January 15, 2019

Texas Children’s Cancer Center recently honored Senior Project Manager Robin Raesz-Martinez with the Bravo Award for her work with the KidsCanSeq Project, which investigates how tumor genetics may help inform treatment decisions and the impact of genetic findings on cancer surveillance, genetic testing and health care utilization.

The Bravo Awards are a new quarterly award aimed at recognizing members of the Cancer Center who go above and beyond to ensure our patients and families receive the best possible care.

Raesz-Martinez’s nominees praised her tireless work with our patients, her role in managing the KidsCanSeq project, as well as her teaching, not only Cancer Center staff, but staff across the state who are collaborating with Texas Children’s on this project.

Congratulations!

January 14, 2019

Emergency medical service professionals from across Texas recently gathered in Fort Worth for the 2018 Texas EMS Conference and Texas EMS Awards ceremony, where representatives from Texas Children’s trauma center accepted this year’s Trauma Center Award – the state EMS and Trauma system’s top honor for trauma facilities.

“This really is a big deal for Texas Children’s,” said Texas Children’s Associate Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. David Wesson. “The award signals that we’re among the best trauma centers in the state, adult or pediatric, and it represents a team effort by all of the Texas Children’s Trauma Team – doctors, nurses, data specialists, prevention experts, social workers and so many others, and our leaders, Dr. Bindi Naik-Mathuria and Christi Reeves.”

The Texas EMS Awards, sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services, honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the best that state EMS and Trauma have to offer. The Trauma Center Award is presented each year to one facility in the state that has demonstrated leadership and high standards in implementing injury prevention programs and in providing trauma patient care both to citizens and visitors of Texas. Most notably, the winning trauma center is selected from among both adult and pediatric trauma facilities by members of the Texas EMS community.

“These pre-hospital providers have a unique perspective on the quality of care delivered at trauma centers across the state,” said Wesson. “They want the best care for the patients they rescue in the field. So we should be very proud to have been recognized.”

The full continuum of trauma care

Texas Children’s Level I trauma center provides comprehensive, around-the-clock evaluation and treatment for the most severely injured patients that come to the hospital. Considering there are more than 1,000 annual trauma admissions at our Texas Medical Center campus, teamwork is absolutely essential for the rapid and decisive action needed to treat traumatic injuries. The multidisciplinary team includes pediatric surgeons and surgical subspecialists, emergency medicine physicians, critical care physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, child life specialists, social workers, rehabilitation specialists, physical, occupational and respiratory therapists, and other support staff – all working together effectively and efficiently when every second matters.

In addition to the world-class clinical care we provide in our trauma center, we also work with state and regional organizations to provide educational opportunities for pre-hospital providers, nurses, community groups and other hospitals. Furthermore, we have teams specially dedicated to public health and injury prevention and to the prevention and management of child abuse and neglect.

Learn more about Texas Children’s trauma center.

January 7, 2019

‘Twas the week before Christmas when patients, families and staff at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands welcomed a very special visitor. But it wasn’t Santa Claus, nor his elves. It was the All-Star shortstop for the Houston Astros – Carlos Correa.

The first stop on the visit was the main lobby, where Correa met with some of our cancer patients and their families before a dedication ceremony for the piano Correa donated last year after an inspiring visit to our campus in The Woodlands.

“The work that I saw being done here and the quality of the care the doctors and staff were providing was breathtaking,” Correa said. “It’s a privilege for me to be able to try and create a special experience for the patients and their families with my piano, and I hope it will provide a joyful distraction and entertainment for many years to come.”

To dedicate the instrument, Dr. Ricky Flores, clinical director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers at The Woodlands, played “Stella del mattino (Morning Star),” a piece whose beautiful simplicity he connects with the patients for whom Texas Children’s cares – who he says are simply beautiful.

“This piano has been an amazing gift to have here,” Flores said. “Many patients, and even some of our providers, have played it and enjoyed it so much. We are very grateful to Carlos for it.”

