Connect Newsletter (April 11, 2024)

Eclipse Eyewitnesses at Cook Children's: Shades On, Smiles Wide

Patients, families, and staff all 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), and many of us applauded when the moon covered the sun at precisely 1:41 p.m.

Head over to the Connect Newsroom to check out an extended roundup of photos and a video featuring the expertise of Bob Sirkis, president of the Fort Worth Astronomical Society. He was at Medical Center-Fort Worth with his, wife Sally Sirkis, R.N., Cook Children’s Health Plan Service Coordinator.

Be sure to scroll all the way down so you don't miss some seriously cool photos and video captured by our employees. Keep those awesome photos coming! We love seeing the magic you all create.

Pictured: Staffers at Medical Center-Prosper

Gastroenterology Care for Patients in West Texas

When you think of Cook Children’s, you might picture the Fort Worth campus. But the Cook Children’s family stretches far beyond Dallas-Fort Worth. Across Texas, dedicated teams are an essential part of Cook Children’s mission to improve the well-being of as many children as possible. 

In August, Cook Children’s welcomed such a group into our family, made up of a dedicated group of medical professionals who have a deep commitment to care. A partnership was forged between Covenant Children’s Hospital and Cook Children's to open a Cook Children’s Gastroenterology Practice in Lubbock.

Read a feature article on the Connect Newsroom.

New Travel Booking Program Starts on April 12

Just in time for the busy summer travel season, we are pleased to announce that starting on April 12, Travel Services will begin transitioning from TripEasy to NAVAN.  The NAVAN travel platform is a more robust, fully-automated, secure, and user-friendly tool. It offers more content and you'll be able to book and manage travel through your desktop or a mobile app.  

If you were an active user in TripEasy, you will soon receive an email to register and activate your account in Navan.  Those that do not receive an email may request one by emailing Angela Stanley at travel.services@cookchildrens.org.

Onsite training and informational sessions will be held April 17-19.  We encourage active travelers and arrangers to attend.  

Please visit the Travel Services site on New CookNet for more information on the transition, as well as the exciting features and benefits available in Navan.  (You must be on the system to view.)

Cover Story: Tarrant County's Top Doctors 

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. 

The article highlights how Dr. Carter and Dr. Pyrc are working together to fight for resources and alleviate many of the issues families deal with when seeking pediatric mental health care. 

“I think we decided that we really work better as a team,” Dr. Carter said. “I think that since we’ve agreed to do it, it’s really been like this ebb and flow, and we don’t even talk about what our different responsibilities are… We just do it.” 

To see the full list of Cook Children’s Physician Network physicians click here. 

 

Congrats to Physicians Named Top Doctors by 360 West

360 West magazine’s Top Doctors list of the region's best physicians is based on a peer-review survey open to all doctors within Tarrant, Parker, Johnson, Hood and Denton counties. The list provides a doctor’s perspective on the top doctors in 57 specialty areas, honors physicians for their achievement and reputation.

View the list of 46 Cook Children's physicians here.

Soaring Above and Beyond at Prosper

Nearly two dozen staff members at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Prosper are sporting yellow smiley face pins on their outfits and uniforms. They're the first recipients of a special new award at Prosper recognizing their dedication and going that extra mile for patients. 

Each month, Prosper administrators select a staff member to receive the Above and Beyond award, which celebrates someone going outside the scope of their usual duties in service of patient care.

Read more and view the list of recipients -- so far.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is April 14 to 20

The laboratories in Fort Worth and Prosper play a vital role in patient care by using their expertise to partner with caregivers to connect the dots. 

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine provides a broad range of diagnostic testing in pathology, clinical laboratory, and transfusion services. An estimated 70% of medical decisions at Cook Children’s are based on results provided by the Laboratory. The department includes professionals who work as Phlebotomists, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Histotechnologists, PhDs, Pathology Assistants, and Pathologists. 

To celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, the department is acknowledging their teams through fun, recognition/celebration, and service. As a means of further connecting lab staff with patients, teams will collect Play-Doh to donate to the Child Life Department, with a goal of collecting 100 cups during Lab Week. 

In 2023: 
• The Laboratory received and processed over 435,000 specimens and placed more than 22,000 phone calls to caregivers to report critical results. 
• Inpatient and Outpatient Phlebotomy teams collected over 100,000 specimens. 
• Transfusion Services issued and transfused over 8,800 blood products.
• Pathology/Histology processed over 8,700 surgical cases. 
• Microbiology processed over 53,000 cultures. 
• Referrals submitted more than 21,000 specimens to other laboratories for testing.
• Point of Care managed over 516,000 tests. 
 

Health Information Professionals Week is April 15 to 19

We are celebrating our employees who ensure that health encounters and information remain accurate, accessible, and protected. Health Information Professionals week is the perfect time to acknowledge individuals and teams who have delivered quality healthcare and have played a key role in the management of health data. 

If you would like to highlight or show appreciation for a Health Information Management team member, please share your experience with Jessica Conrad at jessica.conrad@cookchildrens.org.

Click here for more information about Health Information Professionals.

Register Now for Pediatric Trauma Conference 

You’re invited to join us for the Pediatric Trauma Conference, where we will discuss complex pediatric trauma cases and learn how we can most effectively work together for the best outcome. 

The conference is designed to meet the educational needs of primary, acute and critical care physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice and staff nurses, respiratory therapists, paramedics, Child Life specialists and social workers who care for pediatric trauma patients. 

View the agenda and register here.

If you cannot attend the event in-person, join us for the live, interactive webcast. The recorded video will be available until Monday, June 3.

Retirement Announcement for Jodi Roberson

Jodi Roberson, Regional Admin Site Administrator, is retiring from the system on April 30 after 26 years of service to Cook Children’s. Everyone is invited to join us from 8 – 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30 in the Family Support Meeting Center at Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth as we wish Jodi well in her new adventure. 

“Jodi started in the Genetics Clinic as Practice Manager and has helped develop and grow several other subspecialties before dedicating her focus to the Regional Clinics.  As Site Administrator for the Regional Clinics, she has helped expand the specialty offerings to patients in Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, San Angelo, Tyler, and Waco.  Many of these clinics started with one specialty that saw patients just one time a month and have now grown to a full-time subspecialty presence in their community,” said Kari Lipscomb, Director of Practice Operations. “We want to thank Jodi for her impact on the Regional Clinics and for fulfilling our Promise to the children in these regions for all these years.”

We encourage you to take a moment to send Jodi a farewell note or a congratulatory eCard by April 29.