November 1, 2016

Halloween was definitely not lost on the many sick children at Texas Children’s who had to miss school parties and trick or treating events due to doctor’s visits or hospital stays. Throughout the day and across the Texas Children’s system, there was a load of Halloween fun for patients and their families. Watch the video to get a glimpse of the fun everyone had at these unforgettable events.

At West Campus, the festivities began on October 28 when members of Texas Window Cleaning Co., Inc. dressed up as super heroes and cleaned the hospital’s windows while waving to children inside. The company has been cleaning the windows at Main Campus since 1957 and at West Campus since 2011.

“This is the third year the superheroes have brought their superpowers to West Campus, and we are grateful to them for doing so,” said Matt Schaefer, president of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. “Things like this are small and simple, but they can have a profound impact on our patients, families and visitors. After all, what better way to live out our vision than to look for ways to brighten the days of the patients who seek care on our campus.”

Festivities at West Campus and beyond continued on Monday with the West Campus Fall Festival and the Annual Halloween Spooktacular Patient’s Party on The Auxiliary Bridge in the Medical Center. Dressed in their Halloween best, employees handed out goodies to patients during the multi-hour long parties sponsored by Child Life at West Campus and the Patient Activity Team at Main Campus.

Ghosts, goblins and ghouls also were out in full force at other areas across the organization, including the new Outpatient Facility in The Woodlands, various Health Centers across the Houston area and many departments at Main Campus.

October 11, 2016

101316caremanagement640National Case Management Week is October 9-15, where we recognize the work of our entire Care Management team. This year’s theme for Case Management Week is “Case Management: We listen. We care. We lead.”

Texas Children’s Care Management team is comprised of care managers, access care managers, utilization review nurses, care management assistants, appeals and audit nurses, an educator, two physician advisors and leadership. There is representation at Main Campus, West Campus, and there will be a team for The Woodlands. With all campuses combined, Care Management is comprised of more than sixty staff members.

Each member of the team serves an important role in the care of Texas Children’s patients before, during and after their stay at Texas Children’s. From the beginning, access care managers work closely with the Emergency Center and Post Anesthesia Care Unit teams to make sure that each patient, upon admission to Texas Children’s Hospital, is in the correct level of care. Care from there is transitioned to the unit care managers who believe that discharge planning starts on admission, working to assess discharge needs and barriers early in the patient’s stay. They listen and collaborate daily in Care Progression Rounds, looking at the ongoing discharge needs of each patient. Using their knowledge of community resources and insurance, they assist the interdisciplinary team in coordination of complex patient discharges.

Other members of the team provide support for utilization review, appeals and denials. They advocate for the patients, which involves communicating with each patient’s insurance payer to ensure that the patient’s hospital stay is covered. Leading tirelessly, there are members of Care Management in the hospital around the clock working to meet patient needs. They help to ensure that each patient gets the best care, in the correct setting, for optimal patient outcomes.

Celebrate the contribution of the Texas Children’s Care Management team! Teams are located in A165 on Main Campus and 379.00 at West Campus.

September 20, 2016

92116languageservices640For non-English speaking families like Argelia Diaz, she knows that when she comes to Texas Children’s, she can always count on a Spanish-speaking interpreter to help her communicate with her daughter’s medical team.

“I don’t know what I would do without them,” Diaz said through her interpreter. “They give us all the information that the providers want to tell us and help break down the medical terms for us. They are very kind and are always there whenever we need them.”

As an internationally recognized referral center, Texas Children’s cares for many international patients including those here at home who do not speak English. These patient families rely solely on the skills and expertise of Texas Children’s Language Services Department to bridge the communication barrier.

“Language barriers have the potential to adversely impact patient care and outcomes,” said Language Services Manager Alma Sanchez. “Issues like misdiagnosis, lack of compliance, medical errors and readmissions can all be further compounded when a patient has limited English proficiency. Communicating with them in their preferred language ensures everyone is on the same page regarding the care and treatment of the patient.”

Being an interpreter at Texas Children’s is more than just speaking a foreign language fluently. As the primary liaison between the physician and patient, interpreters ensure accurate and seamless communication is delivered to both parties during every phase of the health care process. Specially trained in diverse areas including medical terminology, modes and standards of interpretation, standards of ethics and intercultural communication, interpreters also serve as a cultural broker in the communication of information since there are many factors that may impede a patient or family’s clear understanding of a medical diagnosis or treatment plan.

“While speaking in the family’s native language, we explain their child’s diagnosis and ensure they understand all of the instructions provided by their care team,” said Violeta Riccio, project analyst at Language Services. “We also help the providers understand the patient’s concerns or questions in order to resolve any potential issues.”

