November 10, 2015

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Flu season is here with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting cases being seen sporadically across the United States, including Texas. To protect yourself and others against the serious, potentially deadly, infection, the CDC and the Executive Director of Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research Dr. Carol J. Baker urges everyone – especially health care workers – to get vaccinated.

“We owe it to ourselves and we owe it to our patients to get vaccinated against the flu,” Baker said. “As long as the season is going on, and you are not protected, you can get influenza.”

For those who are still debating on whether to get the free flu shot offered to all Texas Children’s employees, Baker, a pediatric infectious disease specialist well known for her work in both immunization research and education, addresses some of the top concerns about the vaccine and the flu in the video below.

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As of Friday, November 6, 63 percent of Texas Children’s employees had gotten a flu shot, according to statistics provided by Jill Fragoso, director of Employee Health and Wellness. Last year, Texas Children’s achieved a 90 percent vaccination rate. We want to reach or exceed that rate this year. As a reminder, employees should be in compliance by Tuesday, December 1. Leaders can run reports for their area(s) via the Health and Wellness portal. Individuals who would like to view and/or print their immunization records can click here for instructions on how to access that portal.

How to get vaccinated
Free flu shots are being offered to all Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers at various events across the organization and at the Employee Health Clinic. Click here to view the dates and locations for your vaccination. If you are unable to make one of these dates, please make an appointment at the Employee Health clinic, located on the fifth floor of the Abercrombie Building near the yellow elevators, after October 1. If you have questions, please call Employee Health at Ext. 4-2150. West Campus Employee Health is located on the campus’ second floor and can be reached at Ext. 7-1365.

Visitation restrictions
Based on the increasing incidence of respiratory illness, Texas Children’s Hospital has instituted new visitation restrictions for the inpatient units and critical care areas. To read more about these restrictions please click here.

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It’s been almost a year since Texas Children’s announced we were teaming up with the Houston Texans to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives. Since the kick-off of our partnership, the two organizations have already reached thousands of Houston-area children through camps, school programs, special hospital appearances and other events that combine fun with education.

“The goal of our partnership with the Texans is to help children and families in our community grow stronger and healthier. We’re working together to provide fun, meaningful experiences that emphasize the importance of nutrition, physical activity and other healthy choices,” said Amber Tabora, vice president of Marketing and Public Relations.

In the past few months, our two teams have hosted the Houston Texans Kids’ Triathlon, one of the nation’s largest triathlons for children; a Texans Jr. Cheer event that included a presentation for parents on the young female athlete given by Drs. Jennifer Dietrich and Megan May; Running of the Bulls: TORO Kids 1K run/walk; youth football camps; the Heads Up football program teaching football safety to kids in the community; and Get Fit with TORO, an elementary school-based nutrition and fitness program. Texas Children’s and the Houston Texans also kicked off several NFL Play 60 contests among schools in the community, all aimed at encouraging children to exercise or actively play for at least 60 minutes every day. On November 29, Texas Children’s will be recognized at the game as the Houston Texans’ Play 60 partner and help award the schools who won the challenge.

“Our relationship with the Texans first and foremost is about outreach to the community. At the same time, it’s also an opportunity to promote the Texas Children’s brand in uniquely compelling ways to new audiences,” said Lisa Yelenick, director of Brand and Service Line Marketing. “Because it’s so externally focused, the partnership includes very few internal benefits like game tickets or other hospitality elements. And with the few benefits we do receive, executive leadership and Human Resources are finding ways to distribute them to team members at all levels throughout the organization.”

The primary benefits include 50 game tickets and one hospitality suite for the November 29 Play 60 game. The suite will be used to host the Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Leader winners and their guests and leaders. And winners of the additional 50 tickets this year were chosen from comment cards that employees submitted throughout the “One Amazing Team” events and tour. Please see below the 25 winners.

The partnership also includes involvement from players, cheerleaders and TORO in the community and hospital events hosted by the Texans and Texas Children’s Hospital. Separate from these official events, players may decide to visit patients in our hospital on their own – like the recent appearance made by J.J. Watt. “In a case like this, the player’s intent is to spend time with the children and families in our care, and we sincerely appreciate all the help provided by Child Life and Security to ensure these visits go smoothly and cause the least disruption possible to patient care activity,” added Yelenick.

The two organizations hope to continue identifying ways to grow the partnership and extend its reach even further within the local and regional communities.

“The partnership allows us to link our brand with the Houston Texans, and that in turn helps us amplify the impact we can have on the community – kids are understandably more excited to learn about health and nutrition when it comes from TORO and their favorite Texans players,” Tabora said. “We are two great teams combining our efforts to impact our community in a powerful, positive way.”

For questions or more information about the Texans partnership, please contact Sarah Bardwell in Marketing and Public Relations at Ext. 4-2732 or at scbardwe@texaschildrens.org.

FAQs about Houston Texans appearances and tickets

Can I request a special appearance from the Houston Texans football players, TORO or the Texans cheerleaders?
Our partnership only covers the limited time spent by players, cheerleaders and TORO at official Texans-Texas Children’s events. Texans players and other representatives may choose to visit our patients on their own time, and we will facilitate each request as we can. All such visits will be coordinated through the Marketing and Public Relations department.

