June 16, 2015

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Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace was on hand at the recent commencement ceremony at Baylor College of Medicine, as he has been on more than 20 other occasions. But this time, he too was being honored.

Wallace received an honorary degree – the Doctor of Humanities in Medicine. The honorary degree is awarded to individuals who have provided exceptional support or service, either directly or indirectly, to Baylor College of Medicine or to academic medicine as a whole.

As he received the honorary doctorate and shook the hand of Dr. Paul Klotman, Baylor’s president and CEO, Wallace said he reflected on how his relationship with Baylor began.

“In 1977 when I joined Houston Methodist, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey was Baylor’s president and was regarded as the number one cardiovascular surgeon in the world,” Wallace said. “I remember how aspirational DeBakey was about making Baylor a great medical school. I learned a great deal from DeBakey about the importance of teaching hospitals.”

DeBakey’s sister, Lois DeBakey, had nothing but kind words for Wallace regarding the recent honor.

“I am pleased to see Mark’s inordinate intellect, capabilities, talents and laudable personal qualities recognized in this way,” Lois said. “He should take just pride in the growth, expansion and high stature of the hospital system he’s shepherded for so long and so successfully.”

Wallace said it was during his early days at Methodist that he began to understand what contributes to the success of great academic centers of excellence – teaching hospitals like Johns Hopkins, Mass General or Boston Children’s, for example – is their affiliation with a medical school which attracts the best minds and the brightest individuals. He carried that knowledge and DeBakey’s wisdom with him to Texas Children’s, which has been affiliated with Baylor since its inception more than 60 years ago.

Today, Texas Children’s has a complementary mix of Baylor faculty and outstanding private pediatricians, surgeons and Ob/Gyn physicians who choose to practice at Texas Children’s and are dedicated to fulfilling our mission.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the tremendous work and dedication of everyone associated with Texas Children’s – the Board, executive and physician leaders, our extraordinary employees and everyone else who is somehow involved in our commitment to patient care, education and research,” Wallace said. “It is their dedication that allowed me to celebrate that very special moment.”

This news story includes excerpts from Mark Wallace’s June 4 On the Mark blog post “An honorary degree 38 years in the making.” Click here to read the blog post in its entirety.

June 9, 2015

U.S.News and World Report released its 2015-2016 Best Children’s Hospitals list today, and Texas Children’s Hospital maintained the no. 4 spot among the 184 children’s hospitals surveyed by the publication. Also, Texas Children’s once again is listed on the Honor Roll, which recognizes hospitals with top 10 rankings in at least three specialties.

“We are thrilled that U.S.News continually recognizes our hospital as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country,” said Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace. “These rankings reflect what we all already know, that the trajectory of Texas Children’s is incredible. In our relatively short 60 year history we have achieved amazing feats. Through the commitment and enthusiasm our staff and employees display each and every day for our mission, we have become, and will continue to be, one of the preeminent resources for health and hope to all children and their families.”

U.S. News surveyed 184 pediatric centers to obtain clinical data in 10 specialties and asked 150 pediatric specialists in each specialty where they would send the sickest children. This year, specialty certified physicians were able to participate in Doximity in addition to the sampling of 150 specialty certified physicians.

These rankings are the result of a methodology that weighs a combination of outcome and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing, outcomes, best practices, infection prevention, and reputation, among other factors.

There were 83 hospitals that ranked in at least one specialty, and 12 hospitals were named to the honor roll, listed below:

Ranking Hospital Points Specialties in top 10
1 Boston Children’s Hospital 20 10
2 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 19 10
3 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center 15 10
4 Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston 12 6*
5 Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora 7 6
6 Seattle Children’s Hospital 7 5
7 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 6 5
8 Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC 6 4
9 Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 5 5
10 Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 5 3
11 Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago 3 3
11 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta 3 3

The 12 children’s hospitals on the 2015-16 Honor Roll ranked at or near the top in three or more specialties. The order is by total points. A hospital that ranked among the highest 5 percent in a specialty received 2 points; a hospital that ranked in the next 5 percent got 1 point. Ties were broken by the number of specialties in which points were earned.

Texas Children’s, working closely with academic partner Baylor College of Medicine, continues to pioneer advancements in pediatric healthcare and earns the U.S.News honor roll distinction by being ranked among America’s best in:

  • #2 Cardiology & heart surgery
  • #2 Neurology & neurosurgery
  • #2 Pulmonology
  • #3 Urology
  • #4 Cancer
  • #4 Nephrology (kidney disorders)
  • #10 Diabetes & endocrinology
  • #11 Gastroenterology (digestive disorders)
  • #26 Neonatology
  • #26 Orthopedics

This year’s ranking demonstrates some significant gains among several Texas Children’s services. Here are a few highlights:

  • 7 services scored in the top 10*
  • 6 services were ranked among the top 5
  • 3 of the services among the top 5 now rank no. 2 in the nation
  • 7 of the 10 services maintained or increased their rank from 2014 (4 increased, 3 maintained)

* Note: Texas Children’s has services in the top 10 list in 7 categories. And of those, 6 are among the top 10 percent of all hospitals ranked.

