January 29, 2024

Expanding in Austin wouldn’t be possible without the Right People working tirelessly to advance our mission and culture of care. Five of those leaders are stepping up to the plate – thinking and leading differently for a city that demands it:

Dr. Bryan Vartabedian – Chief Pediatric Officer
Dr. Melanie Belt – Chief OB/GYN Officer
Dr. Edward Buchanan – Chief Surgical Officer
Dr. Shellie Josephs – Chief of Radiology
Dr. LyTorre Vidaurri – Chief of Anesthesiology

“We are incredibly fortunate to welcome such accomplished physicians to lead our medical staff in Austin,” said Executive Vice President Dan DiPrisco.

“These doctors represent the very best the medical community has to offer…our new hospital is poised for immediate success with each one of them at the helm,” added Russ Williams, Senior Vice President of Texas Children’s North Austin Campus. “Ultimately, our goal is to make a life-changing difference for children and women in Austin, and Drs. Belt, Buchanan, Josephs, Vartabedian and Vidaurri, are just the right people for the job.”

We want you to get to know our chiefs a little better, so we sat down with them to talk all things Texas Children’s Austin – from exploring the city to opening North Austin Campus this week. Click here to watch the full Meet the Docs interviews in addition to countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion site.

 

January 23, 2024

Meet Michael Brantley, renal and apheresis education coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin. He started his career in renal medicine as a unit clerk at a local dialysis clinic, but knew working in pediatrics was always the end goal.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?

I’m originally from Albuquerque, N.M., where I graduated from the University of New Mexico with my BSN. I eventually moved to Austin to work at a local children’s facility, and during that time, I had the opportunity to utilize Texas Children’s as a resource and start developing a network with the hospital. Whether at conferences or camps, TCH always set the standard and its people shared a passion for bringing the best care to their patients. Once I heard about TCH expanding in Austin, I wanted to be a part of that legacy.

What are you most excited about as we open North Austin Campus?

I am most excited about the opportunity to serve Austin and its surrounding areas. We get to extend the TCH legacy and bring it to a new city while creating our own unique culture.

What’s the best career or work advice you’ve ever received?

‘Lead by example in any situation you are in’ and ‘treat people the way you want to be treated.’

What does providing the ‘Right Care’ mean to you?

It means having the knowledge to provide excellent services and resources, advocating for our team and patients, and going above and beyond with every single interaction.

What makes Austin a great place to work and live?

Austin has been an amazing place for my family and myself. There are countless things to do for all ages. We love to go hiking, catch a good movie or go downtown for concerts. We love going to ACL Live for shows!

Ranked #1 in Nephrology by U.S. News & World Report, Texas Children’s is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric renal services in the world. The Renal and Apheresis Services department at North Austin Campus has multiple modality offerings, like in-center and home hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and apheresis services.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

January 16, 2024

One of the many ways our Austin team is preparing for the opening of North Austin Campus in less than a month is making sure they know how to handle emergencies. Recently, the Organizational Resilience team put several staff members to the test with intense, multi-day decontamination and evacuation training.

“This is the first time since before the pandemic we were able to hold an in-person training, and the response was amazing,” said Chelsia Elmore, manager, Organizational Resilience. “So many people across different departments showed up to learn, and we appreciated their time and focus on emergency preparedness.”

The two-day training included both classroom and hands-on learning focused on different aspects of decontamination and evacuation, specifically:

  • Identifying hazardous substances and knowing the risks associated with them
  • Understanding roles and responsibilities in the Emergency Plan
  • Learning about the potential outcomes of a HAZMAT event
  • How to identify the need for additional resources
  • When and how to notify key individuals
  • Selection and use of PPE
  • Ambulatory/Non-ambulatory Decontamination

The classroom training also included learning about antidotes in a terrorist attack, which chemicals we are able to treat and our mass casualty capabilities. The hands-on training included putting employees in Level C Hazmat suits in the EC, setting up the decontamination tent and even using the evacuation sled to learn how to move someone safely down the stairs.

The response to the training was positive from participants:

  • “Doing this training made it very real.”
  • “I learned a lot and felt like I was a part of something important…that I could make a difference.”
  • “It was out of my comfort zone but made me feel empowered.”

The Organizational Resilience team will hold similar training for team members at The Woodlands Campus, West Campus and the Medical Center in the coming months.

Do you thrive on ensuring safety? Sign up to be a decontamination team volunteer – contact orgresilience@texaschildrens.com to learn more.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

January 15, 2024

Texas Children’s will open the doors to our first hospital in Austin in the coming weeks. The brand new campus will cater to both children and women with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services – many of which are not available locally or even offered at our own community hospitals in Houston.

