July 26, 2018 | (21) Comments

Yesterday, I learned some truly exciting news. Forbes released its first-ever ranking of America’s best employers for women, and Texas Children’s is ranked at no. 11 among the best 300 companies in the nation. And we are THE best in Houston!

This was most surprising because we didn’t expect it or know about the debut of this survey until it was released. There wasn’t an application – the recognition is driven by Forbes’ work with independent market research company Statista. Statista surveyed 40,000 people, including 25,000 women, who work for companies with at least 1,000 employees. Those surveyed anonymously and candidly rated their companies based on work conditions, diversity, discrimination, parental leave and pay equity.

It’s truly an honor to be recognized for setting the standard for our employees in regards to their working conditions and diversity, but this survey also considered gender diversity among boards and executives in their analysis. I am so very proud of the staff, faculty and leadership team and the wonderful work we do here every day.

The final list ranks 300 companies nationwide. So seeing Texas Children’s on this list – at no. 11 at that – was such an amazing feeling. It’s no coincidence that Texas Children’s has enjoyed year after year of success. Women comprise 81 percent of our workforce and dominate our executive leadership (71 percent), senior leadership (72 percent) and manager-level leadership (75 percent). And we are the force that we are because of innovative, determined resourceful women who have driven so many of the milestones in our 64-year history.

Click here for the Forbes article and list.

I have for years believed that Texas Children’s is a place where women have boundless opportunity, and I am truly ecstatic about what this survey says about our organization – that this is a place where women flourish and lead exceptionally, a place where women have a voice, and are valued and celebrated. That’s not just amazing news … it’s our culture, and that makes me incredibly proud.

What a wonderful recognition for Texas Children’s. Congratulations and thank you to each of you for your outstanding support and leadership to help us achieve this distinction.

Help me share this great news – simply copy and paste the link to my blog post on your LinkedIn or Facebook page. And I’d love to hear from you below!

 

April 30, 2018 | (7) Comments

When I became President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital almost 30 years ago, the Department of Surgery was a small, tight-knit group of highly skilled surgeons who operated on children with a variety of health issues.

Today, things look much the same but on a significantly larger scale. Over time, Texas Children’s Department of Surgery has become one of the largest pediatric surgery programs in the nation, spanning nine surgical divisions: Congenital Heart Surgery, Dental, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Otolaryngology, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Urology. These divisions work in conjunction with our partners in Anesthesiology, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and Transplant Services.

One of the main reasons for our Department of Surgery’s long-standing success is strong leadership. Beginning with our first Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Luke W. Able, who trained under the father of pediatric surgery Dr. William E. Ladd, to Dr. Charles D. Fraser, whose focus on outstanding outcomes solidified our already stellar reputation, leadership has always been the glue that holds the department together and the force that drives it to greater heights.

I am confident we will continue this legacy and advance it even further under the leadership of the hospital’s newest Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. Dr. Hollier is an extraordinarily talented plastic surgeon who joined Texas Children’s Hospital 20 years ago after earning his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and training in general and plastic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and New York University Medical Center.

During his tenure at Texas Children’s, Dr. Hollier has led the hospital’s Plastic Surgery Division, championed patient experience organization wide, participated in a variety of global efforts and performed countless life-changing plastic and reconstructive surgeries. He is undeniably dedicated to our mission and has a burning passion for making our organization the best it can be in an ever-changing health care climate.

What sets Dr. Hollier apart even more is his focused yet humble leadership style. Rather than a top-down approach, Dr. Hollier believes in empowering sharp, nimble people in the organization to blaze their own paths. He sees his role as surgeon-in-chief not as being in charge, but as taking care of the people in his charge. Yet, he can also make the thoughtful and sometimes difficult decisions needed to help move the department and the organization forward.

I appreciate that he is such a bold and decisive leader with a keen and natural ability to consider the entire Texas Children’s system. Dr. Hollier perceives Texas Children’s as a team of teams, and I like that. His thinking and his approach is vital to the continued growth of our organization and to our long-term efforts to improve patient access and coordinated care.

I am excited to see what great things Dr. Hollier does at Texas Children’s in the years to come. He already has contributed so much. Please join me in congratulating him on his new post.

February 6, 2018 | (3) Comments

According to a recent physician satisfaction survey conducted by the Harris County Medical Society, Texas Children’s is the highest ranking hospital in Harris County. Wow! Needless to say, this is an amazing accomplishment and a testament to the exceptional quality of work we do across our system every day.

