April 5, 2023

At Texas Children’s, consistent hand hygiene is a priority and studies show it reduces the risk of infection. All workforce members must adhere to hand hygiene practices. For clinical areas specifically, the Five Moments of Hand Hygiene as defined by the World Health Organization must be followed. For convenience, hand sanitizer and handwashing stations are readily available throughout our facilities to consistently practice hand hygiene.

Accountability is key

Partnering with team members can help ensure hand hygiene best practices are followed. Please review the Five Moments of Hand Hygiene flyer and FAQs.

For more information on hand hygiene, including how to improve and increase this important practice across your unit, please contact Kandice Bledsaw, Director of Infection Prevention and Control.

Guiding patients through the admissions process is hard work and is sometimes taken for granted, but it is a vital component of patient care. For patients and their families, a member of the patient access team is typically the first person they interact with either when they pre-register for their service or when they walk through our doors. Those interactions can get our patients and their families off on the right foot as they seek care from our clinicians.

Contact Center Supervisor Lupyta Chapa knows how important her team’s role is in the overall journey and relishes the opportunity to provide solutions and a positive experience for patients and their families.

“Every day, our team tirelessly works to secure benefits and authorizations for services rendered, and usually without any issues. When we do encounter a bump in the road or setback, that’s when the real magic happens and our team members kick into gear,” said Chapa. “The team comes together to find solutions with one goal in mind, giving our patients the care they deserve. This team is amazing and I’m so proud to be part of it. This is why I have dedicated over 16 years of my career at Texas Children’s to the Pre-Service department.”

The Pre-Service department manages all outpatient scheduled events for the Medical Center Campus, Pavilion for Women, The Woodlands Campus, West Campus, Health Centers and the Austin-Mopac clinic.

There are many dedicated team members responsible for pre-service, admissions and scheduling. Through Caught You Caring, they are recognized every day for their efforts. Here are a few highlights:

Judith (Judi) Unrau, Patient Access Representative
We were here a week ago and she introduced herself to my son as we were leaving, and made him smile. Today, she got him laughing and giggling when he was in major pain and scared because he needed blood work. After my son was in procedure, my husband and I were both hungry and she found us a place to stash our bags so we didn’t have to carry everything we had with us to go eat. She laughed and joked and made us feel more comfortable as we waited. She calmed some of my fears. When the waiting room was empty, she volunteered to change the TV station for us. I can’t thank her enough for everything she’s done for us today.

Margarita Briseno, Patient Access Representative
The customer service was very good, helpful and professional. Margarita has a big smile, a helping hand, and is very good with the kids. I will vote for her for best customer service support at the hospital. Keep up the good work and thank you.

Caroline Jones, Contact Center Representative
I received a call today from an upset mom who was so upset and worried her son’s dental appointment for surgery would need to be cancelled. I talked with mom telling her I would look into it and noted the referral shell. Caroline was working the appointment and took it upon herself to reach out to me to see what was going on. And then went above and beyond to see how we could make sure the surgery was approved and not cancelled for this Tricare patient. Caroline escalated the request to Tricare and went way above and beyond even escalating to them. I’m super thankful that Caroline was on this referral shell and thought outside the box to help out. I really appreciate her and her amazingness!!! So glad she’s a part of our Pre-Service Team.

Cristina Aguilar, Patient Access Coordinator
When I got on the phone with Cristina I had already been on the phone for almost two hours trying to make an appointment to see a doctor. I was becoming a little frustrated and struggling to remain calm, and Cristina laid out all of my options clearly, answered my questions with kindness and care, and when I related to her some of the issues that impacted me personally she asked me to hold briefly. It was actually a brief hold, and during that time she went around the office and was able to find me an appointment from a cancellation so I could see a physician I was comfortable with and so I could receive care at a time that was convenient for me. On top of that, she was just so dang nice! Cristina is professional, kind, caring, a good listener, smart, and expedient. I could hear Cristina’s smile through the phone as I was explaining what I needed, and she took my concerns seriously. She is exactly the sort of human you want as the face of your practice, and Baylor OB/GYN is lucky to have her. Thank you, Cristina, for turning what had been a bit of a nightmare into a total win, and for your kindness.

