February 21, 2017

As part of our commitment to our employees’ health and well-being, Texas Children’s is excited to announce the opening of an Employee Medical Clinic at West Campus.

When will clinical services be available?

Beginning March 1, 2017, employees at West Campus, as well as in nearby Texas Children’s Pediatrics practices, can access clinical services on the first and third Wednesday of each month. To provide convenient access, the medical clinic will share office space with the Employee Health Clinic located on the second floor of West Campus. Hours of operations will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. While scheduled appointments are preferred, walk-in patients will be worked into the schedule based on availability.

What services can I receive?

Dr. Irene M. Lomeda, from our clinic in the Texas Medical Center, will be the physician on-site. In addition to primary and urgent care services, the following services will also be offered:

  • Annual physicals/well-woman/well-men exams
  • Rapid strep, flu, glucose, urinalysis, and pregnancy testing
  • Chronic disease management for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
  • Phone consultations (for established patients) for treatment of non-emergency medical issues
  • Vaccinations (meningococcal, papilloma virus, pneumococcal and shingles)
  • Travel medicine (limited)
  • Health Coaching program

Employees enrolled in Texas Children’s medical insurance plans will have a $10 co-pay per visit. Your privacy is of the utmost importance to us; your information will be secure via confidential electronic medical records, which is hosted externally.

To learn more about the services offered at the new Employee Medical Clinic at West Campus, please click here.

February 14, 2017

21517BestoftheWestinside640Two Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus staff members recently received the Best of the West award, which recognizes employees who have exceled at demonstrating Texas Children’s values – leading tirelessly, living compassionately, amplifying unity and embracing freedom.

Dr. Deborah Shardy, medical director of the West Campus Cancer, Hematology and Infusion Center, received the award for her unwavering dedication to serving her patients, their families and her clinical team.

Some of her colleagues and patient families have said the following about Shardy:

  • Dr. Shardy is not only an incredible physician in a very difficult field, she has a true passion for our patients and would go above and beyond for each one of them. She demonstrates our core values on a daily basis. She lives for the cause and not the applause, I am honored and blessed to work with her.
  • She lives selflessly always putting others needs above her own. Working long days and nights, performing procedures in clinic and in the operating room, covering call for the inpatient units, and many countless consults. She lives compassionately while keeping a positive outlook each day and encourages others to focus on the patient, ensuring their safety and comfort despite their sometime very difficult circumstances.
  • Dr. Shardy is always willing to help in any situation. Even when she is very busy, there is never a problem that is too big for her to solve. Her persistence in all situations helps our families feel safe and well cared for. If my child were being treated at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, I would want Dr. Shardy to be my child’s doctor.

The second recipient of the Best of the West award this quarter is Maura Dugan, a senior speech pathologist who helped launch upWORDS, a program aimed at closing the opportunity gap by giving parents the knowledge of how to improve the quantity and quality of language spoken with their child and educate them on the long-term impact language can have on their child’s success in life.

Some of her colleagues and patient families have said the following about Dugan:

  • Maura’s dedication and perseverance have resulted in a very impressive upWORDS program that provides resources that may result in life-long change for children and families in our community. Parent feedback has been impressive and families achieved 100 percent attendance during the first session of classes, demonstrating the impact this program has for them and their children. Maura has gone well above and beyond to establish and maintain a high-quality, impactful program in addition to her other responsibilities.
  • Maura’s dedication and compassion for the children and families she works with is obvious in everything she does. She has worked not only to initiate the upWORDS program at Texas Children’s but also continues to work with a multi-disciplinary team to significantly improve speech therapy services for children with hearing impairment and cochlear implants.
  • She does all that she does with little fanfare, as most not directly involved with these programs would know little about her constant drive to provide the most innovative, effective care for her patients and children in the community. Maura not only exemplifies the “Best of the West,” but what all therapists should strive to emulate.

If you would like to nominate someone for the Best of the West award, please click here and fill out the nomination form. You also can pick up a form at West Campus and return it to any of the black mailboxes in the following areas: DOTS Kitchen, the Coffee Spot, in the Human Resources office, the Emergency Center hallway or on the wall near the third-floor elevator.

February 7, 2017

Since leaders opened the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus more than five years ago, they have held regular town hall-style meetings to keep their employees informed of the hospital’s progress, challenges and goals as well as to gain feedback from employees and answer their questions.

“Town halls are an opportunity to both provide information and solicit feedback,” said West Campus President Matt Schaefer. “It’s important that we take time to both ‘talk to’ and ‘talk with’ the team of talented folks across our campus.”

View photos below from the first of a series of town hall events and watch the video below to get a glimpse of West Campus’ accomplishments in 2016 and their goals and aspirations for this year.

Walking into a conference room with a standing-room-only crowd, Schaefer kicked off the first town hall meeting at West Campus on February 1 with a congratulatory statement and a thank you for making 2016 “a wildly successful year.”

“2016 was a fantastic year any way you look at it – we grew our capabilities, served more patients than ever, had stronger than ever patient satisfaction and continued high employee engagement results, and grew our team all at the same time,” he said. “But, we recognize there were various challenges each of you overcame to meet our goals and we thank you for that.”

Director of Support Services Amy Cress, director of Outpatient and Clinic Support Services Jennifer DiPrisco and director of Patient Care Services Jennifer Sanders took the stage next and shared plans for continued growth in 2017 and that there always will be challenges to overcome but that because of West Campus’ phenomenal staff anything is possible.