Can I visit the Texans’ players, cheerleaders and mascot when they visit the hospital?
When Texans representatives visit the hospital, their intent is to interact with our patients and their families. The only staff and employees invited to attend these special appearances are those currently providing care for the patients involved or those staff coordinating the events themselves. As well, we usually are asked to enforce strict guidelines regarding photography, videography and social media with those Texas Children’s team members working at the events.

Are ticket discounts available now that we are partnering with the Texans?
Texas Children’s partnership with the Texans does not include ticket discounts. The focus and intent of the partnership is on outreach to children and families here at the hospital and out in the community.

What if I’m not a Texans fan?
Regardless of your sports team loyalties or even what happened during last week’s football game, when players and other representatives from the Houston Texans visit Texas Children’s Hospital, they are here to help create memorable experiences for our patients and their families. Please be courteous as you would with any of the hospital’s partners, and remember that when it comes to our patients and children and families in the community, we’re all on the same team.

Winners of the tickets to the November 29 Play 360 game with the Texans
If you see your name on this list and have yet to be contacted about your tickets, please call Karen Jumonville with Human Resources at Ext. 4-6656.

Leslie Barker, Mother/Baby Unit at the Pavilion for Women Nathalee Jones, Information Services
Katresea Bouldin, The Center for Children and Women Sheila Lopez, Texas Children’s Health Plan
Irene Castro, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Vanessa Marquez, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus – Cardiology
Stephanie Colburn, Texas Children’s Health Centers – The Woodlands Nancy Ng, Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research
Kelly Dahlen, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Pavilion for Women Abhay Patel, Pharmacy Department
Maria Davis, Room Management Christy Rodriguez, Pharmacy Services
Kimberly Derouselle, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Pearland Amanda Schneider, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Esbeydi Duarte, Post Anesthesia Care Unit Reshma Suthar, Texas Children’s Gordon Emergency Center
Woodie Fry, Facilities Planning and Development Kristy Stanley, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cy-Fair
Jewel Greer, Virology Department Maria Valero, Lactation Support
Samelle Hamilton, Facilities Operations Katherine Williams, Business Services
Susan Hardy-Croskey, Maternal Fetal Medicine Thomesa Wilson, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Corinthian Pointe
Daneeka Hamilton, REI-IVF

Clinic Photo Gallery:

November 3, 2015

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At 6:30 p.m. on its 16th birthday, Radio Lollipop began with a familiar tune from the past, “Livin La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin. It was the same song that played as the radio first went on the air on October 5, 1999. Dingy Debbie, the only original Radio Lollipop volunteer still here kicked off the celebration. Throughout the night, songs from that first year on-air played including Destiny’s Child’s “Jumpin Jumpin.” It was an ode to the group that visited the studio in 2000 to celebrate the first birthday of the volunteer and patient-run radio station.

Radio Lollipop volunteers not only run the radio station bringing music to patient rooms, but they do so much more. In one year, the volunteers prepare 22,500 crafts, give our 4,950 prizes and go through approximately 155 pounds of glitter!

Notable Radio Lollipop guests from the last 16 years include:

  • Destiny’s Child
  • Bellaire Little Leaguers (US National 2000 Champions)
  • Lil Bow Wow
  • James Buescher (NASCAR driver and Texan)
  • Demi Lovato
  • Tracy Lawrence
  • Hillary Duff (came to celebrate the hospitals 50th birthday and visited the studio)
  • The Cheetah Girls
  • Third Eye Blind
  • Rodeo clowns, including “Flame” (a good friend of our very own Cowboy Kelly)

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Texas Children’s employees hosted a spooktacular week of Halloween parties to ensure patients and their families reveled in the holiday spirit.

From fun games and prizes to super hero costumes, last week’s celebrations brought smiles to the faces of patients, some of whom were on campus for outpatient visits and others who had to stay at the hospital during the candy crunching holiday.

To ensure all children got a taste of Halloween, Texas Children’s employees donned their Halloween attire and handed out goodies during the three-hour party on The Auxiliary Bridge organized by the Patient Activity Team.

Many of the festive children’s costumes were generously donated to Texas Children’s and distributed to patients at West Tower, Abercrombie and the Clinical Care Units so they could join in on the fun.

For the second year in a row, the Development Department handed out Halloween cards and puppet fingers during the Bridge event. More than 25,000 Halloween cards were received including submissions from Australia and Norway. The cards were also distributed to patients at our health centers and The Center for Women and Children.

But, the Halloween celebration didn’t stop there.

Window washers dressed as Super Heroes scaled the outside of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus while waving to children and families who waited excitedly to catch a glimpse of Batman, Superman, Spiderman and Captain America.

Several patients, families and area residents also stopped by West Campus to enjoy the hospital’s annual Fall Festival where employees dressed in elaborate costumes, handed out candy and entertained the patients with comical dances and songs. Both events were organized by West Campus’ Child Life Department.

