Now that the holidays are over and many of us are getting back into our daily routine, we asked Texas Children’s employees to share their New Year’s resolutions for 2018.
We understand that the start of a new year brings new motivation to focus on your own health and well-being, and Texas Children’s is committed to supporting you in achieving your wellness goals. Since May 2015, more than 1,000 employees have taken advantage of our partnership with Weight Watchers. There are at-work lunchtime meetings at three Texas Children’s locations: Main Campus, The Woodlands, and Health Plan. Now, we are incredibly excited to highlight a new program, Weight Watchers Freestyle.
How does Weight Watchers Freestyle work?
WW Freestyle makes deciding what to eat much easier, freeing you to focus on what really matters in your weight-loss journey: nourishing your whole self and doing more of the things that you enjoy. The program is personalized based on your age, height, weight and gender to ensure you receive sufficient energy and nutrients.
The core of the program is based on the latest nutritional science and Weight Watchers has kept the SmartPoints system. Every food and drink is still on the menu. Now, more than 200 foods have a SmartPoints value of 0, including some surprises like chicken, fish, eggs, corn, beans and more! The best part is that zero-point foods don’t need to be tracked or measured, so you can spend less time counting and more time enjoying your food and your life.
WW Freestyle also introduces rollover points. For many people, Mondays are pretty different from Saturdays when it comes to eating. Rollovers give you flexibility to use fewer SmartPoints values one day and have up to four extra points rolled over into your bank for the days you need them the most.
For frequently asked questions about the Weight Watchers Freestyle program, click here.
As part of our partnership with Weight Watchers, Texas Children’s employees are eligible to receive the following:
50 percent off monthly at-work and community meetings pass
50 percent off monthly online pass
Ability to attend unlimited at-work or community meetings
Optional weekly, confidential weigh-ins to help you stay accountable
eTools to track points and activity, browse recipes and receive social support
24/7 online chat support
Ready to enroll?
Enroll in Weight Watchers between January 2-19, to receive a free Jumpstart Kit.
In the past several weeks, Texas Children’s has seen an increase in confirmed flu cases among both our patients and employees. In order to prevent the spread of infection and protect yourself and others from the flu, please remember to perform the following good health habits:
Stay home when you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
If you begin to feel sick with flu-like symptoms while at work, please call the Employee Medical Clinic at 832-824-2424.
When possible, avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Wash your hands often.
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home and at work, especially when someone is ill.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.
The single best way to prevent the flu or reducing the severity of the illness is getting vaccinated. Please contact Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2, for more information.
Flu Vaccine participation update
We are pleased to announce that Texas Children’s has achieved a 91 percent flu vaccination rate, with 11,712 employees receiving the vaccine to date. Although we are excited to reach this level of participation, we still want to encourage employees to get vaccinated. It is not too late!
If you elect to decline the flu vaccine this year, you are required to complete a 2017 Flu Declination Form. Prior to completing the declination form, review the Flu Vaccine Information Statement (VIS). The declination form can be found on the Employee Health and Wellness Portal. Follow these instructions:
Proceed and log in. If this is your first time logging into the portal, please click “Having trouble logging in” to reset your password.
Once you log in, click on the “Forms” tab, then select the 2017 – Flu Declination Form.
For a visual guide to logging onto the portal, click here.
As a reminder, staff who do not receive their flu vaccine should wear a surgical mask when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. See Required Influenza Vaccination Policy and Procedure for more details.
Thank you for getting your flu vaccine and following good health habits to prevent the spread of germs to your patients and colleagues.
December 12, 2017
As of yesterday, 89 percent of Texas Children’s employees have received their flu shot. Last year, we achieved over a 90 percent vaccination rate, and this year, we want to beat that rate! We can do it! A special thank you to all of you for getting vaccinated!
If you have not received your flu shot, it’s not too late. Make your flu shot appointment today by calling:
Main Campus Employee Health at 832-824-2150 (option 2)
West Campus Employee Health at 832-227-1365
The Woodlands Employee Health at 936-267-5287
If you received your flu vaccine elsewhere, please submit verification to Employee Health either in person, via email to emphealth@texaschildrens.org or via fax at 832-825-9437. Employee Health will provide a 2017/2018 flu shot badge sticker upon receiving your confirmation.
To view a brief overview of our flu shot participation thus far, click here.
To view testimonials from your peers on why they received their flu shot, click here.
“We encourage you to get your flu shot as soon as possible. We are already seeing positive flu cases at the Employee Medical Clinic ,” said Employee Medical Clinic physician Dr. Irene Lomeda. “People infected with flu shed the virus and may be able to infect others one day prior to symptoms and 5-7 days after symptoms. Remember, the flu affects people differently based on their body’s ability to fight infection. Even healthy children and adults can get very sick from the flu and spread it to friends, co-workers, and family.”