There were more than 3,900 responses to the survey conducted last fall, providing results for 26 hospitals in the Greater Houston area. The survey results for Texas Children’s were incredible, with our West Campus and Medical Center Campus ranking in the no. 1 and 2 spots for overall satisfaction, as well as in the following categories:

  1. Having error prevention policies and systems
  2. Encouraging the reporting of medical errors
  3. Quality of nursing staff
  4. Communication about compliance with standards
  5. Physician input into quality measures

When it came to reputation, we outranked our competitors across the board:

  • 92% of physicians rated Texas Children’s reputation as favorable, the highest percentage among all 26 hospitals.
  • 86% of physicians said they would likely refer patients to Texas Children’s, placing us at the top of the list in a tie with MD Anderson.
  • With a net promoter score of 50, we outranked every other institution on the list when physicians were asked their likelihood to recommend a facility.

Texas Children’s Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus were also at or very near the top of the remaining survey categories, including error prevention, priority of patient safety, post-discharge communication, and quality of nursing and support staff. Having our hospitals lead the pack in so many areas speaks volumes. It demonstrates our focus on consistently exceptional care across our system. And I feel confident that once our campus at The Woodlands becomes part of the survey, we will see similar results.

Our relationships with area physicians is critical to our mission of providing access to the children who need us most. These results attest to the relationships we have built and continue to nurture with physicians in Houston and beyond. And they also speak to physicians’ trust of the Texas Children’s brand. I am so thankful for all of the work you do every single day to strengthen our brand, locally and across the state and country, and to ensure we provide the best possible outcomes for our patients.

Please see the survey results and other comparison reports by clicking the links below:

 

June 28, 2017 | (8) Comments

Our U.S. News & World Report rankings were released yesterday, and I’m proud to say that Texas Children’s again made an impressive showing in this annual survey. Eight of our pediatric subspecialities are ranked in the top 10, and the other two are very close and steadily climbing. Most exciting, however, is that we have again had another specialty rise to the very top spot – Texas Children’s is now ranked No. 1 in the nation in cardiology and heart surgery.

This is pretty amazing, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this tremendous accomplishment with the entire leadership team, staff and employees at Texas Children’s Heart Center. The Heart Center has held the No. 2 spot on the U.S .News list for the past two years and had consistently been ranked among the top pediatric heart programs since the pediatric subspecialty rankings began in 2008. This year, the Heart Center steps into the No. 1 spot, surpassing Boston Children’s Hospital, which had held the top ranking in this subspeciality for the past 19 years.

The Heart Center’s accomplishment is built on a rich history of expert and innovative pediatric heart care, exceptional leadership, partnership and focus on doing what’s best for our patients. Led by the late Drs. Denton Cooley and Dan McNamara, Texas Children’s Hospital started performing heart surgery on children in 1956. Dr. Cooley, a pioneer heart surgeon, and Dr. McNamara, a patriarch of pediatric cardiology, were among the first to demonstrate that small children could safely undergo heart surgery.

Since then, the Heart Center has continued to grow, push the envelope and pave the way to become a highly sought and respected center of excellence. Much as it was in the beginning, the Heart Center today is led and staffed by world-renowned pediatric cardiologists and surgeons: Surgeon-In-Chief and Chief of Congenital Heart Surgery Dr. Charles Fraser Jr., Chief of Cardiology Dr. Daniel Penny, Chief of Cardiovascular Anesthesia Dr. Emad Mossad, Chief of Critical Care Dr. Lara Shekerdemian and Anesthesiologist-In-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos. It is because of their leadership that the entire Heart Center team remains dedicated to developing innovative cardiac interventions and surgical treatment options to treat the tens of thousands of children with heart defects who seek our care annually.

Our U.S. News rankings are a testament to the amazing leadership we have here at Texas Children’s. This recognition is not just about any one person being exceptional. This is about each and every member of the team operating at a level that is second to none. You know one of my maxims is “Leadership applies to everyone.” Everyone is a leader at Texas Children’s. This recognition is about the leadership that is demonstrated by everyone from the frontline to the executive team every single day. I know that a big part of our success is due to our culture of exellence, which challenges each of us to be our best, to think creatively and, most importantly, to consistently exceed our patients’ expectations.

Congratulations Texas Children’s Heart Center. We are beyond proud of your accomplishments.

Watch this video to see and hear people’s reactions when they learned about Texas Children’s No. 1 ranking in cardiology and heart surgery.