Following the ceremony, Correa and members of his family paid a special visit to the Acute Care Floor. They took time to pose for photos and to speak individually with several patients and their families who have spent the holidays in the hospital. Correa even talked favorite superheroes and movies. For those families, it was a holiday visit they surely won’t forget.

“I would like to thank the doctors, the patients and the staff at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands for inviting me,” Correa said. “I greatly admire the capabilities and commitment of the care providers and was inspired to witness the strength and courage of the patients they are treating. I hope my visit brought some happiness, joy and motivation for these wonderful people.”


The Centers for Children and Women at Texas Children’s recently received community pharmacy practice accreditation from the Center for Pharmacy Practice Accreditation (CPPA). This accreditation demonstrates Texas Children’s ongoing commitment to high quality care and patient safety.

With approximately 33,000 community pharmacies located across the United States, The Centers in Greenspoint and Southwest are the first in Texas to gain this esteemed accreditation.

“Gaining this voluntary accreditation is an important way for us to show our investment in continuous improvement of our pharmacy practice,” said Yen Phan, pharmacy manager at The Centers for Children and Women. “Our team worked very hard to meet the rigorous CPPA requirements for accreditation, and we will continue to focus our efforts on providing exceptional patient-centered care.”

The CPPA, a non-profit organization, recognizes pharmacy practices that foster medication safety and effectiveness, ensure continuous quality improvement and facilitate desired patient health outcomes.

The Centers at Greenspoint and Southwest implemented several initiatives to meet the CPPA standards for community pharmacy accreditation including creating a Quality Committee that provides an organized forum to review quality metrics and develop solutions to prevent potential medication errors. The Quality Committee also assessed overall performance and identified areas in need of quality improvement.

“The surveyors were very impressed with our best practices and model of care,” Phan said. “Our hope is that our best practices can serve as a benchmark for other community pharmacies to replicate.”

For more information about the CPPA accreditation process, visit www.pharmacypracticeaccredit.org
For more information about The Center for Children and Women, visit www.jointhecenter.org

On January 1, 2019, Dr. Rajkumar Venkatramani assumed the role of director of the Solid Tumor Program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center. Venkatramani, associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, is a board-certified pediatric hematologist-oncologist who is internationally recognized for his expertise in the care of children with pediatric solid tumors.

Dr. Murali Chintagumpala, who has served as director of both the Solid Tumor and Neuro-Oncology programs for many years, will continue to serve as director of the Neuro-Oncology Program, and will continue to play an integral role in the Solid Tumor Program.

Venkatramani completed his pediatric training at Kings College in London and obtained membership in the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. He completed another pediatric residency at University of Illinois College of Medicine and a fellowship in pediatric hematology oncology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Venkatramani served on the faculty at University of Southern California for three years prior to joining the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Cancer Center in 2014.

At Texas Children’s, Venkatramani has been instrumental in developing a rare tumors program. He has established a national registry for children with rare tumors that will provide important data to physician scientists as they work to find a cure for these often times difficult to treat cancers.

Venkatramani is also a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Renal Tumor Committee, where he is actively involved in developing a national clinical trial for children with a type of recurrent or relapsed kidney tumor known as Wilms tumor.

Venkatramani has published more than 60 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and has been a recipient of numerous awards, including: The Walter Laug Distinguished Teacher Award for Outstanding Teaching and the Guidance and Inspiration and Outstanding Resident Teacher Award. In 2017, he was appointed to the editorial board of Pediatric Blood and Cancer, the premier publication that focuses on laboratory and clinical investigations for children and adolescents with cancer or blood disorders.

“I am extremely excited to have Dr. Venkatramani transition into this leadership role, as his expertise in solid tumors will serve our patients and program well,” said Dr. Susan Blaney, director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers. “I am also very appreciative of the leadership that Dr. Chintagumpala has provided to the Solid Tumor Program for many years and pleased that he will continue to be actively involved in this program as well as to continue to lead the Neuro-Oncology Program as well as play a leadership role in other Center activities.”

