Awards – Page 33 – Texas Children's News

October 13, 2015

Dr. Sunjeev Patel from Texas Children’s Pediatrics Lakewood is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star physician. “Being part of Texas Children’s Pediatrics has allowed me to not only see patients in the office, but it also has given me the opportunity to be involved with understanding and improving quality of care,” said Patel. Read more of Patel’s interview below, and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Dr. Sunjeev Patel, January – June 2015 Physician

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Dr. Sunjeev Patel, pediatrician, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Lakewood. I am the site leader and lab director for the practice. I also am the chair for the Quality Advisory Committee for Texas Children’s Pediatrics. I have worked for Texas Children’s Pediatrics since 2002. I started in the Float Pool and joined Lakewood in 2004.

What month are you Super Star for?
January – June 2015

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
It was announced at our monthly office staff meeting.

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
I am very honored to have received this award. I could not do what I do without the support of my office staff and Texas Children’s Pediatrics. Being part of Texas Children’s Pediatrics has allowed me to not only see patients in the office, but it also has given me the opportunity to be involved with understanding and improving quality of care.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
Being a hard worker who is passionate about what they do.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
Doing the best that I can for my patients. Watching the kids grow up and seeing parents become more confident in their ability to care for their children is a great motivator.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
Working with two great teams – my office and Texas Children’s Pediatrics Quality.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
A leader is someone who can inspire and motivate others.

October 6, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

September 2

Pulmonary hypertension team hosts the painting party, proceeds benefit PHA

Physicians and staff with Texas Children’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program hosted a tile painting party on August 22 where patients transformed ceramic tiles into colorful pieces of art. The event benefited the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. Read more

September 9

Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus expands urology services

Urology services at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus have been extended to meet the needs of patients in Houston and its surrounding area. Read more

September 9

Dormans sets sights high for future of Orthopedics Department

Chief of Orthopedics Dr. John Dormans joined Texas Children’s three months ago and has already developed a plan to make the Texas Children’s Orthopedics Department one of the top programs in the world. His plan focuses on three main areas – recruitment, operations and facilities, and reputation and expertise. Read more

September 9

Hair receives 2015 Clinical Faculty of the Year Award

Dr. Amy Hair, a neonatologist and director of neonatal nutrition at Texas Children’s, recently received the Baylor College of Medicine’s 2015 Clinical Faculty of the Year Award for demonstrating “exemplary performance of activities that are above and beyond the scope of assigned responsibilities.” Read more

September 9

New program offers emotional healing for parents of special-needs children

Texas Children’s Geneticist Dr. Christian Schaaf and his colleagues developed a support program that helps parents cope with the emotional challenges of caring for children with developmental disabilities by learning to let go of things they cannot control. Read more

September 15

Clinical Research Center/Research Resources Office presents research award to Dr. Wenderfer

The Clinical Research Center/Research Resources Office presented the Clinical Research Award for Third Quarter 2015 to Dr. Scott Wenderfer, Department of Pediatrics-Renal, Baylor College of Medicine. Wenderfer’s research activities focus on Inflammatory Kidney Diseases and Lupus Nephritis. Read more

September 15

Texas Children’s patients, staff create shared memories at Camp Spike N Wave, Camp Periwinkle

Every summer, Texas Children’s staff and their patients make the 90-mile trek to Camp for All, a 100-acre, barrier-free recreational facility where children with complex medical conditions experience the thrill of camping just like other kids their age. More than 185 children with epilepsy attend Camp Spike N Wave and roughly 185 patients from Texas Children’s Cancer Center go to Camp Periwinkle. Read more

September 29

Dormans presides over 50th annual meeting of SRS

Dr. John Dormans, chief of Orthopedics at Texas Children’s Hospital, completed his year as president of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) at the 50th anniversary meeting in Minneapolis September 30 to October 3 and presented one of six special lectures titled, “Neural Complications in Spinal Deformity: Detection and Avoidance.” Read more

September 29

Dr. Swathi Bataji joins Pediatric Surgery

Dr. Swathi Balaji has joined the Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratory at Texas Children’s Hospital. Balaji also has been appointed assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Read more

