It's easy to forget that the first person a patient interacts with is often a friendly voice on the phone. Our Call Center operators aren't just answering calls; they're often the first point of contact with our organization, providing comfort, guidance, and essential information to patients and their families.
Their responsibilities are vast. From answering questions about appointments and billing to relaying critical information to medical staff, our call center operators play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our clinics and medical centers. They're the backbone of our communication system, ensuring that patient families receive the timely and accurate information they need, and that every call is handled with empathy and professionalism.
Whether it's late at night or during a crisis, our Call Center operators are there, providing a reassuring voice and a helping hand. Their dedication is essential to the success of Cook Children's.
Let's take a moment to appreciate the hard work and dedication of our call center team. Their contributions are invaluable, and they deserve our gratitude.
Process Improvement Strategies Guide Cook Children’s in U.S. News Rankings
Looking ahead to Oct. 8, when U.S. News & World Report ranks the nation’s best children’s hospitals, we're highlighting the collaborative approach at Cook Children’s.
Quality Performance Improvement (QPI) specialists Kim Kimberling and Noelia Echols (bothClinical Quality Improvement Coordinators) help our departments collect, verify and report the information needed for the U.S. News surveys. Having Noelia and Kim on board makes the process more cohesive, efficient, accurate and data-driven.
Check-in conversations will be coming up in October, capping our season of year-end performance evaluations. What happens at a check-in? You’ll talk with your manager about your skills, goals and opportunities for professional growth.
Check-in conversations are just one new aspect of Performance & Development (P&D) at Cook Children’s. Good communication helps make the transition smoother as we continue to phase in our new P&D platform in Workday. That’s why we hope everyone checks out the P&D Digest, our source for important stories and resources in one handy newsletter.
Read the Sept. 26 issue to find tips for a productive check-in conversation. View a sample of Anytime Feedback badges, a new tool for celebrating your co-workers. Or browse the P&D Digest archive for articles you might have missed.
News from Occupational Health
If you uploaded any vaccinations into the My Medical Information tab on the Enterprise portal between Aug. 27 and Oct. 2, please send an email to Occhealth@cookchildrens.org to let them know. The documents are in your records, but a notification was not sent to Occupational Health from the Enterprise system. The vaccination was not entered into your immunization records appropriately.
Flu Reminder: Everyone must complete their Flu Consent or Exemption on the Enterprise portal. If you received an influenza vaccine outside of Cook Children’s, you must upload documentation on the portal under the Flu Consent or Exemption tab.
Supervisors: You will be sent an email when a task is sent to the Supervisor Portal in Enterprise. Please check the portal at least daily for any tasks.
Respiratory Mask Fitting:
Supervisors will need to notify Occhealth@cookchildrens.org of any employees who no longer have patient/family contact and therefore do not need the mask fitting requirement.
If you are past 12 months from your last mask fitting, you must make an appointment through the Enterprise portal for the next available day. Occupational Health has openings starting two weeks from current day.
If you are more than two months away from expiration (12 months), please wait to schedule your appointment on the portal.
The OSHA questionnaire, found on the Enterprise portal, will need to be completed by everyone in the Respiratory Mask Fitting requirement.
News from Team Experience
Calling all sports fans! Cook Children's employees are invited to purchase tickets to see the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars this fall at a special discount price.
Cook Children’s Night at the Dallas Mavericks game will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3 at against the Orlando Magic.Cook Children’s Night at the Dallas Stars game will take place at 7 pm. on Thursday, Nov. 14 against the Boston Bruins. Click here for more information on purchasing tickets.
Jersey Days to kick off the NHL and NBA 2024-2025 seasons
Friday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 6 - Wear your favorite hockey team gear to work
Friday, Oct. 18 to Sunday, Oct. 20 - Wear your favorite basketball team gear to work
Halloween Hoopla
Sign up is now open for this live Halloween costume and skit event, scheduled for 2-3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31 outside Medical Center-Fort Worth. What to know about Halloween Hoopla 2024
Cook Children’s employees can purchase up to six tickets for the price of $16.24 each ($15 plus $1.24 tax). When you buy one or more tickets, you will get one free ticket. Tickets include admission and parking. Don’t miss out on this amazing offer – tickets normally go for $89.99 each, Purchase discount tickets on the Team Experience CookNet site.
A variety of food and beverages will be available to purchase throughout the park that day. This year you can buy Mega Meal Deal passes for $19.99 plus tax at checkout.