Aaron Wilson, Patient Access Representative was recognized three times in one day! Here’s one of the comments.
Mr. Aaron Wilson, the one that took my ID at the nurse check in desk. He was so very kind and went above and beyond. I was so sick with COVID and still am. He came up to us in the waiting room and handed us two bottles of water and a Gatorade and said, “you will need to stay hydrated.” He did not have to do this but it was SO APPRECIATED!!! It’s those special little deeds that mean so much to patients and their families. You are so blessed to have such a compassionate employee that genuinely cares about others wellbeing.

To read more recognitions or submit a Caught You Caring for a co-worker, click here. Our dedicated patient access team members will celebrate Patient Access Week from April 2-8.

After a successful mock survey in January, teams across the organization are anxiously awaiting the official visit from the Joint Commission. While visits are unannounced, we’re anticipating their arrival in late April or May.

To help our teams get ready, new Education Carts were rolled out across the Medical Center, The Woodlands and West Campuses and have had nearly 1,500 interactions with team members. The carts have proven to be a fun way to test and refresh everyone’s skills and knowledge and engage with leaders.

“The carts have been a big hit,” said Lindsay Meade, assistant clinical director, Perioperative Services. It’s fun way to help everyone get prepared and in the right mindset for the survey. We want to put our best foot forward and getting team members to buy in will help ensure our success.”

Be on the lookout for the Education Cart rolling in to your unit. Other ways to get prepared include reading the Tip of the Week and reviewing the Joint Commission SharePoint site.

The feedback given during the mock survey reinforced what we’re doing well and identified the biggest areas of improvement. While there are specific directives for each unit, some general trends and key areas of opportunity emerged:

  • Equipment: ability to speak to what is clean and what is dirty in the environment
  • Crash Carts: ensure logs are complete
  • Tape: Tape Removal Day is April 6
  • Medication and Sharps: secure medications and sharps
  • Inpatient Dashboard: leaders to monitor documentation to help remind and educate

The Joint Commission’s mission is to make health care a high-reliability industry by ensuring a commitment to continuous improvement in patient care. Our accreditation from the Joint Commission provides “deemed status” for CMS reimbursement, as well as shows our commitment to excel in providing safe, effective, high-quality care.

With the end of the winter season and steadily decreasing transmission of Flu, RSV and COVID-19 across the nation, we are de-escalating our masking guidelines. As always, we will remain vigilant and continue to monitor the numbers making adjustments as needed.

Updated masking guidelines

These guidelines apply to patients, families, health plan members, our entire workforce, volunteers, vendors and all visitors.

  • We will move to optional masking across the system, effective Monday, April 3.
  • Masking will continue to be required in inpatient rooms for multiple contagious illnesses (such as Flu, Rhino, Adeno, Pertussis, etc.) as noted in isolation guidelines and for patients experiencing respiratory symptoms. Masking may be required in ambulatory clinics based on patient population and clinical leadership judgment.
  • N95 Masks (or CAPRs) should be used if a patient is in COVID-19 isolation status (test pending or confirmed positive) in patient care settings.

As a reminder, for all health care settings, PPE worn or utilized should be based on patient symptoms and/or confirmed infection status.

We continue to support those who choose to mask as added protection for themselves. Masking is strongly encouraged for those with high risk conditions and required for workforce members who have a COVID-19 or Flu vaccine exemption. Team members experiencing respiratory symptoms should not be present at work.

For this latest communication and more, please visit our COVID Command website on Connect.

 

The Benefits Team, in partnership with Fidelity and the Texas Children’s Workforce Well-Being Team, will provide education and events to showcase ways to firm up your financial foundation.

Take ownership of your finances while participating in our Money Tree Challenge. From webinars to convenient eLearning opportunities to budget app suggestions, this challenge encourages you to expand your financial literacy to grow your metaphorical money tree big and tall! Complete any of the activities on the leaves to be entered into a drawing for a Grand Prize Gift Bag, one entry per leaf completed. Do 5 of the 8 leaves on the tree to win an additional prize!