Come join the fun and celebrate at the Texas Children’s North Austin Campus Keep Austin Healthy Family Run & Walk. This free event will have activities for the whole family.

When
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024

Event schedule
10:15 a.m.: Health & Wellness Village Opens
11:00 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk Begins
12:45 p.m.: Kids K Begins
1:15 p.m.: Kids Bike Ride Begins
2:00 p.m.: Event Concludes

Location
Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin Campus
9835 North Lake Creek Parkway
Austin, TX US 78717

Admission
FREE

Register
Click here to access a flyer and QR code to register.

More information
Health & Wellness Village
Opens at 10:15 a.m. Join us for the many family/kid friendly activities we’ll have waiting for you. Craft workshops, ambulance tours, photo booths, bounce houses and climbing walls are just scratching the surface!

5K Run/Walk
Begins at 11:00 a.m. The route will consist of multiple loops within the campus. Want to run/walk more than a 5K? That’s perfectly fine! Want to finish early? That’s fine too! Regardless, we’ll have an easy exit point into the Healthy & Wellness Village along the route.

Kids K
Begins at 12:45 p.m. with one amazing lap (0.8 mile) around the loop with the little ones!

Kids Bike Ride
Begins after the Kids K – around 1:15 p.m. The course will be open for bikes until the event close at 2:00. So bring the kids’ bikes (and helmets!) and let them take a spin – or 10 – around the course. No bike? Our friends from Woom will be out with their demo bikes and helmets.

Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

 

January 8, 2024

Meet Vanessa McElroy, sonographer educator at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Austin. With a passion for improving health care with data analysis and 25 years of living in the capital city, she’s part of a fast-growing team leading women’s care in the region.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?

I have been a sonographer for almost 15 years, working in women’s health and maternal-fetal medicine. I wanted to work for TCH after I heard about the Pavilion for Women coming to Austin. I was hired in August, and I am so excited to bring the latest in fetal surgical care to Austin.

How did you get into diagnostic imaging and fetal sonography?

I had a baby with a fatal birth defect, and that experience made me want to help other people going through life-changing events like this. I want to provide empathy and excellent care for those patients and hopefully make it a little easier for them, as others did for me.

What are you most excited about as we open North Austin Campus and build our women’s services offerings?

I am excited to work with our amazing fetal surgeons in a new facility with state-of-the-art equipment. You should see my new ultrasound machine, she’s a beauty! So often we have to make do with whatever equipment or materials are available and don’t actually have what we need to provide the best care for our patients. It is a great pleasure to work for an organization dedicated to giving their teams everything they need to succeed!

What makes Austin a great place to work and live?

I love Austin and have lived here since 1997, aside from my time at the University of Missouri. After college, I couldn’t wait to get back to Austin because I love the attitude here. It’s a wear-what-you-want, do-your-own-thing kind of town, which I love! The endless variety of things to do, food to eat, concerts to see and places to go makes it a wonderful place to live.

What does “Always Thinking Experience” mean to you?

I am always thinking about patient experience, because that’s what brought me to healthcare and ultrasonography in the first place. I still remember those healthcare workers who helped me in my hardest time, and it is so rewarding to be that person for others.

Our dedicated team at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women provides comprehensive care to women in every stage of life, from preconception to long after the birth of a child. With the opening of North Austin OB/GYN and Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin for inpatient care in February, the community can expect the same commitment to excellence, innovation and patient-centered care that we’re known for delivering in Houston.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

January 2, 2024

Meet Alli Stilwell, outpatient staff nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Austin. When North Austin Campus opens its doors, she’ll be working with fourth floor outpatient clinics, specifically pulmonology, where she’s excited to help create workflows and start treating patients.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?

I started out in the PICU at University Medical Center in Lubbock (Wreck ‘Em) and after a year there, my husband and I relocated to the Austin area for his job. I loved working in the PICU, and I’m so grateful for the experiences, learning and growth from my time there. However, I knew it wasn’t where I was meant to be. I used the move as an opportunity to transition into the ambulatory setting and accepted a position with Dell Children’s Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Clinic. My time there confirmed my partiality for outpatient nursing and reignited a passion for leadership. That is what ultimately led me to Texas Children’s Austin. The idea of joining such a prestigious organization during an unprecedented time of growth and development seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Tell us about your work in Austin’s Allergy & Immunology clinic.

Our Allergy & Immunology clinic went through a transition period earlier this year when both our providers left the clinic. I was able to leverage my experience and knowledge to serve as a resource in Austin for our AI patients. This opened the door for me to collaborate extensively with the Medical Center AI team. We did a thorough review of processes and procedures within the clinic and modified them to prioritize patient safety and experience. Together, we took huge steps towards streamlining and optimizing AI care across the Texas Children’s system. Thank you to Dr. Sarah Nicholas and Kathy Green for allowing me to be a part of this initiative and for all your continued support!

