In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Children’s remains dedicated to ensuring we are a source of information and expertise.
When COVID-19 first appeared in the Greater Houston area, Texas Children’s immediately began to prepare for what was later categorized as a pandemic. In early March, our leadership activated a modified incident command structure, convening teams for Planning, Logistics and Operations at the Medical Center Campus, West Campus, The Woodlands Campus and at the Health Plan. This positioned us to respond quickly and agilely as the global health issue evolved.
We also immediately launched targeted outreach to our Texas Children’s patient families. In early March, we emailed about 400,000 current Texas Children’s patient families to answer common questions, ease uncertainty, and introduce our information-rich COVID-19 website that launched on March 13.
“Our overall goal for the website was to create a central location for our patients to gather information during this difficult time, and provide the community-at-large with resources, expert sources, system updates, and any additional information about COVID-19,” said Brand Marketing Specialist Elisa Lange. “We also want the community to know that we are open and prepared to continue providing quality care for any patient who needs us.”
The website includes the latest updates, available resources, frequently asked questions, and detailed videos from providers across our system, sharing specialty-specific information and general guidance about caring for at-risk patient populations during this pandemic. There also is information about Texas Children’s preparations and ongoing response to global events, and guidance for talking to children about COVID-19 and its impacts. The videos have been shared across all of our social media channels and continue to be sought by online visitors.
“One of the best ways to connect with our patients and families daily has been through social media,” said Christy Warring, director of External Communications and Digital Marketing. “It has been a lifeline for patients as our teams continue to post tips, resources and Texas Children’s updates. Followers are even able to reach out to us on on social media platforms with questions and comments.”
In addition to online information, we began sending COVID-19-related texts and emails to our patients to keep them updated about appointments, visitation at our facilities and eHealth options, like phone and video consults.
eHealth has been an important channel for patient care and communication during this time, but this strategy was already in motion to broaden access for our families. We have worked to expand and enhance eHealth services for several months to make it easier and more convenient for patients to connect with a Texas Children’s provider without leaving home. Given the current climate, it’s a welcome option for our families. Just in the month of March, we had more than 1,500 video visits and nearly 7,000 phone visits.
The system’s proactive outreach extends to Texas Children’s Health Plan members as well. We are promoting access to Anywhere Care, which allows members to receive care via video visits, and Health Plan members also receive updates via direct mail, social media, texts and email.
But one of the most effective ways to reach our members and their families has been through community partnerships. The Health Plan recently partnered with Aldine Independent School district and Gallery Furniture to disseminate information about COVID-19 and how to stop the spread of the disease.
“We are here to inform our members and providers about COVID-19 overall and doing all we can to make sure they are getting the most up-to-date information from us,” Warring said. “Our goal is to ensure they know how to get help through our call centers, telemedicine, and most importantly that we are here to help them if they need to call on us.”