Week of January 29, 2024
Chris Siebenaler
Executive Vice President of Network Hospitals,
Houston Methodist
The 5S kickoff we announced last week is in full swing, and we are gearing up to begin work on the first phase – sorting – throughout February and March.
The key to sorting is separating the materials, supplies and equipment your team uses the most from those that you no longer need. Items that are most important will be stored nearby in easy-to-reach places; infrequently used items will be stored away from the work area.
The items that are no longer needed will be “red tagged” – marked for removal. Red tagged items can be anything from simple office supplies to furniture or equipment. When your team tags an item, it will be moved to a central location for 30 days, in which other departments can request if needed.
With red tagging, the goal isn’t to throw things away in a haphazard manner. Our goal is to undergo an orderly, thoughtful process – with every team member’s buy-in – to make our workplaces safer, reduce clutter and increase storage space.
Each unit or department will likely handle the sorting phase a little differently, so ask your manager for more details. In the meantime, you can watch this brief video to learn more about the sorting process.
Dr. Boom's Virtual Town Hall
You are invited to join Dr. Marc Boom today from noon – 1 p.m., for a virtual town hall. At this live event, Dr. Boom will share some of last year’s successes and this year’s plans. He will also answer some of your questions. We will livestream the town hall via Vimeo and YouTube. If you can’t make it, we will share a recording of the town hall at a later time.
Career Event: How Mentorship Moved My Career Forward
January is National Mentoring Month! Join Dr. Shlomit Schaal and Dr. Ekundayo Osho from 11:30 a.m. to noon. on Tuesday, Jan. 30, as they share how mentorship impacted their careers and how they make time to mentor others today. Dr. Schaal is executive vice president, chief physician executive, and president and CEO of HM Physician Organization, and Dr. Ekundayo Osho is director of pharmacy and operations at HMWB and system chair of the Black Ties for Culture ERG. Register here to attend the program on Zoom.
National Wear Red Day - Feb. 2
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Together, we can continue to save more lives and raise awareness. On Friday, Feb. 2, plan to wear red to show your support of heart health. Visit goredforwomen.org for more information and ways to participate.
38th DAISY Award Winner
Brazos 6 nurse Randy Abenojar is the 38th HMSL recipient of the DAISY Award. Randy was surprised by his wife and his team on Brazos 6, who celebrated him along with hospital leaders. DAISY Award honorees personify HMSL's remarkable patient experience. Read the patient nominations Randy received here. Congratulations, Randy!
MLK Day Pantry Drive
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the systemwide MLK Day Pantry Drive. We collected 205 items – everything from food to personal hygiene items and various household necessities. This will go to East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. Wondering what other donation drives HMSL will host this year? Click here for a helpful flyer and keep your eyes and ears open for details in the coming weeks!
Successful Line Dancing Class
Thank you to everybody who attended the HMSL line dancing class, hosted by the Center for Performing Arts Medicine. We had more than three dozen employees take the class!
DNV Survey Window Approaching
Preparations for the HMSL 2024 DNV survey are in full effect. We are in our DNV survey window and surveyors could arrive at any time. Click here to read the quality newsletter featuring guidelines to avoid common nonconformances. This accreditation is important because it demonstrates our dedication to our patients’ safety and care.
Save the Date: I CARE Recharge Begins Feb. 5
The annual I CARE Recharge will begin Feb. 5. This year's theme is I CARE Recharge: Creating a Safe Environment. Each team will have three weeks – until Feb. 26 – to use a tri-fold display board to illustrate one or more initiatives designed to create a safer environment for our patients, families or co-workers. Remember, it is not just about physical safety; initiatives that promote psychological safety, transparency and honesty are vital to our Houston Methodist culture. Your team may use photos, objects or text on the board to create a one-of-a-kind display that truly represents how your safety initiatives demonstrate our I CARE values. Stay tuned for more specific details and instructions on this year's I CARE Recharge from your manager and chaplains.
HMSL Football Skills Challenge
Stretch and get your arm warm as you prepare for the HMSL Football Skills Challenge ahead of the Big Game! Stop by the turf field at the HMOSM building Thursday, Feb. 8 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join the tire throw and deep snap competitions. We’ll award a trophy to the first, second and third place winners and announce them in the newsletter on Monday, Feb. 12. A limited amount of snacks will be available for participants. We look forward to seeing you there!