“While we’re very proud of this achievement, we are never satisfied,” Wallace said. “We will continue to push ourselves and drive for even better results. Because ultimately, it’s not about a numerical ranking – it’s about delivering the best possible care and service to the patients and families who entrust us with their lives.”

The 2015-16 edition of Best Children’s Hospitals is available online at usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

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Texas Children’s Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Baylor College of Medicine Associate Professor Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye recently received the college’s Rising Star Clinician award.

The award recognizes assistant and associate professors with at least five years of clinical service who have shown exemplary qualities of clinical excellence and expertise, consistent high level of patient care, professionalism, commendable leadership skills, and continuous service to our community.

Established by Baylor President, CEO and Executive Dean Dr. Paul Klotman, the award was presented to Olutoye at a May 14 ceremony.

“These awards are important to me personally, and they are also important to Baylor College of Medicine,” Klotman said. “At the end of the day, how we take care of patients is what differentiates us from others.”

Texas Children’s Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos said Olutoye is well deserving of the Rising Star Award seeing that she is an international authority on maternal-fetal anesthesia, and is our Texas Children’s leader of that service.

“She is widely recognized for her clinical excellence, leadership skills, compassion and bedside manner for these complicated patients,” Andropoulos said. “She also is the pediatric anesthesiology liaison to the Texas Children’s Hospital Global Surgery Service, and is a recognized authority in anesthesia service and education to developing countries.”

Olutoye, who directs Texas Children’s Hospital’s Fetal Anesthesiology Services, earned her medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University Medical School. She completed an internship and two fellowships at the Medical College of Virginia, and a residency program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Olutoye’s interests include the effect of drugs on the fetus and the fetal brain during Maternal-Fetal surgery as well as the effect of pediatric obesity on the efficacy of anesthesia drugs.

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Texas Children’s Mothers’ Milk Bank recently held its second annual appreciation luncheon to honor mothers who have generously donated the lifesaving gift of breast milk. Together, they contributed 444 gallons of breast milk to our Milk Bank, resulting in more than 56,802 feedings in 2014.

This remarkable feat would not have been accomplished without the generous support of our milk donors, many of whom are Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine employees. Mothers of critically ill infants in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Newborn Center depend on pasteurized donor breast milk to supplement their own milk supply if they are unable to produce enough milk for their baby.

Texas Children’s Chief of Neonatology Dr. Stephen Welty, Neonatal Nutrition Director Dr. Amy Hair and Dr. Jennifer Arnold congratulated our milk donors for their selfless act of kindness at the luncheon, which was funded by Bad Pants, a long-time supporter of our Newborn Center.

“Every ounce of donor breast milk improves outcomes for our NICU babies,” Hair said. “Mothers who donate their excess supply to our milk bank ensure our tiniest, most vulnerable patients receive a constant supply of nourishment and protection to stay healthy.”

Unlike formula, human milk contains antibodies that protect babies against bacterial infections and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening neonatal condition that causes intestinal inflammation. Since the Newborn Center implemented its exclusive human milk feeding protocol in 2009, NEC rates in our NICU have dropped by 77 percent.

This year, the Milk Bank celebrated its fourth year of operation, and is working hard to ensure enough pasteurized donor breast milk is available to feed the more than 2,000 NICU babies treated at the Newborn Center each year.

“Our milk donors are life savers,” Texas Children’s donation coordinator Laurel Laviolette said. “The amount of breast milk collected last year exemplifies our milk donors’ commitment to promoting the health of our NICU patients.”

For more information on how to become a Texas Children’s milk donor, click here.

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Two Texas Children’s pediatric urologists recently were honored and recognized by the Society for Pediatric Urology.

Pediatric Urology Fellow Dr. Jason Au was recently awarded the top prize at the Society for Pediatric Urology / Society of Fetal Urology / American Urological Association Annual Meeting for his case presentation, “Urologic Considerations in the Separation of Conjoint Twins.” Au was recognized for excellence and innovation in case presentation. The national meeting is the largest of its kind in the world providing unparalleled access to groundbreaking research, new guidelines and the latest advances in urologic medicine.

Dr. Chester Koh, director of the Pediatric Robotic Surgery Program at Texas Children’s Hospital, was appointed to serve a three year term on the Society for Pediatric Urology Executive Council. In this capacity, Koh will serve on the governing body of the main professional organization for pediatric urologists that oversees the society’s activities. His term will run from 2015 to 2018. The Society for Pediatric Urology is a non-profit society whose main purpose is to promote pediatric urology, appropriate practice and education, as well as exchanges between practitioners involved in the treatment of genito urinary disorders in children.

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Texas Children’s pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Julie Katkin has been an active, engaged member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for several years.

Katkin has been involved with the AAP Section on Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine (SOPPSM) not only as a member, but also as a past section program chairperson, where she continues to improve the health and quality of care for infants, children and adolescents.