And, earlier in the week, Houston Texans’ players Charles James II and Brian Peters, Houston Texans cheerleaders and TORO, who dressed as Superman, posed with patients for silly photos in the photo booth, played games, drew pictures and signed autographs at the Child Life Zone

Below are photos of Halloween events at West Campus and The Zone with the Houston Texans.

 

October 20, 2015

102115kingwoodanniv640A year ago this October, Texas Children’s Hospital Outpatient Therapy at Kingwood Glen and the Texas Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Therapy at Kingwood Glen opened their doors to the north Houston community of Kingwood to make services more convenient to patients and families who live there. Since then, the locations’ therapy staff has grown, referrals from local primary care physicians have increased and families have praised the facilities and their staff for making their lives easier and better.

One mom said her child, who visits the facilities regularly for therapy, is doing incredible. “We are very pleased with the skill level of the therapist there and the care they provide,” the mother said. Another family member of a child who receives therapy at Kingwood Glen said she is “so excited to have a Texas Children’s facility close to our home.”

Texas Children’s Hospital Outpatient Therapy at Kingwood Glen and the Texas Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Therapy at Kingwood Glen occupy a 12,666- square-foot space on the corner of Farm to Market Road 1960 and West Lake Houston Parkway in Humble. Therapy services offered at the locations include physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as orthopedic and sports medicine therapy.

Both locations have added additional personnel, bringing the number of therapists to 13 and the support staff to four. Due to their hard work, the locations have increased referrals from our local Texas Children’s Pediatrics associates by 43 percent.

“The staff has dedicated themselves to family-centered care and imbedding themselves in the community in which they work,” therapy manager Jenna Henry said. “As we approach our one-year anniversary, we look back on the journey of opening a new clinic from the ground up, building relationships with our referring providers and are looking forward to continuing to grow to service the community around us.”

October 13, 2015

Thousands of Texas Children’s employees have armed themselves against the upcoming flu season by taking advantage of the free flu vaccines that are being offered by Employee Health. It’s not too late for you to do the same.

Free flu shots are still being offered to all Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers at various events across the organization and at the Employee Health Clinic.

Staff Nurse Sarah Vining got her flu shot the second day it was being offered on The Auxiliary Bridge and said she gets the annual vaccine to protect herself, her family and the patients she serves against a potentially fatal infection.

“It’s important for our families and our patients, as well as our own families at home, to stay healthy and make sure that we’re in our best condition to take care of our patients,” Vining said. “So, get your flu shot!”

What’s in the shot?

The shot that is being offered to employees this year protects against four of the main flu viruses that research suggests will be the most common during the upcoming season.

Those viruses are:

  • Influenza A (H1N1)
  • Influenza A (H3N2)
  • Influenza B (Phuket)
  • Influenza B (Brisbane)

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people get vaccinated soon after the vaccine becomes available. However, as long as flu viruses are circulating in a community, it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

“Getting the flu shot is important,” said Staff Nurse Vincent Orion prior to getting his annual vaccine on The Auxiliary Bridge. “It’s protects everybody.”

How to get vaccinated

Click here to view the dates and locations for your vaccination. If you are unable to make one of these dates, please make an appointment at the Employee Health clinic, located on the fifth floor of the Abercrombie Building near the yellow elevators, after October 1. If you have questions, please call Employee Health at Ext. 4-2150. West Campus Employee Health is located on the campus’ second floor and can be reached at Ext. 7-1365.

Visitation restrictions

Based on the increasing incidence of respiratory illness, effective at 6 a.m. Thursday, October 15 Texas Children’s Hospital is instituting new visitation restrictions for the inpatient units and critical care areas. To read more about these restrictions please click here.

D101415SunjeevPatel175r. Sunjeev Patel from Texas Children’s Pediatrics Lakewood is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star physician. “Being part of Texas Children’s Pediatrics has allowed me to not only see patients in the office, but it also has given me the opportunity to be involved with understanding and improving quality of care,” said Patel. Read more of Patel’s interview below, and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Dr. Sunjeev Patel, January – June 2015 Physician

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Dr. Sunjeev Patel, pediatrician, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Lakewood. I am the site leader and lab director for the practice. I also am the chair for the Quality Advisory Committee for Texas Children’s Pediatrics. I have worked for Texas Children’s Pediatrics since 2002. I started in the Float Pool and joined Lakewood in 2004.

What month are you Super Star for?
January – June 2015

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
It was announced at our monthly office staff meeting.

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 am very honored to have received this award. I could not do what I do without the support of my office staff and Texas Children’s Pediatrics. Being part of Texas Children’s Pediatrics has allowed me to not only see patients in the office, but it also has given me the opportunity to be involved with understanding and improving quality of care.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
Being a hard worker who is passionate about what they do.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
Doing the best that I can for my patients. Watching the kids grow up and seeing parents become more confident in their ability to care for their children is a great motivator.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
Working with two great teams – my office and Texas Children’s Pediatrics Quality.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
A leader is someone who can inspire and motivate others.