“The fuel to our success is you,” Cress said. “With your help, we, like in years past, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

Cress and the other leaders went on to outline West Campus’ 2017 goals, which include:

  •  Opening the Bellaire Health Center in April
  •  Expanding clinic space on the third and fourth floors of the campus’ Medical Office Building
  •  Opening a new 22-bed critical care unit in October
  •  Starting the planning process for construction of an on-site Texas Children’s Urgent Care next to the hospital’s Emergency Center
  •  Additional town hall meetings are scheduled this week at the Sugar Land, Clear Lake and Cy-Fair Health Centers.
December 21, 2016

122116westcampustoydonationpg640Riding on motorcycles instead of a sleigh, members of two area motorcycle clubs recently acted as Santa Clause donating a slew of gifts to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

Members of the Harley Owners Group/Mancuso Harley Davidson rode up to the hospital on December 3 to present West Campus President Matt Schaefer and Child Life Specialist Susan Eyre with several large bags of toys and a donation on behalf of Cypress Creek Christian Church.

On December 10, the Los Carnales Motorcycle Club arrived with several bags of toys for our patients. The club is comprised mostly of active duty and/or retired law enforcement officials.

Schaefer presented both clubs with framed art from some of our patients in appreciation for their generous donation.

December 20, 2016

122116physiciansurveyinside640Texas Children’s shined in a recent survey conducted by the Harris County Medical Society to determine physicians’ perspectives and satisfaction in their relationships with local hospitals. More than 2,000 physicians took the survey, providing results for 30 hospitals in the Greater Houston area.

When asked to rate their overall satisfaction with each of those hospitals, 87 percent rated Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus at the top of their satisfaction list. Texas Children’s Hospital medical center campus was next with 83 percent of physicians giving the hospital high satisfaction marks.

Reputation is another area where the Texas Children’s system stood apart from the rest. When asked how physicians rated the overall reputation of each health system represented in the survey, 91 percent placed Texas Children’s at the helm.

“The results of this survey are incredible and speak to the superb quality of work we do across our entire system each and every day,” said President and CEO Mark A. Wallace. “They also are a testament to the relationships we have built and continue to strengthen with physicians in Houston and beyond.”

The purpose of the survey, according to Harris County Medical Society President Dr. Kimberly Monday, is to identify areas of strength and areas of opportunity for improvement in physician/hospital relationships that will create the opportunity for further discussion and will ultimately enhance collective efforts to improve patient care in the Houston area.

“These results will give physicians and hospital leaders a clear picture of the areas where the most work needs to be done,” Monday said. “These issues are too important to the quality of care we deliver to our patients to be dismissed, and we want to show hospital administrators that physicians are eager to work with them to make meaningful improvements to hospital practices and policies.”

Monday added that the impetus for the study was the decision on behalf of the federal government to tie Medicare payments to long-term patient outcomes instead of process. As physicians and hospitals become financially tied to actual outcomes, she said, doctors must know which hospitals provide a culture of quality and safety.

Conducted from May 8 to June 20, the Harris County Medical Society survey asked questions regarding:

  • Safety of medical care
  • Relationships between hospital administration and physicians
  • Hospital policies affecting care
  • Medical staff issues and bylaws
  • Electronic medical records

Texas Children’s system, Texas Children’s Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus led several categories in the survey as well and made the top 5 or top 10 list in many others, including leadership and leadership training opportunities, adequate nursing staff and quality of support staff.

“It’s good to hear our partnering physicians view us in such a positive light,” said Matt Schaefer, West Campus president. “Those relationships are extremely important to what we do, which is ensuring the best medical care to our patients and their families.”

Click the links below to view the results of the survey:

2016 Harris County Medical Society physician survey – Texas Children’s Hospital
2016 Harris County Medical Society physician survey – Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus
2016 Harris County Medical Society physician satisfaction survey

November 15, 2016

111616wcveteransday640Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus honored its veterans on Veteran’s Day, November 11, with a photo tribute displayed across the campus.

Veteran’s Day is a time our country pays fitting tribute to our military veterans. The holiday coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries to mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. The United States previously observed Armistice Day before renaming it Veteran’s Day in 1954.

Texas Children’s thanks all its veterans for their service.

November 8, 2016

11916wcmakingamark640Patients, families and employees at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus recently received a special treat when The Periwinkle Foundation granted a request to bring its Making A Mark exhibit to the community hospital.

The exhibit showcasing art created by children ages 3 to 22 who have been affected by cancer and blood disorders was installed in the lobby of West Campus last month and will be there until mid-November. This exhibit will then travel to other Texas locations.

Deborah Lee, assistant director of nursing for the Cancer Center at West Campus, said she is thrilled to have the Making A Mark exhibit on display for the West Campus community and that many of the pictures were created by patients who’ve received care at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

“These beautiful expressions of the child’s feelings through artwork show a piece of the journey they’ve been through,” Lee said. “It allows us to see the human factor affected by disease. It also brings healing for the child who created the art and for all who have the opportunity to view it.”

Linda Baker, assistant director of pharmacy at West Campus, helped get the Making A Mark exhibit to the community hospital and said she looks forward to it being a part of the campus for years to come.

“We are so excited to have the Making A Mark exhibit at West Campus for our patients and families to enjoy,” she said. “The Periwinkle Foundation specifically selected artwork by children that live in West Houston for this display.”

Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers is the largest pediatric oncology and blood disease center in the United States and was ranked No. 2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The center, located in the Medical Center and at West Campus, is staffed by nationally and internationally recognized experts who have made major clinical and research advances in the treatment of childhood malignancies.