January 21, 2020

The arrival of a new year is an ideal opportunity to refresh and refocus on achieving our professional and personal goals. If improving yourself in mind, body and spirit is among your resolutions for 2020, Employee Health and Well-Being is here to support you on your journey.

Resolution: Start a new health and fitness routine.
Amplify unity with your co-workers by taking a group fitness class. Take a look at the new schedule on Connect, which includes on-site classes available at the Well-Being Studio, Health Plan, West Campus and The Woodlands. All Texas Children’s employees, and Baylor employees who work at Texas Children’s locations, can participate in any class at any location, at no cost. If you live or work outside of Houston, please remember that you are eligible to receive reduced monthly membership rates, waived enrollment fees and discounted services from our well-being partners, including ClassPass, WW (Weight Watchers) and more.

Resolution: Practice self-care.
Take advantage of EAP Plus, the enhanced Employee Assistance Program available to all employees and eligible dependents. In addition to round-the-clock access to counseling services by phone, and referrals to qualified mental health providers in the community, EAP Plus provides legal guidance, financial information and unlimited work-life solutions to help you take care of tasks like planning a party, securing child or elder care, arranging home repairs and more. Call 833.EAP.PLUS 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to connect with a certified counselor, or visit the program online and enter EAPPLUS as the Organization ID.

Resolution: Be more intentional about taking care of your overall health.
Now is a good time to schedule an annual physical with your health care provider. Texas Children’s Employee Medical Clinic provides full-service primary care that includes annual physicals and the well-being physical, which offers a more in-depth and comprehensive approach to understanding your key health numbers. Click here to view Employee Medical Clinic locations and hours of operation, and call 832-824-2424 to make an appointment.

As you set your sights on becoming a healthier and stronger you in the New Year, your Employee Health and Well-Being team is here to empower you every step of the way. Together, let’s make it a great year.

January 20, 2020

It’s time to lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement! Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Marathon Foundation are teaming up again to host the West Campus Family Fun Run and The Woodlands Family Fun Run in April and May. Registration is open for both runs and spots are filling up fast. So, sign up today to guarantee a space for you and your family.

Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus

West Campus will host the eighth annual West Campus Family Fun Run at its campus on Saturday, April 4 with a 9 a.m. start time. The event will include both a 1K and 3K course. Following the run/walk, families can enjoy various activities until noon at the Family Fun Zone.

The entry fee for the run/walk is $8 per person. All attendees must register (even infants). Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are welcome. Children may not participate unattended.

Registration for the West Campus Family Fun Run will close at 5 p.m. Monday, March 23. Click here to register and learn more about the upcoming event.

Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands

Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands will host its fourth annual Family Fun Run event on Saturday, May 2. The event will offer a 1-mile course and will begin at 9 a.m. Post-race activities will follow until 11 a.m. at the Family Fun Zone.

The entry fee for the run/walk is $8 per person. All attendees must register (even infants). Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are welcome. Children may not participate unattended.

Registration for The Woodlands Family Fun Run will close at 5 p.m. Monday, April 20. Click here to register and learn more about the upcoming event.

Additional information

Participants – including those who need walkers and wheelchairs – are welcome at both Texas Children’s Family Fun Run events. There will not be prizes given to top finishers as all participants will receive an award for taking part in an event designed to educate and encourage Houston-area families to adopt active, healthy lifestyles. Families must participate together. Children are not allowed to run unsupervised or on their own. Please ensure all participants are registered, even small children in strollers. Once registered, plan to attend one of the Packet Pick-Ups in advance of the event to pick up your event T-shirts, bibs, goodie bags and more.

Good luck and happy running!

October 15, 2019

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropolous is routinely one of the first people in line at the earliest scheduled Employee Health flu vaccine event, and this year was no different. A short time after the Employee Health team started giving out flu shots on The Auxiliary Bridge, Andropolous rolled up his sleeve and stepped up to the plate to get his vaccine.

“I come down every year and get my shot so that I can protect our patients and myself from getting the flu, an illness that for anybody is a really bad experience, but for many of our patients, can be life threatening,” Andropolous said, adding that Texas Children’s makes it extremely easy for employees to get the flu vaccine. “It took me less than three minutes, and it didn’t hurt a bit.”