Bloom Project Mural Installation and Dedication
The Bloom Project Mural is near completion and is slated for installation this Tuesday, January 30 in the walkway between Medical Office Building 4 and Garage A. A dedication service will be held at that location on Friday, February 9, 2024, at noon. This brief event will allow you to see how your individual flowers have become a garden of hope and encouragement for our patients, guests, and employees. Feel free to drop by earlier in the week before the dedication to see if you can find your flower. An invitation to the dedication will be sent to those who submitted artwork and provided your email address. We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating what we have accomplished together. Here is a sneak peek!
Employee DIY Series Returns
The Employee DIY Series returns this February! We’ll host a serving tray making class on Thursday, Feb. 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 in Brazos AD. These trays are perfect for any occasion and you can take your pick of the four designs seen here. We look forward to seeing you!
December Idea Ticket Winners
Congratulations to the December winners from the Idea Ticket Tank drawing. This tank is where units/departments can drop in their completed idea tickets after a solution is found and put in place. The winning idea tickets were from Kristi Williamson - Labor and Delivery, Bobbi Fink - Wound Care, AJ Edin - Transportation and John Joseph - MRI. You can stop by the Idea Ticket Tank at any time to read about their ideas. Please continue to submit ideas to your huddle boards and only place tickets in the tank once they've been resolved.
Headspace: Your Guide to Meditation
Maybe you’re new to meditation. Maybe you’re curious about it. As part of your benefits all employees and spouses covered on the medical plan have access to Headspace. Headspace helps you create life-changing habits to support your mental health and find a healthier, happier you. Give Headspace a try today. Use these instructions for registering.
Making an Image Larger During a Teams Meeting
If you’ve ever been in a Microsoft Teams meeting and found yourself squinting to see the content being shared or asking the presenter to enlarge their screen, this tip is for you. Teams now has buttons located in the lower-left corner of your meeting window, next to the person’s name that allows you to zoom in [+], zoom out [-] and restore the original size of the screenshare you’re viewing. Additionally, you can press Ctrl + Plus Sign to zoom in and Ctrl + Minus Sign to zoom out. You can also hold down the Ctrl key and scroll with your mouse or use your laptop’s touchpad to pinch in or out.
Houston Methodist 7th Annual Quality & Patient Safety Symposium
The Houston Methodist 7th Annual System Quality and Patient Safety Symposium will be held Friday, April 26 at InterContinental Houston Hotel. Achieving high reliability is essential to reducing and preventing patient harm. Let's explore the principles that aviation and nuclear power industry experts use to achieve high safety levels despite their high-risk environments. For more information or to register click here. Submit posters for presentation by Friday, March 15, 2024, For additional information, contact Bianca Limbrick-Kinsey.
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, Jan. 29: Dr. Boom's virtual town hall. Livestream on Vimeo and YouTube.
Tuesday, Jan. 30: Career Event on Mentorship. More information.
Wednesday, Jan. 31: Deadline to nominate for I CARE award
Friday, Feb. 2: National Wear Red Day
Monday, Feb. 5: I CARE Recharge begins
Tuesday, Feb. 6: Patient satisfaction bonus payout
Thursday, Feb. 8: HMSL Football Skills Challenge
Friday, Feb. 9: Bloom Project Mural Dedication
Saturday, Feb. 10: Lunar New Year
Wednesday, Feb. 14: Ash Wednesday
Thursday, Feb. 15: Last day for Graduate Nurse Summer Cohort Registration. More information.
Tuesday, Feb. 20: Early Voting begins
Wednesday, Feb. 21: Hand hygiene bonus payout
Thursday, Feb. 22: Employee DIY Series: Serving Trays. More information.
Tuesday, March 5: Texas Primary election
JUST FOR FUN DATES
Friday, Feb. 2 - Sunday, Feb. 4: Houston Home & Garden Show, NRG Center
Saturday, Feb. 3: Harlem Globetrotters, NRG Arena
Monday, Jan. 29: vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Wednesday, Jan. 31: vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Friday, Feb. 2: vs. Toronto Raptors
Sunday, Feb. 4: @ Minnesota Timberwolves
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Good leaders build products. Great leaders build cultures. Good leaders deliver results. Great leaders develop people. Good leaders have vision. Great leaders have values. Good leaders are role models at work. Great leaders are role models in life."
- Adam Grant