The Quality and Safety Department recognizes individuals or groups who have excelled in providing Patient Safety with the monthly Shamrock Award. Congratulations to the latest Shamrock recipients.
Kimberly Phelps, Ophthalmic Technology Educator, Medical Center Campus
Kimberly, an ophthalmic technician and dedicated educator, has revamped the educator role within the past year by expanding its scope beyond onboarding and precepting to prioritize quality and safety initiatives. She ensures approximately 40 staff and 26 providers consistently adhere to protocols that safeguard patient well-being. Kimberly reinforces protocol compliance, ensures accurate exam data and enforces two-patient identifiers, significantly reducing scheduling errors. She designed scheduling training, developed documentation standards and created a quality audit program. Beyond her core responsibilities, she partnered with Infection Control to improve equipment disinfection, revamped telemedicine standard operating procedures and introduced recognition programs like “Caught You Caring” to foster a culture of safety. Her leadership and tireless commitment inspire excellence across the team.
Campus Pathology Team, The Woodlands Campus
The Woodlands Pathology frontline staff and leadership team have been actively promoting awareness and education on Positive Patient Identification (PPID) for lab specimen labeling. After reviewing data and trends, the team took a creative approach by producing a music video to demonstrate the PPID process in a fun and engaging way. The parody lyrics and video were developed by medical technologists Megan Garrity and Taylor Henderson and featured a large group of frontline and leadership staff. The video debuted with a red-carpet premiere at The Woodlands. A link to the video can be provided by the team upon request. The team’s resilience and ability to think creatively have transformed learning into an engaging and enjoyable experience.
Melissa Phillips, Respiratory Care Coordinator, Medical Center Campus
Melissa identified a concerning pattern of hospital-acquired pressure injuries related to the Mini Me2 BiPAP mask, which accounted for 42% of our BiPAP-related pressure injuries in 2025, all presenting similarly on the bridge of the nose. Rather than accepting this as unavoidable, Melissa contacted the manufacturer directly and collaborated on mask design improvements, advocating for enhanced gel cushioning to reduce pressure points. She expanded the impact of her efforts by connecting the manufacturer with other hospitals experiencing similar issues. Her persistence resulted in the manufacturer committing to implement the recommended design changes. Melissa’s initiative creates sustainable, system-level change that will benefit patients across multiple healthcare facilities, exemplifying proactive quality improvement that prevents harm before it occurs.
Care Coordination and Social Work Teams, Medical Center Campus
Care Coordinator Candace Zenger and Medical Social Worker Stephany Rideaux are recognized for their exceptional advocacy and commitment to patient and family safety. When a 10-year-old patient was admitted, staff identified that the patient’s mother, who requires continuous oxygen, had exhausted her personal supply and had no family or support system. Candace and Stephany worked tirelessly to secure a replacement oxygen tank, but the request was denied. When the mother shared plans to present herself to a nearby Emergency Department after discharge and bring her son with her, Candace and Stephany recognized the safety risks and arranged ambulance transport for the mother, where she was admitted to the ICU. Stephany also assisted the mother in identifying a trusted family friend to serve as a medical decision-maker for her son and personally delivered a $400 gift card to the mother during an extremely vulnerable time.
Lauren Salinas, Clinical Specialist, Medical Center Campus
Lauren demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing patient safety for a 3-year-old with Pompe disease and dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing high-risk Nexviazyme desensitization infusions. After recurrent anaphylactic reactions raised concerns about whether therapy could safely continue, Lauren stepped in as the central coordinator and patient safety champion. She secured nursing coverage, established a continuity nurse and created a comprehensive infusion binder including titration protocols, an emergency action plan and nursing checklists. She later streamlined materials into a concise desensitization pamphlet to reduce cognitive load at the bedside. As a result, the patient has completed three consecutive infusions without epinephrine, nursing competency has increased and the family reports reduced stress and anxiety. Lauren transformed a high-risk process into a structured, safer system of care.
Lanier Valet Parking Team, Medical Center Campus
In February 2026 at West Tower, a few young men approached the valet team and said they would return for their belongings near the bicycle racks. Thinking this was strange, Fernando Colorado and Mohamed Akkouche observed three young men attempting to steal a bicycle using electrical-type cutters. They immediately contacted Security Services, which responded promptly and apprehended the individuals. Later that day, a team member came out looking for his bicycle, and the valet team directed him to Security Services, where he recovered his bike. Fernando and Mohamed are recognized for their keen observation, quick thinking and commitment to serving and protecting our patients, families and team members. Our organization’s partnership with Lanier Valet Parking spans more than two decades because of their attention to detail, customer service and protection of our patients and families. These families have said time and time again, “They make us feel safe.”
