2024: The Year in News at Cook Children's

January

Pediatric ICU Earns Silver Beacon Award, While Medical Center Receives 2023 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award® in Patient Experience – Ranks Top 5% in National Patient Satisfaction.

Forbes named CCHCS No. 1 in the health care and social industry category of its list of America’s Best Large Employers 2024.
New patient handling tool for lateral transfers.
Cook Children’s hosts a show-and-tell for national and local researchers connected to a new federal initiative that funds groundbreaking advancements in health care.

Employees experience the award-winning “Breaking Ice” theatrical program that uses drama, humor, music, poetry and movement to help foster a more connected and understanding workplace.

Eclipse – Patients, families, and staff came together under a (briefly) darkened sky to witness the epic total solar eclipse on April 8. We had a blast sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We wore eye protection glasses with the Cook Children's logo, enjoyed a visit by Peaks the Dragon (wearing his own glasses), dogs, and many of us applauded when the moon covered the sun at precisely 1:41 p.m.
Fort Worth Magazine asked Tarrant County doctors to nominate their peers for inclusion in the annual Top Doctors edition – Cook Children's has 46 physicians on this year's list. Kia Carter, M.D., and Kristen Pyrc, M.D., the co-directors of the Psychiatry Department, are featured on the cover. This marks the sixth year in a row that Cook Children’s has been on the cover of this annual issue.

Newsweek names Cook Children’s one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women.”
A new benefit -- six weeks of paid parental leave for eligible employees and their partners who give birth or adopt a child.
Collaborates to build Cookchildrens.org/mental-health with a wide array of resources for patients and families, including links to hundreds of educational articles, the Raising Joy podcast, Links of Hope Support Group, virtual trainings and a video series created by Cook Children's Center for Community Health to help inform and support caregivers on mental health topics.

Cook Children’s is proud to announce its inclusion in Newsweek’s prestigious list of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2024. The honor once again recognizes Cook Children’s as a top employer on the national level.
New CookNet.
IT team superheroes during global technology outage.
Peaks goes to the Olympics.

New equity training offered.
First employee Well-Being Month --When we take time for personal and professional well-being, it’s easier to find the energy and motivation to show up as our best selves each day. We’ve launched an annual tradition dedicated to helping you be your best self at work and home. We’ve brought together multiple teams to promote self-care and connect our 10,000 employees to the programs, benefits, and resources offered to enjoy life and thrive at work and home.

New Performance and Development program rolls out in Workday with tools for Goal Setting etc.
Launch of podcast “Untold: The Stories of Cook Children’s” – inspiring conversations with patients, families, staff and physicians.

Seven specialties make the Top 50 rankings in the U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 list of the nation’s best children’s hospitals.

Announcement of a 10-year master plan at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth to keep pace with projected community growth. The plan includes a new 700,000-square-foot medical tower, expansion of the PICU and NICU, increased capacity for Hematology/Oncology services and research, and additional operating rooms and imaging services.

Three cheers to the Cook Children’s Health Plan for nomination to Texas Hospital Association’s #12DaysofHealthCareHeroes! We are incredibly proud of the dedicated CCHP team members, who work tirelessly to ensure that children and families in North Texas have access to quality health care.