February 5, 2014

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Texas Children’s is going North. Or more specifically, we’re headed to The Woodlands. In fall 2017, Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands will begin providing specialized care to children and families in a world-class, 548,000-square-foot facility.

“We stand at the forefront of an exciting new time in pediatric health care as we continue to grow, save more lives and create better futures for children everywhere,” said Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace at Friday’s groundbreaking ceremonies for the new hospital. “Our next 60 years start today – here in The Woodlands – with a Texas Children’s community hospital built right on this spot.”

More than 700 Texas Children’s supporters, including many residents, leaders and donors from The Woodlands area, joined Friday’s groundbreaking events to help celebrate both the new hospital and Texas Children’s 60th birthday. Along with the ceremonial turning of the first shovels of dirt, the festivities included presentation of a birthday cake: local children, all former patients of the hospital, helped Wallace sing happy birthday and blow out the candles.

A video commemorating Texas Children’s 60 years of history was shown, and guests heard remarks from Wallace, long-time hospital supporter and Woodlands resident, Carol Garner, and from Carol Ann Demaret, mother of David Vetter, known widely as the “Bubble Boy.”

A peek inside
Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands will offer specialty pediatric care in cancer, cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, diabetes and endocrinology, urology, sports medicine, gastroenterology and nutrition, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, allergy and immunology, dermatology, adolescent medicine and physician rehabilitation.

Hospital facilities will include 24 emergency center rooms, 74 outpatient rooms, five radiology rooms, four operating rooms and 30 acute care beds at opening with plans of up to 200 beds. Ample free parking will be available with 1,000 spaces planned. Along with serving families throughout The Woodlands area, Texas Children’s anticipates serving families in counties throughout Greater North Houston including Montgomery, Walker, Grimes, Liberty, Harris, Polk, San Jacinto and Hardin.

Partnering with Nordstrom, The Woodlands
On the heels of the birthday and groundbreaking was another big announcement of Texas Children’s newest partnership. Wallace announced that national retailer Nordstrom has chosen the new pediatric hospital in The Woodlands as the beneficiary for the opening gala of its much-anticipated new Woodlands store.

“Houston has been a great home for us and we can’t wait to open our second full-line store at The Woodlands,” said Nora Cummings, vice president and regional manager for Nordstrom. “We’re honored to partner with Texas Children’s Hospital and through our opening gala support their new Pediatric Hospital in The Woodlands.”

All proceeds from the pre-opening event, slated for Wednesday, September 3, 2014, will go toward the new hospital. The new Nordstrom at The Woodlands opens Friday, September 5, 2014. Ticket information will be shared on Connect closer to the event.

 

 

 

 

 

February 4, 2014

Patients and families are the lifeblood of our organization. We want to hear your thoughts on how well we provide family centeredness in our patient care areas across the system.

To better understand best practices related to family centered care we have partnered with Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care (IPFCC), an organization dedicated to “advancing the understanding and practice of patient- and family-centered care in all settings where individuals and families receive health care.”

Below is a survey developed by the IPFCC, designed to help us better understand where we excel and still have growth related to family centered care system-wide. Please take five minutes to fill out this survey, providing your personal thoughts about family centered care in your patient care area. Families are an important piece of the nursing strategic plan, and your feedback will help ensure that any improvement effort we commence aligns with our needs.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TRQVJ2L

Our goal is to have everyone and anyone that works or provides care on any patient care unit to fill out this survey (inpatient, outpatient, EC, Pediatrics, Health Centers, etc.). This is an anonymous survey and is asking for your personal opinion! Please complete by Tuesday, February 18.

January 30, 2014
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“West Campus was a blank canvas,” said Child Life Specialist Rachael Walker.
 
Imagine stark white rooms with lots of medical equipment. Not a very inviting place for young patients who are already timid and nervous. Walker said the white walls provided a great opportunity for Child Life Intervention with the help of a talented artist named Larry Crawford.
 
Places like radiology, pathology and the emergency center got a facelift as beautiful murals transformed the rooms making them inviting and familiar for kids.
 
Getting kids to step into the CT room used to be a challenge, now Walker uses the  underwater mural to invite kids in. Kids and parents are intrigued and calmed by the murals.
 
“When the CT Mural was installed  we started to see a reduction in the number of kids who were sedated for CT scans,” said Walker, “Kids started to come in more willingly to search and find Nemo. Before, Child Life Specialists might have spent a lot of time convincing them to come in but now kids step in more willingly as they gaze at the beautiful underwater scene.”
 
The art is planned with children’s interests in mind. The goal is to use the murals for distraction or guided imagery and story telling. Crawford incorporated familiar images, characters, things for counting to create a more calming atmosphere. The mural project was implemented to put kids at ease in the hospital and make the setting more child-friendly.
 
The entire project was funded by the community. Different organizations came together to raise money for West Campus and the donations were used to brighten these rooms and create this kid-friendly atmosphere.
 
“You decorate your home and office to create a certain mood. This is the same thing in a different setting,” said Walker.
 
Walker and the other child life specialists have seen the positive effects of the murals and were able to share the incredible project with those who contributed to it. Community donors were invited to the hospital for a special tour of the special rooms.
 
“The murals create a less threatening environment for our patients and families,” said Walker, “The child life department plans to continue enhancing West Campus one wall at a time.”
January 15, 2014

Today, Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace announced a new organization-wide mission statement. The new mission statement was approved by Texas Children’s Board of Trustees just before the holidays.

The mission statement: Texas Children’s mission is to create a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education and research.

“This organization-wide statement gives all Texas Children’s entities a single focus: we are one Texas Children’s with one mission,” Wallace said. “Our mission statement is important. It tells the world who we are. It guides our growth and clarifies our vision. Since 1954, the core of our mission has not changed – to provide the best possible care. What has evolved is the way we do that.”

There has been a lot of change in the last several decades. Over the last 60 years, Texas Children’s has built recognized Centers of Excellence in pediatric subspecialties; created the nation’s first HMO for children; formed the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; and developed a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Our physical footprint includes three hospitals, three research facilities, more than 50 local primary care and subspecialty care practices, and we’re still growing.

“Today, Texas Children’s is a diverse and comprehensive global organization, intensely focused on a single mission that’s full of endless possibility,” Wallace said. “There’s still much to be done, but we already have so much to celebrate.”