VIDEO and ARTICLE: Video Groundbreaking Collaboration: Neighborhood Health Center a Transformational Step in Las Vegas Trail Revitalization
Leaders from Cook Children’s Health Care System stood side-by-side with representatives from JPS Health Network, the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, LVTRise and WestAid Community Resources to break ground on the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center. The festive event included leaders from both heath care systems, community members, and band members and the mascot from Western Hills High School. The celebration was covered by multiple media outlets including the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Telemundo and our local TV news stations.
The end of the PACE system for performance reviews at Cook Children’s Health Care System comes with a related big change: Pro-rated merit increases effective Nov. 19.
That means employees in good standing will receive a portion of your 5% merit increase based on when your last review occurred. If it’s been almost a year since the review, the merit increase will be close to 5%. If the review was more recent, the merit increase would be smaller.
Some but not all employees who earn differential pay for working night or weekend hours will see an increase effective Nov. 19.
Cook Children’s is adjusting those rates based on a recent market analysis of shift and weekend differential pay at other hospitals in the DFW area. The adjustments reflect Cook Children’s commitment to attracting and retaining workforce talent – and our culture of respect and gratitude for our employees.
VIDEO and ARTICLE: Supporting Dr. Kim's Search for a Donor
We are so grateful for all of the support from our community for Dr. Kim! Danny Kim, M.D., a 57-year-old Cook Children’s pediatrician, has been diagnosed with advanced leukemia and is in urgent need of a blood stem cell transplant. Employees from across the System answered the call for help.
We partnered with Be the Match to host events in Fort Worth and Prosper where employees and community members alike completed cheek swab to be tested to find out if their blood stem cells are a match for Dr. Kim or another patient in need. You can read an article about the events and view and video and photos here.
Staying connected with colleagues and accessing important information is crucial for how we do our work every day. For the latest information about our new Microsoft Teams platform and Cooknet please see this update.
Microsoft Teams: Overview and Meetings
You can sign up for a 90-minute training, with a full overview of Microsoft Teams, how to leverage it similar to Skype and what new features you are getting with this application. You will also learn how to schedule, run, and join Teams meetings. Sign up on ULearn here.
VIDEO from Prosper: A Thanksgiving Feast
Our country celebrates Thanksgiving every year in honor of the first Thanksgiving years ago. And it is our first Thanksgiving in our Prosper home, which opened on Jan. 9. DeWayne Pace, CDM, CFPP, Executive Chef and Food Service Manager, and his team at Over the Moon Cafe outdid themselves with an incredible spread featuring maple/orange glazed turkey, slow braised short ribs, braised chicken with mushrooms and shallots and a scrumptious assortment of side dishes.
“Food is always love and comfort," DeWayne said. "So Thanksgiving is that day when you feel love and comfort and you're giving thanks for everything you've accomplished and received that year.”
Peaks' Treats celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 17 in the Dodson Specialty Building. The first 100 people received a free cookie cake slice, scoop of ice cream or smoothie.
Former Dallas Cowboys Kenny Gant, Rocket Ismail, Kevin Smith, and Charlie Williams were in attendance to sign autographs and take pictures with our patient families.
Peaks' Treats features three popular eateries: Marble Slabs Creamery, Smoothie Factory + Kitchen, and Great American Cookies, offering a variety of delicious options for patient families, visitors, and employees alike.
Cook Children's Health Care System's annual Halloween Hoopla was a spooktacular success, with employees from all over the System dressing up in their most creative and crafty costumes. From pop culture icons to clever creatures, our employees brought their A-game this year.
A big round of applause to everyone who participated in this year's Halloween Hoopla.
Thankful for You!
We hope you know how much you are appreciated and how thankful our community's kids are so thankful to have you take care of them. Need some proof?
Scarlett is a fifth grader at nearby Westcliff Elementary. She also is the daughter of Julie Foster, Executive Assistant II for Cook Children's Medical Center's Nursing and Patient Services.
Scarlett is in the leadership program at her school and she encouraged the first graders she mentors to write notes of thanks to the doctors, nurses and employees at Cook Children's. We hope you enjoy. Happy early Thanksgiving!
Our Veterans+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) hosted a special event to honor employees who served in the military. The event started with a flag raising by students at Trimble Tech High School, then everyone went inside Medical Center-Fort Worth to hear remarks by special guest Gordon England, who served as the 29th Deputy Secretary of Defense from Jan. 2006 to Feb. 2009. He previously served as the 72nd and 73rd Secretary of the Navy and as the first Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The Veterans+ ERG also marched in this year’s Tarrant County Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11 at Panther Island.
With Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper, as well as Cook Children’s Urgent Care Center experiencing high volumes due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory illnesses, we swung into action. The Public Relations team hosted a virtual press conference for physicians to address area media outlets, and provided statistics, photos and video for journalists use in their stories. Detailed information also was shared on our Cook Children's social media accounts and the Checkup Newsroom.
Lisa Farmer, BSN, RN-BC, LMSW, Director of the Department of Psychiatry, has just received an IN KIND-NESS Award from the Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County.
Lisa was recognized for her leadership with the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Collaborative Committee over the last 6+ years which she chaired with Cynthia Bethany from Fort Worth ISD. Their leadership and perseverance were instrumental in helping trauma informed care and practice in Tarrant County continue to grow, even though the challenges of the pandemic. Congratulations Lisa!
Around Cook Children's
Cook Children’s Infusion Center employees celebrated World Adoption Day on Nov. 9 by wearing special t-shirts and joining others across the globe in drawing a smiley face on their hands and posting it to social media. Check it out.
Cook Children’s will be hosting a Holiday Patient Art Show November 28-29 in the Medical Center-Fort Worth Atrium.
Fourteen doctors took on the role of Quality Assurance and Process Improvement (QAPI) physician champions for 12 of our clinical units in fiscal year 2023. Read more here.
A new dog shirt is now for sale at our Under The Peaks retail store in the Dodson Specialty Building. A portion of the proceeds go back to the Sit…Stay…PLAY facility dog program.
Registration for an adult drowning course is open. The class is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 9. The goal of the class is to help students be comfortable in the water. The four-hour class costs $10 per person (it’s usually $135). Details about this class and registration are here.
Important HR Updates
VIDEO and ARTICLE: Supporting Dr. Kim's Search for a Donor 
Our country celebrates Thanksgiving every year in honor of the first Thanksgiving years ago. And it is our first Thanksgiving in our Prosper home, which opened on Jan. 9. DeWayne Pace, CDM, CFPP, Executive Chef and Food Service Manager, and his team at Over the Moon Cafe outdid themselves with an incredible spread featuring maple/orange glazed turkey, slow braised short ribs, braised chicken with mushrooms and shallots and a scrumptious assortment of side dishes.
Peaks' Treats celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 17 in the Dodson Specialty Building. The first 100 people received a free cookie cake slice, scoop of ice cream or smoothie. 
VIDEO: Cook Children's Honors Our Veterans
With 