September 4, 2019

Have you ever been asked to do something, but not given the tools to do it?
Have you ever wanted to do something, but lacked resources to get it done?

Not having what you need is one of life’s great frustrations. And unfortunately, this is the case for many students each and every day. They may not have a pen, pencil, notebook or other necessary supplies to do well in class.

Texas Children’s Health Plan addressed this issue head on with three successful back to school fairs. Together, the events provided nearly 3,000 students with day-one ready backpacks.

  • The August 10 event in Tyler had the highest attendance with 1,800 families present and 1,300 backpacks distributed.
  • The August 3 Pasadena event resulted in the distribution of 1,100 backpacks.
  • Port Arthur was host to the July 26 event where 492 students received backpacks.

In addition to the backpack giveaway, the events also included an opportunity for vaccines, health screenings and application assistance for any family wanting to apply for insurance through Texas Children’s Health Plan.

Our 2019 Annual Required Training (ART) course is available in HealthStream through Friday, September 27. All Texas Children’s employees, contractors, and volunteers, are required to complete the course to satisfy Texas Children’s compliance requirements.* The completion goal is 100 percent across the organization.

What you need to know about ART:

  • All workforce members are required to complete ART except for:
    • New Texas Children’s employees (including Texas Children’s physicians) who were hired after January 1, 2019.
  • All staff members must review the course content and complete the attestation to receive credit.
  • Employees who are on leave of absence are required to complete ART within 30 days of their release back to work.
  • It is a Joint Commission and OSHA requirement for staff to renew their knowledge on an annual basis regarding key components such as: Patient Safety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Hand Hygiene, Diversity and several other important topics. Texas Children’s, in keeping with HIPAA guidelines, also requires staff to review their knowledge regarding Privacy, Compliance, and Information Security to ensure that Texas Children’s continues to sustain a safe and ethical environment in which to work and receive care.

How to access ART?

  1. Click on the ‘ART/Learning Academy/HealthStream‘ link on the Connect homepage under the ‘Quick Links’ heading.
  2. Log in to HealthStream.
  3. On the ‘To Do’ tab, click on the ‘Start’ link next to the course titled: Texas Children’s 2019 Annual Required Training.

Need help?

  • If you are having problems accessing HealthStream, contact the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512 (option 2).
  • If you have questions about the course, please email healthstream@texaschildrens.org.
  • If you are having an issue with the course not giving you a completion status once you have passed the course test, or it will not allow you to advance to the end of the course, you may need to clear your browsing history. For instructions on how to clear your browsing history, click here.

* All contractors and volunteers (with the exception of RightSource) will complete the Alternate ART course which will be administered by his/her leader instead of through HealthStream. If you are a contractor or volunteer, please see your leader for further instructions.

July 29, 2019

It’s time to tell Houston why Texas Children’s is one of the city’s Best Places to Work! Take the survey today.

July 15, 2019

When Forbes asked if our employees would recommend Texas Children’s to others, so many of you answered with a resounding, “Yes!,” that it launched us onto the list of America’s Best Employers – making Texas Children’s one of only three health care organizations in the entire state to earn recognition. Now that the time has come for the 2019 Houston Business Journal Best Places to Work Survey, our One Amazing Team has another opportunity to show your enthusiasm for our organization and share why you’ve decided to build your career here.

Raise your voice, share your thoughts and help spread our special Texas Children’s story all across Houston by taking the Best Places to Work Survey by the Friday, August 9 deadline. Simply click or copy and paste the link below into your web browser to get started: https://survey.quantumworkplace.com/bpsurvey/oc_GFYX76647.

Thanks to your consistent participation in the annual HBJ survey, Texas Children’s has been mentioned among Houston’s best workplaces for more than a decade. It’s time for Houston to hear our voices loud and proud again this year!

The third-party Best Places to Work survey is administered by HBJ via Quantum Workplace, Inc. That means your participation is 100 percent confidential and your responses will be kept anonymous. If you have any questions about the survey, contact the Best Places to Work team directly at bestplaces@quantumworkplace.com or by calling 1-888-415-8302.

June 17, 2019

No matter your goal – to lose weight, eat better, move more, develop a more positive mindset or all of the above – this summer is a great time to take advantage of Texas Children’s ongoing partnership with WW, the newly reimagined Weight Watchers program.

WW offers effective science-based programs, tools and experiences that encourage healthy eating and are flexible enough to fit into your daily life. Employees who sign up through Texas Children’s receive more than 50 percent off their WW membership, with the option to participate online or attend unlimited, in-person workshops in the community or right here at work.

WW meetings are held from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., every Tuesday at Feigin Tower. Check out the Connect calendar for exact room locations, and click here for more information about Texas Children’s reduced membership pricing.

Sample WW recipes

Visit the Fresh Bistro in the Pavilion for Women, Dots Café at West Campus, and The Woodlands Cafeteria during the week of June 17-21 for WW recipes, recipe cards, and point values displayed for grab-and-go items.

Featured menu items include:

  • Salmon with roasted chickpeas and veggies
  • Rigatoni with turkey sausage and kale

Get a free WW Insiders Box

Employees who purchase a WW membership between June 17 and July 26 are also eligible to receive a free Insiders Box, featuring mini cookbooks, a sampling of bestselling WW products, exclusive access wellness partners, and $35 in coupons. New members have until August 9 to redeem their kit. Click here for Insiders Box details.

For more information about Texas Children’s partnership with WW and enrolling in the program, visit the Human Resources Well-Being page on Connect or contact the Well-Being team at wellbeing@texaschildrens.org.

June 10, 2019

The Mark A. Wallace New Employee Pep Rally allows new employees to learn more about the organization and meet executives and other leaders within a festive atmosphere complete with foam fingers, pompoms and lively music. Participants included new and recent hires based at the Medical Center. The pep rally was held on June 3 at the Pavilion for Women Conference Center.

“We are flourishing and we’re blessed to have all of you here,” President and CEO Mark Wallace told the new employees, recalling Texas Children’s early days in a single, seven-floor building – well before the opening of Legacy Tower at the Medical Center campus; the suburban hospitals at West and The Woodlands; and the urgent care centers and specialty care clinics that stretch across Harris County and now reach into Austin and Central Texas.

“In 1989, I knew this was our destiny,” Wallace said. “I knew Texas Children’s was going to grow and flourish because that was part of the plan: taking care of more patients and more families. The key to our success has always been the people and the leadership.”

Wallace also introduced himself and shook hands with every new employee at the pep rally, pausing often to pose for photos and snap selfies.

April 23, 2019

On his blog, Mark Wallace shares the story of how a group of NBA all stars became the Dream Team, and why they remind him of our one amazing team. Read more