Cook Children’s Online Store Update
We’re currently in a state of transition with our online store. If you need branded merchandise in the meantime, our Under the Peaks team can assist. T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, jackets…. the options abound! Email Kimberly Johnson, Manager of Workshop and Retail, atkimberly.johnson@cookchildrens.org with questions.
NOTE: To ensure our system standards are followed, employees are not allowed to produce apparel with the Cook Children’s name or logo without Retail Services and Marketing’s involvement.
VIDEO: Behind the Scenes at Our Emergency Management Drill
Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth conducted a drill to prepare to respond to the worst-case scenario – a mass casualty disaster. The drill involved participation of staff from across the medical center, local emergency responders, and volunteers wearing mock injuries.
Drills like these are critical to ensuring that when the unexpected happens, we are ready to go.
Where to Find the On-call Schedule Site on the New CookNet
We want to make you are aware that the on-call schedule site has changed. Staff who managed schedules for their clinic or department will use the same credentials to manage the site. We hope you like the new look and feel where you can find the schedule for Cook Children’s clinics and specialties as well as find the Administrators on Call for the various companies and departments.
The next Epic Upgrade is set for Oct. 18. Be sure to check the Upgrade LHD for a breakdown of the changes coming to your Epic application. These materials will be available beginning this week.
In addition, the routine content freeze that accompanies Epic Upgrade will be in effect from Oct. 14 to 18.
We're Changing our Digits
Starting Nov. 7, all text messages from Cook Children’s will come from 73157, making it easier than ever for our patient families to stay on top of their children’s care. Families will continue receiving updates such as appointment reminders, prescription notifications, and even text-to-pay options – just from this new number! See details here.
Our People
Remote Work, Strong Bonds
Working from home can be isolating and it can be difficult to feel like a team without a shared office space. That’s why Kendra Allen, MHA, BSN, RN, CCM, Director of Utilization Management (UM), and the UM leadership team work hard to help Health Plan staff feel connected and appreciated even while they work remotely.
Using innovative ideas including daily team chats on the Teams platform, quarterly in-person team building activities such as bowling, a monthly newsletter with interactive activities, and weekly Coffee Talks over Zoom, Kendra aims to keep everyone engaged with one another in a positive way.
From Border Town to Boardroom: Veronica Tolley’s Journey of Leadership and Legacy
Newsweek has named Cook Children's one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024. We're introducing you to some of the women who make Cook Children's such an amazing place.
Veronica Tolley is living the American dream, but she has never forgotten her roots. Born in Acuna, Coahuila, a Mexican border town just south of Del Rio, Texas, she immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 2.
“I have a picture that I love of me as a toddler right before my father moved us from Mexico to join him in Fort Worth,” Veronica said. “It reminds me where I came from and that the American dream and the potential that every child has in them is a real thing.”
Veronica has called Cook Children’s her work home for her entire career. The little girl from Mexico and minimal means who dreamed of working in health care rose from office supervisor to practice manager to practice administrator to director to assistant vice president and now, Vice President of Primary Care and Specialty Services, overseeing operations for Cook Children’s Physician Network.
Health Plan: Cook Children's Nurse and Mom Fears Loss of Essential Care
Rebekah Jones, who has had four children on Cook Children’s Health Plan, knows too well how big of a difference consistent, quality medical care can make.
Rebekah, who has been a nurse at Cook Children’s for 20 years, is the mother of four children with medical complexities. In 2017, her adopted son, Danny, passed away. After he died, Rebekah decided to foster medically challenged kids and has since adopted three of those children.
As a staff member and mother of patients, Rebekah has seen every aspect of Cook Children’s care. For her, the key to the quality care at Cook Children’s is the relationships that Cook Children’s physicians and providers build with kids over time. Rebekah worries if Cook Children’s Health Plan loses essential state funding, her children will have to start all over with new physicians, providers and therapists.
Blazing New Trails: Alice Phillips, M.D., Accepts New Full-Time Role
Alice Phillips, M.D., has been named the full-time Director of Ambulatory Quality and Safety. It’s a new position at Cook Children’s, and a move that allows her to impact a broader swath of patients in ambulatory settings all across the system, which includes primary care, urgent care and specialty care.
“Quality work fits me,” Dr. Phillips said. “I enjoy bringing people together from different areas and asking, ‘How can we make this better?’”