On average, the Language Services Department receives 12,000 language requests per month – 4,000 are in-person interpretations, 7,000 are telephonic and 1,000 are through a mobile video system called My Accessible Real Time Trusted Interpreter (MARTTI) where an external interpreter can be contacted via live video. These capabilities enable Texas Children’s to provide interpretations in about 170 different languages.

To meet the growing demand for this service, Texas Children’s has 28 interpreters dispersed across several campuses – 17 at Texas Children’s Main Campus, five at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, four at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and two interpreters at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. Spanish is the most requested language for interpretation followed by Arabic, Vietnamese and Chinese-Mandarin.

Just like our patient families, Texas Children’s health care teams benefit greatly from this service too.

“Having an interpreter physically present is crucial to effective communication particularly in stressful situations when children are undergoing procedures or when critical information is being conveyed,” said Dr. Larry Hollier, chief of plastic surgery at Texas Children’s. “Having an onsite interpreter in the ambulatory surgery area has been transformative in terms of family satisfaction and the efficient and safe flow of children through the area.”

To learn more about Language Services, drop by their office located on the third floor of West Tower across from the gift shop. Click here to watch a video spotlighting a day in the life of interpreters at Texas Children’s.

92116westcampusorexpansion640With scissors in hand, leaders at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus proudly cut a red ribbon draped across the entrance to the hospital’s newly expanded perioperative suite.

The September 15 ribbon cutting unveiled four new operating rooms, a new procedure room, three new call rooms as well as a new doctor’s lounge, kitchen and break area. The expansion brings the total number of operating rooms at West Campus to eight and doubles the total number of procedure rooms – places where minor outpatient procedures occur.

The call rooms, doctor’s lounge, and enlarged staff kitchen and break area didn’t exist before the expansion and, according to Chief Surgical Officer at the West Campus Dr. Allen Milewicz, will help set the stage for expanded perioperative capabilities at West Campus.

“This expansion will allow us to do longer, more complex surgeries,” Milewicz said. “It also will help us increase the scope of services we offer.”

Two growth areas of interest are orthopedics and dental, Milewicz added. The demand for such procedures is increasing in the West Houston area because families and area providers are eager to take advantage of the broad range of pediatric expertise that only a dedicated children’s hospital can provide. West Campus wants to be able to continue to accommodate that demand and grow with it.

Trauma is another area of potential growth, Milewicz said. Currently, West Campus does not see a large amount of trauma cases but wants to develop this service in the future. Having a fully equipped perioperative suite will allow the West Campus surgical team to treat such patients in the best manner possible.

“The scope of what community hospitals are being asked to do is growing,” Milewicz said. “We want to accommodate that growth and meet the demands of our patients and their families.”

West Campus Vice President Matt Schaefer agreed and said the expansion of the perioperative suite is not about new rooms or space but about West Campus’ ability to improve lives.

“A little more than five years ago, we stood in this same place with our first surgical patient and cut the ribbon to our perioperative suite,” Schaefer said. “Since then, we have met the surgical needs of more than 20,000 children. The expansion increases our ability to reach more children.”

Schaefer added that the recent expansion of the Perioperative Suite is part of a $50 million capital improvement effort that will help expand West Campus’ capacity and capability. To date the following projects have been completed:

  • Additional office and administrative support space for dedicated physicians and providers
  • An 18-bed expansion of the hospital’s acute care capacity, including an eight-bed special isolation unit designed for children with highly contagious infectious diseases.
  • Conversion of offices within ambulatory clinics into additional exam rooms to increase outpatient subspecialty access
  • A dedicated suite for Interventional Radiology services

The following projects are still in the works:

  • A new 14 exam room clinic for Neurology, Renal & Dermatology
  • Build-out of the final inpatient shell floor to accommodate 22 PICU beds

 

September 13, 2016

91416mattschaefer175Texas Children’s is pleased to announce that effective October 1 Vice President Matt Schaefer will be promoted to president of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

Joining Texas Children’s in 2009, Schaefer has been part of the West Campus leadership team from its inception. Schaefer’s role during his tenure has progressed from one of strategic and financial planning, to business and support service leadership, to his current role as vice president of the West Campus.

“I have every confidence that Matt will do an outstanding job as president of West Campus, as we continue to grow that location and its significance in our integration of services across the Texas Children’s system,” Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace said.

Schaefer said he is humbled to serve the community in this new role. “As West Campus continues to grow,” he said, “our goal is to expand the services we provide to best meet the needs of the children and families we care for.”

Schaefer’s promotion comes after current West Campus President, Chanda Cashen Chacón, announced that she will be taking on the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Chacón will be working with Marcy Doderer, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Children’s, who was formerly with the CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.