Katkin has been a working member of the SOPPSM Executive Committee for 10 years and is currently in her second term as chairperson for SOPPSM. Katkin also has served on the Project Advisory Committee for the Medical Homes Chapter Champions for Asthma project and currently serves in that capacity for the revamped Medical Homes Chapter Champions for Asthma and Anaphylaxis project.

Contributions from members such as Katkin are critical as the AAP works hard to respond to the needs of subspecialists. If you see Katkin, please shake her hand and ask her how she got involved with AAP. The AAP is very grateful for the hard work she’s done and we hope you’ll join her as Texas Children’s and the AAP work together to help kids. Learn more about TCH Group Members in Action.

Click here to find out how Texas Children’s partnership with the AAP helps physicians advocate for their patients.

June 3, 2015

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Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace is hosting a series of events beginning Friday, June 5, to celebrate our entire Texas Children’s team and what makes this organization so special. The theme is One Mission, One Culture, One Amazing Team. 

The events kick off with four sessions at the Main Campus, followed by two sessions at the West Campus and one at the John P. McGovern (Nabisco) building. Dates and times are below.

One Mission, One Culture, One Amazing Team sessions are for all Texas Children’s employees and physicians. Events are come-and-go and will celebrate our mission and our core values in a fun, festive atmosphere with snacks, drinks, music, and fun activities/giveaways.

Here are the details:

Live Compassionately zoneOMOT map
  • Celebrate our Patient Experience: “Catch” your colleagues caring, pull acts of compassion cards, and win fun giveaways. By Living Compassionately, we make a difference for our patients and their families.
Embrace Freedom zone
  • Let your voice be heard: Mark’s said it before – when you talk, he listens. He and his leadership team want to know what’s on your mind and how you think we can make Texas Children’s even better. Embrace the freedom to share your ideas by writing on our giant brainstorming board.
Amplify Unity zone
  • Take a timeout: Remember recess? You will after just a few minutes of high energy games brought to you by our Employee Health and Wellness team. Come together with your colleagues for some competition and fun as we Amplify Unity through healthy activity.
Lead Tirelessly zone
  • Learn about leadership from the best: As Mark Wallace says, at Texas Children’s, everyone is a leader. To help you on your journey to Lead Tirelessly, Mark is giving everyone a copy of The Magic Book of Maxims, a commemorative children’s book illustrating Mark’s 10 Maxims of Leadership. Make sure you grab a copy.
Photo zone
  • Snap a picture: Who doesn’t love a good selfie? The Photo zone includes a photo booth and a selfie station with fun props, so bring your team spirit and capture it on camera.
Houston Texans tickets
  • Make a touchdown: Who’s ready for some football? You will be if you win two tickets to a Texans game. Make sure you fill out a comment card about why you’re proud to be part of the Texas Children’s team. All team members who complete and turn in a card will qualify for a drawing for a pair of Houston Texans football tickets. We’ve got 25 pairs of tickets to give away.

 

Schedule of event sessions

Friday, June 5

7:30-8:30 am AND 10-11 am

Main Campus – Pavilion 4th floor conference area

 

Monday, June 8

3:30-4:30 pm AND 6-7:30 pm

Main Campus – Pavilion 4th floor conference area

 

Monday, June 22

7:30-8:30 am AND 9:30-10:30 am

West Campus – 1st floor conference area

 

Tuesday, June 30

2-3:30 pm

John P. McGovern Campus (Nabisco Building) – Human Performance Center

 

Parking 

Main Campus 

  • Parking for the Main Campus events will be the same as normal.
  • If you are visiting the Main Campus, park in Garage 19, and an attendant will be at the entrance to let you in.
  • Visitors, please enter Garage 19 on the Colonade Drive side entrance and catch the shuttle on the Meyer Building side.
  • If Garage 19 is your assigned garage, park as normal and ride the same shuttle you normally would.

West Campus 

  • Parking for the West Campus events will be the same as normal.
  • If you are visiting West Campus, feel free to park in the open parking lot.

John P. McGovern Campus (Nabisco Building)

  • Parking for the John P. McGovern event will be the same as normal.
  • If you are visiting John P. McGovern Campus, an attendant will be at the entrance to let you in.
  • Shuttles will transport Revenue Cycle employees to the John P. McGovern Campus. Transportation details will be shared in a separate communication.

Mark Wallace to take One Mission, One Culture, One Amazing Team on tour 

All Texas Children’s staff and employees are welcome to attend any of the hospital-based events listed above. However, beginning in July, Mark will take the fun on the road with stops at Texas Children’s Pediatrics practices, Texas Children’s Health Centers, The Center for Children and Women locations and Texas Children’s Urgent Care sites.

The team tour will continue throughout the fall and winter, until Mark has made it to all locations. He’ll bring books and other treats for every team member. We’ll communicate specific details to the appropriate leaders of the locations as the tour stops are scheduled.

Questions

We look forward to seeing you Friday and Monday at Main Campus and later this month at the other locations. If you have questions, please email us at connectnews@texaschildrens.org.