What are you most excited about as we open North Austin Campus?

As we get closer and closer to opening day, I’m eager to just get into the space and have our patients here for the first time as well. We recently started dress rehearsals, which was very exciting as it was the first time a lot of us saw the hospital. It looks amazing! I am excited to continue participating in those walk-throughs. These will be crucial learning experiences for us to feel confident and ready to provide exceptional care for our patients starting day one. I’m honored to be a part of this One Amazing Team as we epitomize Texas Children’s culture, values and outstanding care for the people of Central Texas.

What makes Austin a great place to work and live?

Being fully transparent, I was not super excited about living in Austin when we first moved here. Despite my resistance, it has grown on me and feels like home now. Being from a small town and growing up more in the country, I was apprehensive about living in a “big city” – but it turns out Austin isn’t that big. You don’t have to go very far to feel like you’re out of the city. Drive 30 minutes in any direction from downtown and you’ll find yourself in rolling hills, lakes, rivers, open fields, and the charming main streets and squares of surrounding towns. It’s a perfect place for someone who wants the best of both worlds, city life and country charm. For food and fun in the city, my go-to itinerary is dinner at Salty Sow followed by a trip to the Cidercade, and then finish the night with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on South Congress. For a daytrip getaway, Wimberley and Lockhart are great options.

What has been your favorite TCH moment so far?

Halloween this year was so fun! Our Specialty Care team dressed up as Toy Story characters and we had so many people participate. I love events and occasions like this where everyone comes together and we can be a team, not just in our work and roles but for fun as well. Morale is so important. I love any chance to boost it within our team.

Opening in February 2024, the $485 million North Austin Campus will feature a 170,000-square-foot outpatient facility – connecting patients to numerous Texas Children’s subspecialties including cardiology, oncology, neurology, pulmonary medicine, GI, rheumatology, fetal care, dialysis, urology and more. Texas Children’s Specialty Care Austin on Mopac will continue to house pediatric specialists across a wide spectrum of service lines.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

December 21, 2023

We are weeks away from opening the doors to our first hospital in Austin. Texas Children’s #OneAmazingTeam, at all our Austin locations, has been hard at work growing our culture of care in the region and preparing to open North Austin Campus. By providing the right care in the right place from the right people, our mission to create a healthier future for the people of Austin and Central Texas is just getting started.

“I am beyond thrilled and incredibly proud that we are finally nearing the finish line of what has been a culmination of years of vision, planning and tremendous hard work,” said President & CEO Mark A. Wallace in an email to the organization. “There are some moments in our history that are monumental beginnings of new chapters and this is indeed one of them.”

The brand new, state-of-the art, $485 million campus will cater to both children and women with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services – many of which are not available locally or even offered at our own community hospitals in Houston. The hospital will open in phases with details below.

Thursday, February 1, 2024: grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration.

  • 1 – 2 p.m. media and key photos
  • 2 p.m. remarks, videos and ribbon cutting
  • 2:30 – 4 p.m. reception and open house tours

Monday, February 5, 2024: we will open all outpatient services in the medical office building and will begin seeing patients for clinic visits.

  • Audiology
  • Cardiology
  • Diabetes / Endocrine
  • Feeding Therapy
  • GI / Nutrition
  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Orthopedics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatric Gynecology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Physical Therapy
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Pulmonary
  • Speech Therapy
  • Sports Medicine
  • TCP
  • Urology

We will also open the following support areas to support this clinical activity in the MOB:

  • Outpatient Laboratory
  • Radiology (non-sedated imaging that supports clinics visits)
  • Respiratory Care (Outpatient PFT)
  • Food Services / Cafeteria

Tuesday, February 20, 2024: all hospital inpatient services will be open to the public, including:

  • All inpatient units
  • ORs
  • Cardiovascular / ECMO
  • PACU/Pre-Op
  • Sleep Center
  • Outpatient procedures
  • Central Sterile Processing
  • Pharmacy
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Emergency Center
  • Urgent Care
  • Women’s Services
  • Cancer Center
  • Complex Care
  • Infusion Center
  • Renal / Dialysis

Texas Children’s has been building a presence in Austin since 2018, starting with the opening of Urgent Care in Westgate and Mopac Specialty Care. We acquired and forged partnerships with providers across the region to build a network of 18 Texas Children’s Pediatrics locations, and we’re not stopping there. Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin is the centerpiece of a strategically planned care model, designed to meet the unique, specialized needs of Austin’s children and women.

Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.