September 29

ICD-10 debut: New coding system launchess at Texas Children’s October 1

On October 1, Texas Children’s and other hospitals around the world switched to the ICD-10 coding system that will allow greater detail and precision in reporting patients’ diagnoses and procedures. For more than a year, Texas Children’s ICD-10 preparedness teams worked diligently to ensure all employees were prepared for the mandatory October 1 conversion. Read more

September 29

Heart Center physicians perform two cases broadcasted to live audience

Heart Center physicians performed two pediatric interventional cardiac care cases for the Pediatric and Adult Interventional Cardiac Symposium. The cases, which were performed at the Main Campus, were transmitted live to the conference in Las Vegas, Nevada via satellite. Read more

September 29, 2015

Shawnda Kelly from Orthopedic Surgery is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star leader. “To be a Super Star at Texas Children’s Hospital is to be someone who is passionate about whatever role they are in,” said Kelley. Read more of Kelley’s interview, and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Shawnda Kelley, April – June 2015 Leader

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Shawnda Kelley, RN, BSN, Patient Care Manager, Orthopedic Surgery – Outpatient. I have been with the department for three years but have been with Texas Children’s Hospital for eight years.

What month are you Super Star for?
Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2015

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
My leader Binta Baudy told me that we needed to meet urgently to discuss the budget. She told me that I could only hire one employee for the year after there was a decision to bring other employees on board. When I arrived to the room all the staff were there waiting, and they surprised me.

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
To be recognized for your hard work is an amazing feeling. The catch to that is you do not even realize the impact that you have on families and staff members. Texas Children’s Hospital has played a vital role with assisting me in achieving my goals by offering leadership classes, the mentor program and a plethora of awesome leaders who lead by example and provide the needed support and guidance.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
To be a Super Star at Texas Children’s Hospital is to be someone who is passionate about whatever role they are in. I feel as though if one has a passion for what they do, they will always go above and beyond. From providing the utmost patient care to being a shoulder for staff members and colleagues to lean on, that passion is what drives us to be super at what we do.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
I have two awesome boys at home, and whether it is developing a new process or speaking with a family, I always ask myself “how would this affect my children if they were in this situation.” We are here to provide the best care to patients and families and seeing the difference that I make allows me to continue to provide that care.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
The best thing about working at Texas Children’s is the patients. We see a variety of patients from all walks of life and just knowing that I was there to help a patient get through a diagnosis, surgery and post-op care means everything to me.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
I am very humbled that others consider me as a leader and look to me to lead. I have always wanted to be an inspiration to others so that they know with hard work they can accomplish great things. My leadership definition is “To Inspire Individuals To Do Great Things!”

Anything else you want to share?
I am very fortunate to be a part of the Texas Children’s family and work alongside some of the best physicians and staff. It has been a pleasure to be a part of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and even more so, to be a part of Ambulatory Nursing. I want to thank my leader, the staff members and both physicians and mid-levels for being great at what they do!

September 15, 2015

Tamila Holland from the Child Protective Team is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star employee. “If I can somehow put a smile on a child’s face, or bring comfort to a parent’s heart and mind: that is my constant motivation at work,” said Holland. Read more of Holland’s interview, and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Tamila Holland, July 2015 Employee

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Tamila Holland, LVN with the Child Protective Team for seven years.

What month are you Super Star for?
July 2015

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
My boss, Lisa Creamer, and the Child Protective Team masqueraded a mock meeting to present me with the award.

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
It was truly hard to be recognized, because I absolutely have a passion for what I do and it doesn’t ever seem like hard work to me. This organization (CPT Team) is such a positive influence and motivator in my professional goals and endeavors. This team is constantly pushing and encouraging educational improvement as well as personal skills to increase my aptitude in this profession.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
I honestly feel we all are “Super Stars.” The dedication and devotion I see each and every day with my peers and how they interact with our young patients are a continual reminder of how special and super our staff is.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
If I can somehow put a smile on a child’s face, or bring comfort to a parent’s heart and mind: that is my constant motivation at work.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
Texas Children’s Hospital has provided me with ongoing opportunities and incentives to learn, develop and grow. I work with an awesome team and great mentors.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader?
While the formal definition of leader is: “one who leads or commands a group, organization or company.” I am inclined to believe that Texas Children’s employs leaders because this organization continues to be an inventive and constantly has a new and improved vision.

What is your leadership definition?
Concluding that a leader is one whom creates an inspiring vision of the future, leadership motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision.

