Connect Newsletter (Sept. 5, 2024)

The Latest News Around the System

Families Agree: Prosper is Number 1

We are incredibly proud to announce that Cook Children's Medical Center – Prosper has been voted the No. 1 hospital and the No. 1 Emergency Department by families who live in Prosper and Celina by Living Magazine. This incredible recognition is a direct reflection of the extraordinary care and compassion you all demonstrate daily. This achievement exemplifies our Promise and culture in action, and it’s truly special to see the community’s recognition and support. 

Find the list of 2024 Best Of Prosper & Celina Readers’ Choice Winners here.

We appreciate you and all that you do for our patients, families, and each other. 

Case Manager Shares Impact of Cook Children's Health Plan's Potential Medicaid Contract Loss

“We're not in this line of business for the profit. We are doing, and have always done, what's best for the children in our community.”

Meet Jami Jensen, RN, CCM, Complex Case Manager at Cook Children's Health Plan (CCHP). She's on the front lines, helping families navigate complex health care challenges. Her work is crucial, but it's at risk due to a Medicaid contract denial by Texas Health and Human Services.

Read this story on Checkup to find out why case managers like Jami are critical advocates for vulnerable children and families in our community.

You can also learn more here.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15 to Oct 15

Join Latinos Engaging, Advancing, Developing & Supporting Leadership (L.E.A.D.S.+) in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! To learn more about the background of this celebration and find community events and additional resources, please click here. 

The group also has spearheaded several events for employees, including a Sept. 26 virtual and in-person talk by guest speaker Annette Landeros, President of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and an Oct. 10 panel webinar featuring stories of the Hispanic experience. There will also be special lunch menu offerings at Camelot Court and Over the Moon Cafe and two Happy Hour Networking events.

Let’s come together to honor and recognize the vibrant heritage and contributions of the Hispanic and Latino community.

Extra: P&D Digest Gives You the Scoop on Performance & Development 

If you’ve already taken the training for our new employee Performance & Development (P&D) platform, you’ve heard how much is changing in the post-PACE era. 

That’s why we’ve created a short newsletter to keep our workforce informed on the key topics and dates you need to know. We call this resource the P&D Digest, and it comes to your Cook Children’s inbox every other week, delivering timely articles and links. 

For instance – the Aug. 29 issue gives a preview of our new method for year-end job performance reviews, starting this month. Read the latest P&D Digest here to learn more about performance evaluations, the Self-Assessment tool in Workday, and links to register for in-person training. 
 

ICYMI: Flu Vaccines 2024: Onsite Flu Fairs Start on Sept. 17 

You must get your flu vaccine to help protect our patient families, fellow employees, and our community, against this serious disease. Some departments will perform vaccinations for employees in their areas. We will also be offering several Flu Vaccine Fairs, where employees can drop in without an appointment for their vaccine. Employees may also supply proof of vaccination from an outside provider. 

To get the process started, employees will need to complete an electronic consent form, available on the new Enterprise Health portal, by Sept. 16. 

Learn more here in the Connect newsroom.

Update on Enterprise Health Portal

The Occupational Health team is excited to be launching our new medical record system called Enterprise Health. Please click here to check it out. We’ve posted detailed information and a how-to video on CookNet. We're working hard to iron out any wrinkles and appreciate your patience as we do. If you run into any hiccups, just shoot an email to Occhealth@cookchildrens.org and they'll be happy to help!

Take Action for National Preparedness Month

September has been designated as National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the significance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that can happen at any time, before they happen. 

It is important to have an emergency kit and a plan in place so that you and your family know what to do, whether you are at home or work. The last thing you want to worry about is having to pack during a disaster. Pack your supplies in a duffle bag, suitcase, or storage container and keep it in a place that is easy to access. Make sure that all household members are aware of where your emergency kit is stored. 

In addition, pack an emergency kit in preparation for emergencies that may occur at work. It should include an extra phone charger, a list of emergency phone numbers, toiletries, etc. 

Click here for a list on what should be included in your kit. 
 

Wear Your Team's Jersey 

It’s kickoff time! To celebrate the start of the NFL and College football season, employees can wear their favorite football jersey from Sept. 5 to 8. Football attire must be family and child friendly. Share the football spirit and send in a photo sporting your favorite team to teamexperience@cookchildrens.org through September to be shared on the Team Experience CookNet Site.

Reminder to Park in Your Assigned Location

Please park in your designated parking location. To avoid traffic congestion and make it easier for everyone to find a spot, please refrain from parking in the Seventh Avenue and Terrell Avenue garages unless you have a permit. 

In the near future, Security will begin redirecting employees who attempt to enter a garage to which they are not assigned. If the employee does not have badge access, they will be asked to proceed to their assigned parking location and not allowed entry.  

We've posted more information on Connect.