More than 5,000 employees have taken the lead in getting their flu shots so far this year. Employees who receive their flu vaccine by November 1, 2019, will be entered into a drawing to win one of 25 Nutri Ninja Pro Blenders. Employee Health will notify the winners via email on Friday, November 8. To view the Employee Health flu vaccine event schedule, click here.

Flu program overview

Employee Health will administer flu vaccines at no cost to Texas Children’s employees; Baylor College of Medicine employees working at Texas Children’s facilities; Morrison, Crothall, or Compass contract employees; and volunteers at Texas Children’s. Upon vaccination at Texas Children’s, staff will receive a 2019-20 flu season sticker to affix to their badges.

To reduce wait times at the flu vaccination events, employees are recommended to complete their Flu Vaccine Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal prior to attending the event.* Click here to view a quick video tutorial on how to access the Flu Vaccine Consent Form online. Click here for instructions on how to log in to the portal or click here to view step-by-step instructions.

Employees at Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Urgent Care, and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Centers may be vaccinated at their respective practices, please speak to your leader for more information. Employees who work remotely may be referred to a designated occupational health clinic by Employee Health, or can receive their vaccine covered at 100 percent through Texas Children’s medical plan when administered by an in-network pharmacy under medical coverage.

View photos of your colleagues getting their flu shot below.

Employees who receive their flu vaccine outside of Texas Children’s must submit their attestation and proof of vaccination via this online form.

Employees who decline the flu vaccine for approved exemptions may be required to use protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. For more details, see Required Influenza Vaccination Policy #317 and Procedure #4218.

If you have questions about the Flu Program, contact Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2.

October 1, 2019

Texas Children’s and the Houston Texans celebrated PLAY 60 by cheering on the football team as they played the Carolina Panthers in the 4th Annual Texans Kids Day presented by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Texans Kids Day highlights the National Football League’s PLAY 60 initiative, a campaign that encourages kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Texas Children’s Hospital, the local presenting sponsor of PLAY 60, was featured throughout Sunday’s game including signage, gate giveaways and kids jobs.

Additionally, Kaylee Tolleson, an avid Houston Texans fan and patient at Texas Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Center, served as the Honorary Coin Toss Captain. The 9-year-old is an ovarian cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer after doctors found a tumor the size of a softball had spread to her abdominal wall. Following surgery and four intense rounds of chemotherapy at Texas Children’s, Kaylee was declared cancer-free in July. She rang the end-of-treatment bell surrounded by her parents and army of supporters. Now, Kaylee is a spunky 4th grader who loves ice skating, Girl Scouts and tracking the weather. She is a BIG Houston Texans fan and can’t wait to see her favorite player, J.J. Watt, play in person at the game.

Ten employees recognized as Unsung Heroes as well as our 2020 Catalyst Award winners, their guests and leaders got to watch the game as a thank you for their compassion and dedication to the Texas Children’s mission. The tickets to the game are one of the benefits of Texas Children’s Hospital being the official children’s hospital of the Houston Texans football team. To learn more about the Unsung Heroes, click here. The 2020 Catalyst Award winners, along with the Catalyst of the Year, will formally be announced at the Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Luncheon on October 16.

In addition to the Kids Day game, the PLAY 60 initiative was full of fun events aimed at helping further the PLAY 60 message and getting children across the Houston moving. Below is a recap of some of these event. View photos from the events below.

PRE-GAME PEP RALLY:
Last week, we hosted a pre-game pep rally at the hospital’s play garden to help get some of our patients excited about the game and remind them about how important it is to PLAY 60. Texans players Roderick Johnson and Peter Kalambayi, Texans Cheerleaders Sierra and Torrey, and TORO were in attendance and took photos, played games and signed autographs with patients and their families.

PLAY 60 AT THE PARK:
On September 21, Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Texans hosted the 3nd annual PLAY 60 at the Park event at Evelyn’s Park Conservancy to kick off PLAY 60 Week in Houston. As the local sponsor of PLAY 60, the NFL-led initiative, which encourages kids to get at least 60 minutes of active play per day, Texas Children’s invited the community to join in an evening of fun and games aimed at keeping kids healthy. Special guests included Texans Ambassadors Cecil Shorts III and Eric Brown, TORO, Houston Texans Cheerleaders and more.

KIDS JOBS:
Five PLAY 60 participants were selected to attend and participate in the Kids Day game. These participants were given the special assignments of Public Announcement Announcer, Texans Radio, Jr. Reporter on Texans Unlimited, Gameday Central Desk helper, Halftime Trophy Presenter for the Mascot Bowl.

Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Texans are two winning teams that share one goal – keeping Houston kids healthy and encouraging them to be more active. To learn more about our partnership, visit: texaschildrens.org/texans.

August 26, 2019

This month, Texas Children’s Health & Well-Being team partnered with colleagues from Environmental Health & Safety, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Occupational & Physical Therapy to launch the “We’ve Got Your Back” video series, which empowers our employees with advice and insight to prevent back pain in the workplace – no matter your location, shift or role.

In the first three episodes of the series, our featured experts offered tips and instructions to empower employees to arrange a safe and comfortable work environment with attention to ergonomics; properly lift and lower objects with the right body mechanics and techniques; and complete hamstring stretches, hip flexor stretches and planks to maintain flexibility and strengthen the core. In the final video of the series on desk stretches, Health Coach Jackie Pacheco of Employee Health & Well-Being shares stretches you can perform at your desk any time to help loosen your spine and relieve tension.

“We have a large percentage of employees who work at a desk and spend prolonged periods during the day sitting down,” said Pacheco, who is also a certified personal trainer, ergonomics and safety specialist and athletic trainer. “I want to help our employees maintain their lower back flexibility and help prevent any discomfort that can happen when you’re stuck at a desk all day.”

Click here to watch the fourth and final episode of “We’ve Got Your Back,” which showcases several easy and effective stretches that you can complete without ever leaving your office. You’ll start off with a few moves to do right from your chair, then progress into sit-to-stands and lunges that ensure your tissue is fully extended. When you’re done, your body will be looser, more limber and ready to get back to work.

Missed an episode of “We’ve Got Your Back” or want to watch them all again? Follow the links below to access each video in the series.

Episode 1: Ergonomics
Episode 2: Proper Lifting Techniques
Episode 3: Exercises to Prevent Back Pain
Episode 4: Desk Stretches

August 20, 2019

Texas Children’s Health & Well-Being team has partnered with colleagues from Environmental Health & Safety, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Occupational & Physical Therapy to launch this month the “We’ve Got Your Back” video series, which provides employees with expert advice and insight on preventing back pain in the workplace – no matter your location, shift or role.

We’ve Got Your Back Episode 3: Exercises to Help Prevent Back Pain

Now that you’ve learned about using ergonomics to set up a safe and comfortable work environment and practiced the proper body mechanics for lifting objects in the first two episodes of the series, check out Episode 3: Exercises to Help Prevent Back Pain for advice and guidance from Dr. David Hudspeth, an employee health physical therapist, board-certified orthopedic specialist and certified manual therapist in Texas Children’s Occupational & Physical Therapy department.

“Sometimes our day-to-day activities can result in lower back tightness and pain,” Hudspeth said. “Too much of a good thing – like sitting, standing or walking – can contribute to stresses on our body. One of the best ways to counteract these stresses is to perform a few simple exercises.”

Click here to begin the third episode of “We’ve Got Your Back” and explore how to prevent back pain by maintaining your flexibility and building core strength through the hamstring stretch, hip flexor stretch and plank. Once you’ve got those down, stay tuned! Hudspeth also explains how to progress in difficulty with each exercise to give your body even more of a challenge.

August 13, 2019

Texas Children’s Health & Well-Being team partnered with colleagues from Environmental Health & Safety, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Occupational & Physical Therapy in launching this month’s “We’ve Got Your Back” video series, which provides employees with expert advice and insight on how to prevent back pain in the workplace – no matter your location, shift or role.

After kicking off the series with a video focusing on using ergonomics to arrange your desk and work environment for optimal comfort and safety, this week’s installment will focus on proper lifting techniques. The episode will feature tips and information on proper body mechanics and techniques from physical therapist Meredith Howell, who also serves as sports PT residency director and site coordinator for clinical education on the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation team.

“With the use of proper lifting techniques, back injuries can be prevented,” Howell said. “Setting up the environment to prepare for the lift, whether large or small, can improve safety. Always know that if the lift is challenging, you can reach out to team members for assistance.”

Click here to watch the second episode of the “We’ve Got Your Back” series and learn both what to do and what not to do when lifting, as well as the best practice to follow for lifting objects of all kinds: keeping your spine straight, using your legs and hips to complete the lift and lower the object back to the ground.