HMSL News to Know - Week of October 23, 2023

Week of October 23, 2023

October Town Hall Meetings

Mark your calendars for our final town hall meetings of the year. The HMSL Senior Leadership Team is inviting all employees to attend one session, starting Tuesday, Oct. 24. They'll share campus projects and updates and there will be fun giveaways! Submit questions ahead of time by clicking here.

Tuesday, Oct. 24: 9-10 a.m. Brazos Conference Center
Wednesday, Oct. 25: 7-8 a.m. Virtual
Monday, Oct. 30: Noon-1 p.m. Virtual
Tuesday, Oct. 31: Noon-1 p.m. Brazos Conference Center

To sign up, click here and select "My Learning." In the "Find Learning" tab search for course number 1646052, select "assign to me" and then "register now." Click here for a helpful flyer. We look forward to seeing you!

Pathway to Unparalleled

If you have not taken the Pathway to Unparalleled (PTU) session, you have two more chances today. There is one at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Brazos Conference Rooms. All Houston Methodist employees are strongly encouraged to register for this 90-minute interactive class designed to help employees think about unparalleled safety. Click here for instructions to register. If your desired class is full, try to attend as a walk-in!

Employee Opinion Survey

The 2023 Employee Opinion Survey wraps up this Wednesday, Oct. 25. So far here at HMSL, 81% of employees have completed their surveys. Please take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey and enter to win a prize! There are prizes at both the system level and local level. Some winners have already been announced. Click here for the system winners. Click here for the HMSL winners.

Click HERE To Take Your Survey

Remember, in order to be entered into the HMSL giveaways, you need to print out the confirmation page of your survey, write your employee ID along with your name, and drop off that confirmation page to HR in one of the two orange boxes at the front desk. Once we hit 85% completion, HR will begin to raffle off Astros jerseys and player bobbleheads. Plus, there will be three grand prize giveaways! Don’t forget, there are also 50 winners every day (while supplies last)!

2023 HMSL Excellence in Nursing Award Winners

Congratulations to our winners of the 2023 HMSL Excellence in Nursing Award, sponsored by the Crowning Achievement Awards. 18 individuals were nominated for their exceptional commitment to the world of Nursing. They were celebrated last week where the winners were announced: First place Rose Sullivan, second place Jennifer Sy and third place Simoona Dholasania. Thank you for representing our institution with such excellence and for setting a high standard of care and professionalism in the nursing profession. Your achievements are a testament to your unwavering passion and the positive impact you have on the healthcare community. Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved honor. See more photos of the celebration here.

Women's Health & Wellness Event

Thank you to Dr. Miller, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Nair and Dr. Choudhury for participating in our annual Women's Health & Wellness seminar. Our all-female panel of medical experts engaged with our audience on a variety of topics from pelvic health, breast care, gynecology and even dispelled a few TikTok myths! The event was only an hour, but it could have lasted all night!

I CARE in Action Day 2023

This year's I CARE in Action Day was a huge success for HMSL. Volunteers spent the day at Avondale House doing crafts and playing games with residents. Avondale House provides individuals with autism the resources, education and training to develop to their fullest potential. Avondale CEO Steve Vetrano presented Executive Vice President & CEO Chris Siebenaler with a plaque, thanking Houston Methodist for supporting individuals with autism. What a rewarding day for our volunteers! Thank you to everyone who participated. Visit houstonmethodist.org/icare and select Individual Opportunities to select your next volunteering project!

2023 Magnet Conference

Recently several HMSL nurses had the opportunity to attend the 2023 ANCC Magnet Conference. More than 13,000 nursing colleagues attended the conference, making it the largest conference in the history of the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program. Below is a photo of all of the 150 Houston Methodist representatives this year!

Changes Coming Soon to LMS

Today, the LMS will receive a scheduled update from our vendor, SAP SuccessFactors, that will upgrade the “user course home” experience. This is a visual enhancement you’ll notice when you launch online training and/or register for an instructor-led course. There are no changes to how you access the LMS or the functionality of the system. There is an LMS User Guide New Course Home Experience for more detailed information about the changes.

Living Out Magnet

HMSL became a Magnet Designated Hospital in 2017 - but do you know what that means? Our education series “Where Healing Happens: From Down the Hall to Across the System” continues with the next course titled 'Living Out Magnet'. Join Magnet Director Whitney Adams for a discussion about what it means to have this designation. This event will be held in the Brazos Conference Center on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Click here for more information.

Houston Heart Walk

The 2023 Houston Heart Walk is coming up on November 11 at Rice University and it's time to buy your Heart Walk t-shirt! You can register to walk or make a donation at the Heart Walk booth near the Garden Café on Thursday, Oct. 26 from 7-9 a.m. and 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. This 5k walk/run experience brings us together to celebrate heart and stroke survivors, raise lifesaving funds and promote a culture of physical health and well-being. Click here for more.

HMSL Employee Fair

Everyone is invited to our HMSL Employee Fair this Friday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by the Brazos Conference Center for the fun. There will be a photo booth, games, raffles and Houston Texans mascot TORO will make a visit between noon and 1 p.m. It's a great way to connect with departments and resources across the hospital and system! Click here for a helpful flyer.