In her new role, Dr. Phillips will plan, execute and lead quality improvement in the ambulatory setting. It’s a big job, given Cook Children’s vast primary, specialty and urgent care network that stretches all across North Texas and west to Lubbock.
New Podcast— Untold: The Stories of Cook Children's
Discover the heartwarming, inspiring, and sometimes heartbreaking stories behind the walls of Cook Children's. Join us as we delve into the lives of patients, families, staff, and physicians who are making a difference in the lives of children. From tales of resilience and hope to the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals, Untold offers a glimpse into the extraordinary work happening at Cook Children's.
In our very first episode, you'll hear the heart-warming story of Chelsee Greer, D.O. Approximately 15,000 children and adolescents in the United States are diagnosed with cancer annually. Dr. Greer was one of them. Join Dr. Greer and her mom as they share their incredible story of overcoming cancer and her dedication to fighting for the health of her patients as an oncologist.
Listen to hear more stories of:
Patient journeys: Discover the challenges, triumphs, and resilience of children and their families.
Staff experiences: Learn about the dedication and passion of those working on the front lines.
Physician perspectives: Gain insights into the medical field and the challenges faced by healthcare providers.
Nurses Complete TCU's Evidence-Based Practice Fellowship
Congratulations to Cook Children's Health Care System nurses Christina Tan and Valerie Shorten, who graduated recently from the Texas Christian University (TCU) Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship. Over the course of this year-long fellowship, Christina and Valerie honed their EBP skills while receiving mentorship and guidance from Cook Children's Center for Nursing Excellence during their project implementation. Their EBP project focused on empowering staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to apply trauma-informed care principles when supporting the families of infants.
We are also thrilled to celebrate the six Cook Children’s nurses who have been selected for the 2024-25 TCU EBP Fellowship. These nurses, chosen through a competitive application process, will complete this esteemed program and implement evidence-based practices in Cook Children's Urgent Care Centers, Emergency Department, and at our Prosper Medical Center campus.
More News from Around Cook Children's
Sign up for patient trick or treating: Departments can sponsor a table for patients and siblings to trick or treat at from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Oct. 31 in Pruitt Plaza. Details are here.
Fidelity’s Smart Tips for Claiming Social Security: How does Social Security fit into your strategy for retirement? Join the experts from Fidelity at a webinar Tuesday, Oct. 15, to learn the importance of creating a plan. The webinar includes key points to know about claiming Social Security for your best advantage. Register for the 9 a.m. session here. Register for the 3 p.m. session here.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Latinos Engaging, Advancing, Developing & Supporting Leadership (L.E.A.D.S.+) has spearheaded several events for employees, including an Oct. 10 webinar with panelists who will share their unique stories, exploring their cultural roots, traditions, and the rich heritage that shapes their identities. There are also special lunch menu offerings at Camelot Court and Over the Moon Cafe.
Annual drive for those experiencing homelessness. We are collecting items through Oct. 25. Items (must be new) are: baby wipes, bath towels, hand towels, twin sheets and washcloths. Your generosity makes a difference. Learn more here.
New health benefit: Cook Children’s is excited to introduce virtual-first, whole-person GI care from Oshi Health—available at no additional cost to you. Read more.
The Aim for Safety Newsletter is out, keeping you up to date on recent activities, upcoming events, and news from our partners. Download it here.
It's easy to forget that the first person a patient interacts with is often a friendly voice on the phone. Our Call Center operators aren't just answering calls; they're often the first point of contact with our organization, providing comfort, guidance, and essential information to patients and their families.
Whether it's late at night or during a crisis, our Call Center operators are there, providing a reassuring voice and a helping hand. Their dedication is essential to the success of Cook Children's.
Cook Children’s Night at the Dallas Mavericks game will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3 at against the Orlando Magic. Cook Children’s Night at the Dallas Stars game will take place at 7 pm. on Thursday, Nov. 14 against the Boston Bruins. 
Family Fun Day at Six Flags Over Texas 
Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth conducted a drill to prepare to respond to the worst-case scenario – a mass casualty disaster. The drill involved participation of staff from across the medical center, local emergency responders, and volunteers wearing mock injuries. 
Where to Find the On-call Schedule Site on the New CookNet 
Remote Work, Strong Bonds
Health Plan: Cook Children's Nurse and Mom Fears Loss of Essential Care
Blazing New Trails: Alice Phillips, M.D., Accepts New Full-Time Role