If you are on the fence about receiving your flu vaccine this year, please watch this six-minute Texas Children’s video, Facing Influenza, to see real Texas Children’s families experience the challenges and heartbreak from the flu.
As a reminder, staff who does not receive their flu shot will be required to wear a surgical mask when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. See Required Influenza Vaccination Policy and Procedure for more details. Employee Health is not accepting flu declination documentation yet. More details on the declination process will be shared in the coming weeks.
Thank you for helping protect our patients, families, workforce, and community by receiving your flu shot.
October 10, 2017
More than half of Texas Children’s employees have stepped up to protect themselves and others against the flu by getting a flu shot. As of the end of last week, 7,572, or 59 percent, of Texas Children’s employees, medical staff, volunteers, and Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities had received a flu vaccination.
“We are off to a good start but still need to push forward,” said Jill Fragoso, director of benefits and well-being. “We are striving to achieve greater than a 90 percent vaccination rate by December 1.”
Each fall, Texas Children’s employees are asked to get vaccinated against the flu to not only protect themselves but to protect those around them – their co-workers, family, friends, and their patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts this year’s flu season will begin this month and recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu and its potentially serious complications.
Texas Children’s Employee Health is administering free flu vaccines to Texas Children’s employees, medical staff, volunteers, and Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities. Click here for more information on how to get your shot and here for the BCM Occupational Health Program schedule.
Prior to receiving your vaccine, Texas Children’s employees are to complete their Flu Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal. Click here for portal instructions. Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities will continue to complete paper consent forms when they receive the flu vaccine.
“Thank you in advance for doing the right thing and receiving your flu vaccine,” Fragoso said. “Such a small act will go a long way for you, your family, friends, co-workers, and most importantly, your patients.”
September 29, 2017
Patients got the chance to root for their hometown football team Friday prior to the Houston Texans’ Sunday game against the Tennessee Titans. Two of the team’s cheerleaders and the team’s mascot, TORO, were in the Child Life Zone to participate in the fun.
See photos from the pep rally below.
The Texans-Titans game is sponsored by Texas Children’s Hospital and will celebrate the National Football League’s Play 60 campaign, which encourages children to be active 60 minutes a day to help decrease childhood obesity.
The game caps off a week of Play 60 activities hosted by Texas Children’s and the Texans. One of the most popular events of the week was Play 60 at the Park. Held at Levy Park in the Upper Kirby District of Houston, the family-friendly event featured appearances by players Braxton Miller and Brian Peters, and focused on staying active and eating healthy.
Click here to watch a video from Play 60 at the Park.
Texas Children’s Hospital is the official children’s hospital of the Houston Texans football team. The goal of Texas Children’s and the Texans partnership is to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives.
September 26, 2017
Each fall, we ask that you get vaccinated against the flu virus to not only protect yourself but to protect those around you. We know that our employees are instinctively driven to do the right thing for our patients and that means getting vaccinated against the flu every year.
Here’s what to expect for 2017.
Flu season details
NEW – Upon vaccination, staff will receive a 2017-2018 flu season sticker to place on their badges.
Employee Health will be administering free flu vaccines to Texas Children’s employees, medical staff, volunteers, and Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities. Click here for the BCM Occupational Health Program schedule.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts this year’s flu season will begin in October. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against flu and its potentially serious complications. To learn more about our upcoming flu season, click here.
Vaccine administration
Prior to receiving your vaccine, Texas Children’s employees are to complete their Flu Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal. Click here for portal instructions.
This process greatly reduced the wait times for flu vaccination last year as well as eliminated the need to scan or fax the flu consent forms to Employee Health.
Thank you in advance for doing the right thing and receiving your flu vaccine! Note: Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities will continue to complete paper consent forms when they receive the flu vaccine.
We understand that the start of a new year brings new motivation to focus on your own health and well-being, and Texas Children’s is committed to supporting you in achieving your wellness goals. Since May 2015, more than 1,000 employees have taken advantage of our partnership with Weight Watchers. There are at-work lunchtime meetings at three Texas Children’s locations: Main Campus, The Woodlands, and Health Plan. Now, we are incredibly excited to highlight a new program, Weight Watchers Freestyle.
In the past several weeks, Texas Children’s has seen an increase in confirmed flu cases among both our patients and employees. In order to prevent the spread of infection and protect yourself and others from the flu, please remember to perform the following good health habits:
As of yesterday, 89 percent of Texas Children’s employees have received their flu shot. Last year, we achieved over a 90 percent vaccination rate, and this year, we want to beat that rate! We can do it! A special thank you to all of you for getting vaccinated!
Each fall, we ask that you get vaccinated against the flu virus to not only protect yourself but to protect those around you. We know that our employees are instinctively driven to do the right thing for our patients and that means getting vaccinated against the flu every year.