Connect Newsletter (Aug. 5, 2026)

Message from Mr. Merrill - Employee Survey

Every day, we witness the incredible dedication and compassion you show to our patients, health plan members, their families, and one another. This commitment is the foundation of our Promise and makes Cook Children’s a remarkable place to work.

We encourage you to participate in this year’s Your Voice Matters Survey, open from Aug. 4 to Sept. 1. This survey is our key tool for listening to you, celebrating successes, and identifying areas for improvement. Your feedback has driven meaningful changes over the years.

Our goal is to achieve a 75 percent participation rate, ensuring we capture an accurate picture of experiences across all locations and departments. The survey is confidential and managed by Press Ganey, so you can share your thoughts freely.

Look for an email from Press Ganey on Tuesday or scan the QR code on CookNet. It takes just 10 to 15 minutes, and you can pause and return at any time. Your input will shape our work for the year ahead.

Thank you for everything you do to uphold our Promise, and for sharing your voice to strengthen Cook Children’s.

- Rick W. Merrill, President and CEO of Cook Children's Health Care System

ICYMI: System Town Hall

Please join us for a Town Hall event at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Hochberger Auditorium, Medical Center-Fort Worth.

Click here to attend virtually and experience the discussion in real-time via a live stream.

These events are designed to keep all of us informed and aligned about what has been accomplished by our teams across the system and what we are looking forward to in 2026.

For those whose schedules or locations do not permit attendance, the event will be recorded and posted on the scrolling banner on the homepage of CookNet and emailed later after the event.

Learn About Benefits Options During Open Enrollment

Open enrollment for the 2026-2027 benefits year is now in full swing, and we have a variety of ways to help you choose the coverage that fits your life best.

Come to a Benefits Fair this week to meet with representatives from our benefits vendors (see locations and dates below). Vendors will be on hand to answer questions about health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, wellness and more. Resources at the fair can help you clarify complex options, optimize your current plans and feel confident about open enrollment selections.

We’re also offering several virtual sessions to briefly review the upcoming year’s changes, including the switch to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) as our medical insurance carrier. Virtual sessions will provide an overview of the BCBSTX Health Advocacy Solutions, an employer-sponsored program that pairs members with a dedicated health advocate for personalized, hands-on support. Sessions will be recorded and posted on CookNet to watch at your convenience.

Open enrollment runs through Aug. 21. The benefits you select will be effective Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.

Be sure to check out the comprehensive new Employee Benefits Guide, which provides details about eligibility, plan rates and options. Click here to view the benefits CookNet page.

Current elections will roll over automatically with the exceptions of flexible spending accounts, health savings account contributions and PTO sellback. These three elections are required to be made annually. If you want any of these for next year, you must actively make those elections. If you don't take action, you'll have to wait until the next open enrollment period unless you have a major life change, such as having a baby.

Enroll in Workday by going to Workday Benefits, accessing the Benefits and Pay app, and submitting the elections you make. You can also enroll by calling the Benefits Center at 833-938-4154, weekdays from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Contact the Benefits team at AskBenefits@cookchildrens.org if you have questions.

BENEFITS FAIRS:

Medical Center- Fort Worth - Atrium

• Aug. 5 – 1-6 p.m.
• Aug. 6 – 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Medical Center-Prosper, Classrooms 1621 and 1622

• Aug. 7 -- 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

BENEFITS INFORMATION SESSIONS:

Medical Center-Fort Worth - Family Support Room

• Aug. 10 – 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Aug. 12 – 7-10 a.m.
• Aug. 13 – 10 p.m.-12 a.m.
• Aug. 17 – 10 p.m. – 12 a.m.
• Aug. 18 – 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 3- 6 p.m.
• Aug. 21 – 1-4 p.m.

Medical Center-Prosper, Classrooms 1621 and 1622

• Aug. 11: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Aug. 20: 12-3 p.m.

Child Study Center

• Aug. 12: 3-4:30 p.m.

Hurst Multispecialty

• Aug. 13: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Walsh Ranch

• Aug. 14: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Calmont

• Aug. 17: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mansfield Multispecialty

• Aug. 19: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

VIRTUAL SESSIONS: Click the dates below to join the corresponding virtual session

• Aug. 10 – 2 p.m.
• Aug. 12 – 11:30 a.m.
• Aug. 17 – 9 a.m.

Self-Evaluation: Reflect on Your Year

Magnet nurses are required to complete the Self-Evaluation step of year-end Performance & Development (P&D) by Aug. 10 in Workday.

For everyone else in our system, Self-Evaluation is optional but highly encouraged. It’s an opportunity to assess how you carried out your core job responsibilities, and the impact you’ve made on patients, patient families and your team across the entire performance year starting Oct. 1, 2025.

Managers can begin performance evaluations for their direct reports as soon as each Self-Evaluation is submitted. If a Self-Evaluation is not submitted, managers will have to wait until Aug. 10 to begin the Manager Evaluation. Visit the P&D page on CookNet for a timeline, tips and more resources.

Coming Aug. 12: A New Look for the External Email Banner

For several years, Cook Children’s has used an external email banner to help employees identify messages sent from outside the organization and to encourage extra caution when reviewing them.

In order to improve visibility and make external emails easier to recognize, we will be updating the external email on Wednesday, August 12. Click here for more information and to see the new banner.

While the appearance is changing, the purpose remains the same: helping employees quickly identify messages from external senders. Taking a moment to verify unexpected emails, links, attachments, and requests for information helps protect our patients, our colleagues, and Cook Children’s data.

(Note: The APPROVED EXTERNAL EMAIL banner will be updated at a later date.)

Celebrate Latest Quarterly Peak Performers

Congratulations to all our latest Peak Performers. From Behavioral Health and Pharmacy to Research and Environmental Services, we see you stepping up with dedication, quick thinking and positivity as you advocate for patients and one another. Your contributions to our system do not go unnoticed. Visit the Peak Performers CookNet site to see a full list of those recognized this quarter and to find out how to a nominate fellow colleagues.

Medical Center - Prosper Named No. 1 in Prosper & Celina Living Magazine Readers' Choice Awards

We are excited to share that families in Prosper and Celina have officially voted Cook Children's as their #1 choice for pediatric health care and emergency services! In a region where families have many options for pediatric health care services, they continue to choose Cook Children’s because of your commitment to high-quality care and outstanding experiences.

This recognition is a direct reflection of the exceptional care you deliver every single day, as well as the genuine connections you build with our patients and families. Thank you for everything you do to live out our Pinky Promise: Everything for the Child.

Register for Drug Diversion Symposium

Drug diversion is a quiet crisis, one that demands awareness, accountability, and action. The System Diversion Committee is proud to host the biennial Drug Diversion Symposium at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth.

This year’s symposium is headlined by keynote speaker Stephen Loyd, M.D., a nationally recognized expert in substance use disorder and a powerful voice in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Dr. Loyd’s lived experience and clinical leadership helped inspire the critically acclaimed series Dopesick, bringing national attention to the realities of addiction and recovery.

Attendees will gain insight into organizational recovery following diversion events, emerging risks across both controlled and non-controlled substances, and the importance of a unified, system-wide approach to prevention, detection, and response. Each session is designed to equip participants with practical strategies that strengthen both individual accountability and organizational resilience.

Whether you are clinical or non-clinical, you will gain the tools needed to recognize risk, respond effectively, and protect our patients, colleagues, and organization.

• Cost: Free
• Date: Aug. 28, 2026
• Location: Hochberger Auditorium
• Early Morning Session: Register here
• Full Symposium: Register here

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.