Anything else you want to share?
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for endowing me with this grand acknowledgement as Super Star. It is so hard to obtain this award without sharing it with the grand persons I work with every day. I am on a great team, and this is a great place to work.

The Clinical Research Center/Research Resources Office will present the Clinical Research Award for Third Quarter 2015 to Dr. Scott Wenderfer, Department of Pediatrics-Renal, Baylor College of Medicine.

The award was established by the Clinical Research Center in collaboration with the Research Resources Office to recognize and honor individual contributions to protecting the best interest of the research subjects and compliance with applicable rules and regulations.

Dr. Wenderfer’s research activities focus on Inflammatory Kidney Diseases and Lupus Nephritis.

Congratulations to Dr. Wenderfer.

September 9, 2015

Baylor colleagues nominated Hair for this prestigious award. In addition to exemplifying strong leadership and mentoring skills in her field, Hair was recognized for her ability to encourage teamwork and foster a culture of respect, integrity and excellence in patient care.

Fulfilling her clinical duties in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) – like providing superior care to her patients, leading weekly rounds with the NICU intestinal rehabilitation team and collaborating with dietitians to meet the nutritional needs of premature infants – Hair also devotes much of her time to advancing neonatal nutrition research to improve patient outcomes in the NICU.

A groundbreaking study led by Hair and published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that adding a human milk-based cream to the exclusive human milk diets of premature infants significantly improved their growth outcomes in the NICU. As a result of Hair’s findings, Texas Children’s is the first hospital in the world to add human milk-based cream to the diets of premature babies weighing less than 3.3 pounds.

Besides publishing her research studies in numerous premier scientific journals, Hair continually demonstrates her commitment to her tiniest patients by delivering presentations at pediatric research conferences worldwide promoting the health benefits of exclusive human milk feeding, which has significantly reduced the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in our NICU by 77 percent. Potentially life-threatening, NEC is a neonatal condition that causes intestinal inflammation.

An active member of several professional organizations – Academy of Pediatrics, Texas Pediatric Society, Texas Medical Association and Harris County Medical Society – Hair also serves as a scientific advisor to the NEC Society, a non-profit organization where she helps promote community awareness about the life-saving benefits of human milk, while encouraging more mothers to donate their breast milk to protect babies from NEC.

“I am extremely humbled to receive this award,” said Hair, who added that being nominated by her peers is an honor that is extremely validating. “Receiving feedback from my colleagues is one of the best forms of positive reinforcement. It demonstrates the work that I am doing has a profound impact on everyone, including the patients and families I serve. I love my job and I am fortunate to work with an excellent multidisciplinary team in the Newborn Center at Texas Children’s.”

August 27, 2015

Congratulations are in order for Texas Children’s esteemed President and CEO Mark A. Wallace for winning Houston Business Journal’s (HBJ) inaugural Best Not-for-Profit CEO and Executive of the Year awards.

Wallace accepted both awards at HBJ’s C-Suite Awards dinner on Thursday, August 27, at the Hilton Post Oak. He was one of six finalists in the Best Not-for-Profit CEO category. He then went on to win the overall Executive of the Year award, beating out the winners of five executive categories from across a wide variety of industries in Houston.

The packed house gave Wallace a standing ovation, and true to form, he gave all the credit back to the organization and to the patients and families we serve. He attributed both honors to Texas Children’s “one amazing team.”

“I was honored to receive both awards, but really what I thought about most was how much it would mean to the employees,” Wallace said. “I knew they would be excited and that it would just instill even more pride within the organization.”

The HBJ awards recognized this year’s top C-level executives of for-profit and non-profit companies who are innovators, trailblazers, role models, standard-setters and leaders in the Houston area. A panel of judges scored each nominee based on their contribution to company success, civic involvement and career achievement.

In addition to Wallace’s recognition, HBJ awarded the top executives in the following roles:

Chief Executive Officer (For-Profit): Edna Meyer-Nelson, The Richland Cos.
Chief Financial Officer: Daniel Molinaro, Now Inc.
Chief Operating Officer: Ed Gay, US Med-Equip
Chief Information or Technology Officer: Lori Kittle, Landry’s Inc.
Chief Marketing Officer: Scott Brown, The Company of Others

Click here to read The Business Journal interview with Mark Wallace, C-Suite Executive of the Year

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