As the first satellite location of Texas Children’s Family Fertility Center, the Woodlands Clinic opened its doors in January 2020 to provide much-needed specialty reproductive and endocrinology care to women and families in a brand-new area – with accessibility for cities and communities farther north of The Woodlands, like Huntsville and Conroe.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic just two months later, and with it, new challenges that the staff ultimately overcame through innovative thinking, an enduring commitment to their patients and each other, and plenty of hope and optimism for better days to come.
Now the Woodlands Clinic has reached its one-year anniversary, Dr. Paul Zarutskie has completed nearly 1,500 appointments, and the team is anticipating even greater success ahead. Members of the Texas Children’s family have a women’s care facility conveniently located a short walk from The Woodlands campus, with a focus on a full spectrum of reproductive disorders across the age continuum.
“While 2020 was difficult at times, it brought us closer together as a team and challenged us to think outside of the box,” said Zarutskie, the board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and OB-GYN who leads the clinic.
In addition to Zarutskie, the clinic team includes Jeannette Brown, nurse coordinator; Susan Arriaga, medical assistant II; Amanda Campbell, ultrasonographer; Jackie Shaffer, andrologist; and Leticia Hernandez, lead ambulatory service representative.
After recruiting the team and preparing them to hit the ground running from its first day open, the next challenge for the Woodlands Clinic was making new connections with local providers and getting patients scheduled.
When the pandemic forced them to cancel plans for an in-person open house and tours to introduce their space and services, the team got creative and turned to virtual outreach. Local providers received regular emails with updates on Texas Children’s COVID-19 safety precautions, and the team kept them informed about available resources as regulations shifted.
One year later, the Woodlands Clinic is thriving despite the disruptions and poised to do even more. Virtual meetings with providers will continue, and the team is also planning to host fun, educational events virtually to help spread the word about their new location.
Plans are also being made to broaden their scope to primary care physicians who may have patients seeking fertility treatments, and to accommodate patients who are seeking care for other issues like endometrioses and managing menopause symptoms. All the while, team members will continue to sharpen their skills to ensure patients always receive the exceptional care that defines the Texas Children’s experience.
“With teamwork, dedication and strong communication, growth is possible and personalized patient care thrives,” Zarutskie said.