Connect Newsletter (Sept. 23, 2025)

Centralized Immunization Information Hub Available on CookNet

Questions about immunizations? Wondering what resources or education are available to share with your patients and families? Take a peek at the brand-new vaccine resource page, available now on CookNet! Based on popular requests from physicians and others throughout our system, this page was created to serve as a central location for all things vaccine related.

What you’ll find:

• Links to internal flu vaccine and RSV/nirsevimab web pages
• Quick access to vaccine schedules from the American Academy of Pediatrics
• One-page resources to direct patients and families to local health departments for vaccine access, if needed
• A one-stop shop for internal and external patient and family education resources
• FAQs for physicians and other clinicians, as well as a list of commonly asked questions from patients and families

This webpage will be updated regularly to ensure the most accurate and current information is available to you. We want this resource to be as helpful as possible for you and all others who strive to provide safe, evidence-based care to our patients, so suggestions for new or different information or resources are welcome. You will find the page linked directly from the CookNet homepage during the upcoming flu season or you may choose to bookmark it on your browser for easy access.

ChildKind International Site Visit

During Pain Awareness Month, we are excited to announce that Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth will welcome ChildKind International site visitors on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. ChildKind International is an internationally distinguished non-profit organization that recognizes institutions that have developed evidence-based practices to promote the prevention and treatment of pediatric pain across ChildKind’s five principles. 

The certification process encourages a thorough evaluation and coordination of existing pain management practices. Healthcare staff, including nurses, physicians, paramedics, child life specialists and other clinicians will have the opportunity to highlight their ongoing efforts and expertise in pain management for children. Advancing to this stage is a tremendous honor and testament to everyone’s commitment to improving pediatric pain. 

Certified hospitals gain ongoing access to a global network, enhancing learning and collaboration. This recognition will signal to families that Cook Children’s upholds the highest international standards in pediatric pain management. If certified, Medical Center-Fort Worth will be the only recognized institution in North and West Texas (Dell Children’s is the only certified hospital in Texas) and surrounding areas such as Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Louisiana. 

Your Benefits: Life/Disability Insurance Premium Holiday

We have some great news about your benefits. 

Cook Children’s is a member of the Children’s Hospital Association consortium. Members of the consortium can purchase voluntary life and disability insurance plans through Securian and The Hartford. Because the consortium purchased a higher volume of insurance than originally anticipated, all participating hospitals received a volume discount on their premiums, which resulted in a “refund” to Cook Children’s. 

To put it even more plainly: We got a refund from our insurance broker, and we will be passing on the savings to employees enrolled in life and disability insurance plans. 

What this means: 

• For Bi-weekly Employees: You will not be charged for supplemental long-term disability, supplemental life, spouse life and child life on your Sept. 26 paycheck. 
• For Physicians: You will not be charged for supplemental life on your Sept. 30 paycheck. 

Your coverage is still in effect; you simply won’t have to pay for it on these paycheck(s). 

If you have questions, please contact AskBenefits@cookchildrens.org. 

We’re Moving: Email Mailboxes to M365

This month we are moving Cook Children’s email mailboxes from our current system (Exchange 2016) to cloud-based Exchange Online, which is part of Microsoft 365. The email mailbox moves will come in weekly waves to different user groups across Cook Children’s. When it is your turn, you will get an email from Internal Communications with step-by-step instructions for updating mobile devices to reconnect mailboxes to Cook Children’s email. Until you receive that email, there is no action on your part.

Once migration takes place, users will notice some changes to mobile services. Safeguards have been implemented to protect sensitive patient information and follow health care security regulations. For example, multi-factor authentication is required – this adds extra protection to your account.

Please read this article on the Connect Newsroom with more details.

Race to Stop the Bleed Webinar 

Join us for an educational webinar with Jay Pearson and Bradley Maddy on the importance of learning how to “Race to Stop the Bleed.” A life-threatening bleeding injury can happen anywhere, and the person next to a victim may very well be the one most likely to prevent fatal bleeding.

Please note: this is not a training course but an educational opportunity as part of National Advanced-Practice Providers week to learn more and ask any questions you may have about the Stop the Bleed course.

We will have two sessions on Friday, Sept. 26:  

Register here for the morning session at 7:30-8 a.m.

Register here for the afternoon session at 5:30-6 p.m. 

Photos: Home Health Celebrates 25-Year Anniversary 

For 25 years, Cook Children’s Home Health has been a forerunner of helping our patients beyond the walls of our medical centers. Since its inception, Home Health has completed more than one million patient admissions. 

Click here to read our story and see the photos from the celebration!  

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. 

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.