December 11, 2018

On November 30, faculty and staff from Texas Children’s Department of Surgery and Perioperative Services gathered for the inaugural presentation of the Department of Surgery Insight Series. The new series of inspirational lectures, given by well-known speakers, was created as a way to foster personal development within the department.

“We are so lucky to be able to do what we do every day for these children, and the professionals here at Texas Children’s do it with unmatched levels of skill, kindness and dignity; but it can exact a toll both physically and emotionally,” said Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “Seeking inspiration in what we do and where we are is important to help ease these burdens. The purpose of these talks is to inspire our faculty and staff, and to teach them new ways to approach their professional and personal lives.”

If the first presentation of the series was any indication, members of the Department of Surgery have much to look forward to.

The afternoon’s speaker was Ronan Tynan – physician, multiple medal-winning and record-setting Paralympian, and member of the renowned singing group, The Irish Tenors – whose fascinating personal story of triumph in the face of adversity had the audience laughing one moment and crying the next.

Tynan, who grew up in Ireland, was born with a lower limb disability that caused both his legs to be underdeveloped. However, this didn’t hinder Tynan from leading an active childhood on his family’s farm, where his favorite activities were horseback riding and racing motorcycles. Another setback occurred when Tynan was twenty and both legs had to be amputated due to serious complications following an auto accident. But in only a few weeks, he was bounding up flights of stairs on prosthetic legs, and within a year, he was winning medals and setting world records in the Paralympics. After his success as an athlete, Tynan set his sights on yet another goal – to become a physician – and earned a degree from Trinity College, specializing in orthopedic sports injuries.

That impressive résumé would be the dream of many, but Tynan was just getting warmed up. At the encouragement of his father, he decided to pursue another passion – singing. Shortly after beginning his formal training, he won a string of vocal competitions and awards, which ultimately led to his big break with the chart-topping trio, The Irish Tenors.

Tynan cited the importance of relationships in our lives. He cited the encouragement and support of others as a driving force behind his many personal victories, and reminded the audience that preparation, belief in one’s self and abilities, and the willingness to take chances are necessary parts of growing, succeeding and finding happiness.

“We are so honored to have had Dr. Tynan with us for this special presentation,” said Hollier. “His amazing story, and the fact that he has chosen to be happy despite, or perhaps because of, the challenges he’s faced, is an inspiration and lesson all of us can learn from.”

Dr. Carla Ortique, an OB/GYN with Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, was recently named physician of the year by the Houston Medical Forum, a component society of the National Medical Association.

The forum was established in 1926 to address the needs of physicians of African descent and their patients. Today, the Houston Medical Forum is the National Medical Association’s largest local affiliate. Its members represent a myriad of specialties and engage in a variety of activities that advance the art and practice of medicine as well as promote education and wellness in the community, eliminate health disparities and sustain physician viability.

“I feel incredibly blessed and honored to be recognized by this organization,” Ortique said.

Ortique earned a B.S. in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1982 and her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1986. Ortique completed an internship and residency in family medicine at the University of Illinois.

A strong interest in providing comprehensive care for women, coupled with the personal experience of having a sister diagnosed with breast cancer, resulted in Ortique undertaking a second residency program. She completed her training in obstetrics and gynecology at St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center in St. Paul, Minn., in 1995.

Ortique has been in the active practice of obstetrics and gynecology in Texas since August 1995. Board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology since 1997, she incorporates her family medicine training as well as training in complementary and alternative therapies to provide comprehensive care to female patients. Her areas of special interest include spirituality and medicine, general obstetrics, minimally invasive surgical procedures including hysteroscopy and laparoscopy, preventative health care and patient safety, guidance for perimenopausal and menopausal patients. Ortique also is interested in health equity and elimination of racial and ethnic health care disparities and elimination of preventable maternal deaths.