Light The Night

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night celebrates, honors and remembers those touched by blood cancers - to bring light to the darkness of cancer. The funds raised by this community fund lifesaving research, advocacy and support for blood cancer patients and their families. The HM team will be walking at Hermann Square Park at City Hall on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Register Here

2023 Fall International Fashion Show

Have you registered for the HMSL Fall International Fashion Show? It's next month! Participants are encouraged to wear their cultural attire, representing their city or country, whether it reflects current fashion styles or past traditions. Click here to sign up. The deadline is Oct. 30.

Looking to Build Your Career?

Looking to build your career at Houston Methodist? Join our panel discussion of expert recruiters from across the system to get the inside scoop on standing out as an internal candidate. Discover how to polish your resume and interviewing skills to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Plus, ask your questions on the recruitment and hiring process! This career event will be online via Zoom on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 11:30 a.m.. Click here to register.

Neuro Seminar

It's time to get your brain health questions answered. HMSL is hosting a Neuroscience Seminar Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. Our panel of experts will participate in a Q&A session as they discuss neurological disorders like migraines, epilepsy, ALS, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and more. Click here for the flyer to register.

Flu Shot Reminder

Getting vaccinated for the flu is one of the ways we protect our patients, their families and one another. All employees must receive a flu vaccine by Thursday, Nov. 2, to be considered compliant with our Houston Methodist flu policy.

Rainbow Room Holiday Toy Drive

HMSL is excited to partner once again with Rainbow Room to sponsor holiday wish lists for children in Fort Bend County. You can sign up to adopt a list individually or by department/unit by filling out this form. The deadline to sign up is Friday, Nov. 3. You will be contacted within approximately one week from the close of sign ups with your list and other helpful information. Last year, HMSL adopted 77 lists. Help us beat that and meet our goal of 100!

Texas MS 150

Bike MS is the largest fundraising cycling series in the world. Each year, nearly 50,000 cyclists and more than 5,000 teams ride together to change the world for people with MS. As a proud supporter of the Texas MS 150, The Houston Methodist cycling team is back for 2024! We are proud to have been a part of this great ride for eleven years. We would love to have you join us in our twelfth Texas MS 150 ride.

HM has raised an incredible $1 million to fuel the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s mission to cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives. If cycling is your passion, or if you have considered cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle, we hope you will think about joining Team Houston Methodist for the 2024 Texas MS 150 taking place April 27 – 28. Also, by completing the 2024 Texas MS 150 you will earn 10,000 Wellness Points for the 2024 year.

To join Houston Methodist cycling team:

Employee registration link: Click Here
Employee Dependents and Affiliated Physicians registration link: Click Here

If you have any questions about joining the HM cycling team, please contact John Nguyen.

New Pharmacy Operations Manager

Tintu Thankachan is our new Pharmacy Operations Manager. He is transferring from HM West campus where he spent the last year in the same role. But you might recognize him. He was the Administrative Pharmacist here at HMSL for five years. Read more about Tintu here.

National Respiratory Care Week runs Oct. 23-29. They deliver care to patients who are inflicted with respiratory complications. Some of their therapies and responsibilities include the following: airway clearance therapy, aerosolized treatments, mechanical ventilation management, NIPPV, intubation assist, Bronch assist, etc. Here at HMSL, the team is 55 strong; with unique backgrounds in patient care ranging from the neonatal population to geriatric.

National Health Care Facilities and Engineering Week runs Oct. 22-28. We celebrate the critical role of facility team members in ensuring a safe and efficient environment for all patients, residents, visitors and staff within hospitals.

This week also marks Spiritual Care Week. Click here to read about all those who are celebrating.

PATIENT COMPLIMENTS

Main ED Patient: "We are most grateful for all the staff at the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Emergency Department for their help, care, expertise and professionalism. Special thanks to Dr. Egbers and Nurse Practioner Troiani for making sure that the doctor's orders were carried out effectively and keeping us informed timely."

Main 6 West Patient: "Once admitted, the staff on the 6th floor were outstanding. An excellent group of staff from housekeepers on up. I couldn't have been more pleased or impressed."

Breast Care Center Patient: "Tiffany has done imaging with me prior to this session. She has always been caring, professional, upbeat and wonderful in her approach. She is a keeper! Can't say enough good things about her."

IMPORTANT DATES

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Town Hall meetings begin. More information.

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Where Healing Happens: Living Out Magnet. More information.

Wednesday, Oct. 25: Employee Opinion Survey ends

Friday, Oct. 27: HMSL Employee Fair. More information.

Saturday, Oct. 28: Leukemia Lymphoma Walk. More information.

Tuesday, Oct. 31: Patient satisfaction bonus payout

Thursday, Nov. 2: Deadline to comply with flu policy. More information.

Thursday, Nov. 2: Neuroscience Seminar. More information.

Saturday, Nov. 4: HMSL Day at Pumpkin Round Up. More information.

Tuesday, Nov. 7: Election Day

Thursday, Nov. 9: Open Enrollment begins