New Clinical Pathways

Three new clinical pathways have been approved and added to the Clinical Pathways website. Clinical pathways are essentially roadmaps for patient care. Each pathway is created by a team of experts who thoroughly research the latest medical evidence. They then outline a step-by-step approach to treating specific conditions that's tailored to the practices and equipment available at Cook Children's. 

They are:

• Stress ulcer prophylaxis Pediatric ICU 
• Migraine management Emergency Department 
• Migraine management inpatient 
   

Don’t Send a Text that Contains PHI

A reminder from the Compliance Department: Communication of Protected Health Information (PHI) is a matter of utmost importance. It is crucial to remember that text applications on personal devices are not usually suitable for this purpose. Policy AD 143 prohibits transmitting PHI via electronic messaging unless the message has been secured using tools approved by Information Systems. That means no texting patient information to your co-workers.

There are two primary reasons for the restriction on texting: 
Security: Texting is not a secure method of communication. 
Record Keeping: All business-related communication must be recorded for reference and accountability. Unfortunately, there is no reliable method to capture everyone’s text messages, making it an unsuitable platform for business communication. 

Instead of texting, employees should use one of these ways to communicate PHI: 
• Epic Inbox Messaging 
• Vocera Messaging 
• Haiku/Canto/Rover Messaging 
• Cook Children’s Email System - Please remember to use Encrypted/Secure method of sending it its an email
 

By adhering to these guidelines, we can ensure the secure and accountable communication of PHI, thereby upholding our commitment to patient privacy and data security. 

NOTE: Please do not use Teams for any PHI communication.

New Process for Observation/Shadowing Experiences 

The Academic & Medical Education Department is announcing a new Employee-Led Observation Request process! The electronic form is only accessible through CookNet and is not available externally.

Observations provide an opportunity for students to explore future careers. There are also situations where our healthcare partners request a professional observation. We receive hundreds of observation requests annually so there are important steps to follow to provide an optimal learning experience for observers and staff. Please see this article on CookNet for details.

Flu Shot Fanny Packs Available to Ease Vaccines for Inpatients

Providing a flu vaccine for our inpatients is one of the most important ways we can prepare for flu season. This year, the Flu Season Planning Committee will provide an added resource for inpatient staff to help as many patients as possible get vaccinated. The Flu Shot Fanny Pack is a portable vaccine station that has everything a staff member would need to administer the vaccine. 

Comfort Menu Program Coordinator Whitney Brosey, CCLS, who has been at Cook Children’s for 17 years, came up with the idea of the Flu Shot Fanny Pack. The pack includes basic supplies, such as an alcohol swab and Band-Aids, as well as comfort supplies like a ShotBlocker, stickers, a can of cold spray and sweet ease. 

Since flu vaccines are not an everyday procedure for inpatients, the Flu Shot Fanny Pack is intended to make the process as easy as possible for staff by putting all the resources into one accessible place. The inclusion of pain management supplies helps parents and kids feel comfortable and safe. 

The Flu Shot Fanny Packs are optional, but are available for each inpatient unit. The packs can be requested by emailing Lorrainea.Williams@cookchildrens.org.

Our People

VIDEO: Lucy's Story: A Girl's Triumph Over Leukemia

When spunky, Lucy Garza, woke up in extreme pain and unable to walk, her parents rushed to Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth for answers. They weren’t sure what to expect. Lucy, age 3, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). From entering the Emergency Department, to after two years of treatment with complications, Lucy was able to ring the bell. 

This is her story.

Retirement Announcement for Kimberly Barber

Kimberly “Kim” Barber, Physical Therapist (Nex) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, is retiring from the system on Sept. 11 after 35 years of service to Cook Children’s. Thank you, Kimberly, for your many years of dedication to Cook Children's Promise. 

Kim has been such a blessing as a Physical Therapist for 35 years and has served as a NICU Physical Therapist for 18 of those years. She has touched countless patients' and families' lives through her kind, compassionate, insightful interactions with them. She has been such an amazing team-member and has mentored countless staff members. Kim has been an integral part of Cook Children’s for the last 35 years. Kim’s hard work, commitment, and dedication to her patients, families, and peers are worthy of all the admiration and praise. The Cook Children's NICU team says they are going to miss her so much and wish her all the best in this next chapter.

We encourage you to take a moment to send Kim a farewell note or a congratulatory eCard by September 10. 
 

More News from Around Cook Children's 

• September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month and the Black Organization for Leadership and Development (BOLD+) is hosting this month's blood drive from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 in the Family Support Rooms A&B. You can make an appointment at this link.
• Strike out sepsis: In honor of World Sepsis Day, join us for an employee-only event to meet with the teams that are involved with sepsis screening and caring for patients with sepsis. There will be games and prizes! The event is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 10 in the Atrium at Medical Center-Fort Worth. Read more about the success of the Sepsis team in 2024.