, little boy in our lives. Since his arrival, Joseph has brought our family nothing but love, happiness, and fulfillment, and in his short, six weeks of life, has enriched all of our lives. Even with a brief NICU stay and some outpatient, follow-up appointments, Joseph has continuously thrived and flourished and his strength and sweet disposition continue to amaze and thrill us every day. Regardless of what challenges may come his way, we know that Joseph will enrich society with meaningful contributions, maintain long-lasting friendships and relationships and live a life full of love and contentment. Many have told us that Joseph couldn’t have “chosen” a better family…we, however, think the opposite is true, for our family couldn’t have been blessed with a more precious gift.

June 30, 2015

7115kidszone640Garth Brooks was on-site to celebrate the grand opening of the newly renovated and expanded Child Life Zone. Funded through the Teammates for Kids foundation, which Brooks co-founded in 1999, the Zone provides a fun, safe and procedure-free environment for Texas Children’s inpatient population and their families.

“The kids in this hospital, and hospitals around the world, have a hard climb,” Brooks said. “I love being part of Child Life because they understand the greatest healing principle we can bring children is to let them be children.”

Texas Children’s Child Life Zone originally opened in 2001 and now features a completely renovated and expanded play space. The Zone offers a variety of video gaming choices thanks to the new Microsoft Media Wall and Surface Pro tablets. Patients can challenge their friends to a game of pool, air hockey or race car driving on the Zone’s arcade games. An expanded kitchen offers unique programming for patients and families to learn more about healthy lifestyles while cooking with the hospital’s chef.

When the kitchen is “closed” the 24-foot kitchen counter doubles as an arts and craft bar. The Zone also includes an expanded production studio which offers patients the opportunity to explore and create music as a part of the hospital’s music therapy program. Kids can go “on air” each week as Radio Lollipop broadcasts their radio program throughout the hospital. With the new closed-circuit television system, patients on isolation will now be able to see what’s happening in the Zone and participate in live shows being broadcast from the studio.

The Zone, located in the hospital’s West Tower and adjacent to other support services, is available to patients ages 6 and up and their families. The focus of the Zone is as much on the family, in particular siblings of patients who can often feel overlooked, as it is on the patients themselves who greatly benefit from the therapeutic play the Zone provides.

“Providing patients and families with the opportunity to play normalizes the hospital environment,” said Mary Tietjens, child life manager at Texas Children’s. “Play is a wonderful therapeutic tool that supports a healing environment and promotes positive coping. We can’t thank Teammates for Kids and Microsoft enough for all they have done to make the vision a reality.”

More than 100 patients and their families attended the grand opening event and were given the chance to meet Brooks. Representatives from Teammates for Kids and Microsoft were on hand to show families the activities and resources available at the Zone. Brooks chatted with patients and families, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

“Kids are what it is all about for me. They are the greatest gift God has ever invented and they should be happy,” said Brooks.

7115shuttleupdate640Have you ever wondered if you have time to cross one more task off your to-do list before hopping on the shuttle? Better yet, have you debated whether you even have time to make the bus?

Answers to both of these questions and other shuttle-related quandaries now can be found online via your desktop or smartphone.

All six new Texas Children’s shuttles that hit the road June 29 are equipped with GPS technology, allowing riders to connect to an Internet link that will tell them where a bus is, when it’s going to arrive and how long it will be until the next stop.

You can access this information on your desktop here and on your smartphone here.

In addition to enhancing your riding experience, Director of Supply Chain Rick McFee said the GPS technology will give authorities the opportunity to monitor the shuttles’ movements and to adjust accordingly. As for now, however, all routes will stay the same.

Some additional features inside the shuttles include:

  • A comprehensive security system that will keep employees safe and will record how many people get on and off the shuttle.
  • Video capabilities will give Texas Children’s another avenue to share important information.
  • A voice announcement system will keep riders up to date about where the shuttle is and where it’s headed.
  • USB ports will be available for riders who need to charge their phone or other electronic devices.

The first thing people notice about the new shuttles is the outside of them, McFee said. All of the shuttles are painted in a bright, bold color and have a graphic design on the side. The designs are of either clouds, fish, flowers or blades of grass.

“The wraps share the excitement we all have to work for Texas Children’s Hospital,” McFee said. “They also share a bit of the spirit we have when it comes to healing sick children and taking care of women.”

A not-so-obvious feature the buses have is an environmentally-friendly fueling system. Instead of using diesel, the new shuttles are be fueled by propane. Switching to this much cleaner-burning gas will reduce our carbon footprint by 70 percent and make Texas Children’s Hospital the first hospital in the Medical Center to offer green-friendly shuttle service.

“Welcome aboard!” McFee said. “We are glad to have you on our new shuttles.”

Six additional new buses will hit the road later this summer.