Mark your calendar for the Fidelity-hosted webinars below and find more information on the Well-Being in Action Sharepoint site:

April 6 at 12 p.m.: How to Make the Most of Your Retirement Savings
April 13 at 1 p.m.: Resetting Your Financial Foundation
April 26 at 11:30 a.m.: Five Money Musts
April 28: Submit your completed Money Tree to Wellbeing@texaschildrens.org to earn a prize, and submission into a drawing for a gift bag.

March 29, 2023

It’s terrifying for any mother who has to deliver a baby too soon. It’s an overwhelming time worrying if the baby will be healthy to dealing with leaving a baby in a hospital for an extended period of time. One of this year’s executive sponsors of Texas Children’s 2023 March of Dimes fundraising campaign, Denise Tanner-Brown, knows this all too well.

Tanner-Brown, Associate Chief Nurse Executive and Vice President shares her experience:
“As an aunt of a premature baby, I’ve seen what this can do to a family, so this is more than just a fundraiser for me, this is personal. Mothers of premature babies go through so much just dealing with the loss of a “normal” pregnancy and having a “healthy baby.” The guilt of leaving a baby in the hospital is overwhelming and then trying to sort through all the questions and challenges in your mind is anxiety inducing. From thinking about maternity leave, enrolling a preemie in daycare to the expense of having a baby in a hospital and even paying for parking is so much for anyone to handle. After watching this unfold in front of my eyes with my family, I just had to get involved. I want to fight for the voiceless, frustrated and scared and take the opportunity to amplify their needs in a way that instigates change.”

Get involved

This year, Texas Children’s has close to 40 team captains who would welcome you on their team. They’re planning some exciting fundraising events and the first live walk is in Houston on April 23. There are other walk opportunities at later dates.

  • Fort Bend – May 6
  • The Woodlands – May 13
  • Austin – June 3

If you’re not yet part of a team, please click here to join, then follow the steps below to register with March of Dimes.

Step 1
Register with the MOD. This is free and allows your teams to be seen together and use social media to fundraise!

  • View our amazing TCH Teams here: TCH March of Dimes Team. Scroll down and find a TCH team to join or donate.
  • Share your TCH team with family and friends and social media!
  • Or, simply make a secure donation to your favorite TCH team via the MOD site.

Step 2
Use our TCH Payroll Deduction Form to register for one of our TCH March for Babies live walk events. Registration includes your TCH T-SHIRT and our MOD walk party!

  • Complete the Texas Children’s Hospital’s Payroll Deduction form to register
  • Blue Jeans for Babies (BJB) for March, April, and May: $20 a month to wear work appropriate blue jeans to support MOD every Friday
  • Once registered for BJB, please print your receipt to receive your 2023 Blue Jeans for Babies button from your Team Captain
  • Online registration for our March for Babies Houston event: $30 for your TCH T-Shirt, event day activities, and lunch.
  • Online registration for our March for Babies Montgomery/ Ft. Bend/ Austin event: $25 for your TCH T-Shirt and event day activities.
  • Or, simply make a donation via the TCH Payroll Deduction process

We all have a role to play when it comes to emergency preparedness. We can’t always predict when a crisis may happen, but being prepared for one can be key to keeping everyone healthy and safe.

TAKE ACTION – Employee Disaster Roster (EDR)

It takes all of us working together and doing our part to keep our system running when disaster strikes. All team members must re-register annually for the Employee Disaster Roster – electing to be part of the Prep Team, Ride-Out Team and/or Relief Team. Details for each team are listed in the form, and you should work with your leader to agree on the appropriate role for you.

Note, if you’re on the ride-out team, you can use this easy checklist to pack your at-work disaster bag with 5-7 days of essential supplies.

Everbridge Event Management Platform

When emergencies happen, Texas Children’s will rely on the Everbridge platform to keep you informed. Whether through text, phone and/or email, team members can be reached in seconds when a critical event takes place.

We know messages received on your personal device can be a distraction, and that’s why we are committed to using this channel only when necessary to protect people and property.

Be sure you’re on the list:

  • If your contact information is correct in Voyager, you’re on the list. If you’re not getting messages, please review your information, paying particular attention that your mobile number is in the correct field.
  • If you have previously opted out, we strongly encourage you to opt back in by texting the word “RESUME” to 89361.
  • Visit the Department of Organizational Resilience SharePoint site for contact information and links to websites to help you create an emergency preparedness plan of your own.