A 359-bed facility, Arkansas Children’s is building a new campus in northwest Arkansas, Arkansas Children’s Northwest, with the goal of developing a state-wide clinical network of care for pediatrics.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Chanda, and we wish her well in her new role at Arkansas Children’s,” Wallace said.

September 7, 2016

These days, it’s hard not to see gold throughout our hospital campus. From gold ribbons to gold T-shirts and gold pins worn by our physicians and staff, to a holiday tree decked out in gold, Texas Children’s Cancer Center is making a gold splash to raise community awareness about childhood cancer throughout the month of September.

“Going gold is a way for us both to honor the courageous journeys of our patients and families who have been touched by pediatric cancer and to create awareness on a national level about the challenges these children face,” said Dr. David Poplack, director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center. “This is also a special time to honor our staff and everyone involved in the care and support of our patients and their families at the Cancer Center.”

To officially kick off September’s cancer awareness activities, two gold ribbon tying ceremonies were held on September 1 and 2 – one on The Auxiliary Bridge at Texas Children’s Medical Center Campus and the other at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

Along with remarks from Drs. Poplack, ZoAnn Dreyer, and Chaplain Pat Krinock, patients and their families, and the Cancer Center faculty and staff, were touched with emotion when Christian Spear, a former Texas Children’s patient and 17-year cancer survivor, sang “The Bell Song,” an inspirational song she co-wrote with Anita Kruse, founder and executive director of Purple Songs Can Fly.

“This is a special tribute to all of the children who are battling cancer right now,” Spear said. “The song’s lyrics are a constant reminder that a cure is very close.”

At West Campus, patients, families and staff celebrated Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with a “Go Gold” Parade. The procession of children riding tricycles and wagons decorated with gold ribbons started on the third floor and proceeded outside the entrance of the hospital where the ribbon tying ceremony was held.

West Campus Vice President Matt Schaefer and his sister-in-law, Kerri Schaefer, shared their stories of how a childhood cancer diagnosis impacted their family.

“Malachi’s diagnosis and subsequent battle with childhood cancer changed our family forever, just as it does all families,” Schaefer said. “Although my nephew has been gone more than nine years, we will never forget him or the incredible care that he and our family received at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

Throughout the month of September, the fenced walkway and garden area at West Campus and the gold banner on The Auxiliary Bridge will be adorned with 630 gold ribbons, one for each child diagnosed with pediatric cancer in the past year at Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

“It is estimated that more than 15,700 children nationwide will be diagnosed with a form of pediatric cancer by the end of this year,” Poplack said. “While we are curing 80 percent of pediatric cancers, as pediatric oncologists, our job is not over until every child is cured of this disease.”

View a photo gallery below. To learn more about Texas Children’s Cancer Center, click here.

Upcoming cancer awareness activities:

  • Friday, September 9 – Lace Up for Life Walk (1 p.m.), West Tower, eighth floor
  • Saturday, September 10 – Making a Mark opening reception (2 – 4 p.m.), The Auxiliary Bridge
  • Saturday, September 17 – Sickle Cell Education and Research Day (11 am. to 3 p.m.)
  • Friday, September 23 – Ewing Sarcoma Symposium (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), PFW fourth floor, E and F
  • Tuesday, September 27 – Visit/appearance by Houston Texans Devon Still (11 a.m.)

9716singlevisitsurgery640Patients with simple surgery needs can now be seen in clinic by pediatric surgeons and have surgery on the same day at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The hospital’s new Single-Visit Surgery program provides a convenient option for busy patient families and consists of a clinic appointment in the morning and, if necessary, an outpatient surgical procedure that same day.

“This program reduces the time and travel often necessary for families in need of pediatric surgery,” said pediatric surgeon Dr. Sohail Shah. “We are excited about being able to offer this highly accessible service to our patients and their families.”

Currently, patients who qualify for the program are children without a complicated medical history and who have the following conditions:

  • Umbilical hernia (3 years and older)
  • Inguinal hernia (12 months and older)
  • Hydrocele (12 months and older)
  • Epigastric hernia (any age)

“All of our lives are busy, and overscheduled parents are thrilled to accomplish what used to take two days in only one. The families who have to travel to Texas Children’s Hospital from far away are especially appreciative,” said Chief Surgical Officer at the West Campus Dr. Allen Milewicz. “All the members of our West Campus team came together – nurses, schedulers, finance, and administration, to – craft a process improvement that would result in a great patient experience.”

To schedule an appointment or if you have questions about the Single-Visit Surgery program, please contact the Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Pediatric Surgery Clinic at Ext. 7-2250.