Week of January 13, 2025
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
This week, I’m honored to share an inspiring story of resilience, determination and gratitude from one of our own.
One of our employees, a dedicated member of our hospital gym, recently faced a life-changing health scare that highlights the incredible impact of our care teams. While participating in a kickboxing class, Adolph Garcia with our facilities team, noticed he was struggling more than usual. He couldn’t catch his breath. After completing the workout, he checked in with his health coach, Ashley Duggan. She suggested he see his primary care physician. That decision set off a chain of events that ultimately saved his life.
Following a failed stress test, an angiogram revealed a 100% blockage in his main artery. He was informed he needed a triple bypass. On his anniversary weekend, Adolph and his wife had an appointment with Dr. Donnell Bowen, a cardiovascular surgeon at HMSL. The Garcias were supposed to be going on a mountain getaway in Tennessee, but instead they scheduled his surgery.
On April 2, 2024, Adolph’s triple bypass lasted six hours and it was a success. After three days in the ICU, he was back home by that Saturday. His recovery was remarkable. Less than two months later, he was back in the hospital’s gym, ready to train for the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Half Marathon. He signed up for the race before his heart situation. Adolph’s loyal trainer and fellow HMSL Run Club partner, Oliver Batinga, created a plan to get Adolph back in shape, and it worked. On October 13, 2024, Adolph completed that 13.1-mile race – six months after open heart surgery.
Before the race, Adolph knew he wanted to create something meaningful for Dr. Bowen and the team who saved his life. After a quick Google search and a trip to Hobby Lobby, he crafted a beautiful display containing his race jersey, bib and medal. Adolph wanted to motivate Dr. Bowen’s other patients, but honestly he’s motivating all of us.
This past Friday morning, Adolph presented the display to Dr. Bowen and his care team, sharing his heartfelt thanks for their life-saving expertise and compassion. It was an emotional moment – a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. The video is on CEO Corner, please go watch it.
Ashley, Oliver, Dr. Bowen and your entire team: as your CEO, I want to personally say thank you. Thanks to all of you, Adolph now has a new lease on life and a repaired heart. And in case you were thinking Adolph’s name sounds familiar, it is. Remember that roof fire after Hurricane Beryl? Adolph was the brave employee who called 911. So Dr. Bowen saved Adolph’s life, and Adolph saved our hospital.
Please join me in celebrating Adolph’s incredible journey and everyone who makes these life-changing stories possible.
Have a great week and go Texans!
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
SAVE THE DATE: Celebrating Janet Leatherwood
Mark your calendars as HMSL prepares to celebrate our CNO, Janet Leatherwood. After 24 years at HMSL, Janet is retiring at the end of this month. Join us on Tuesday, January 28 for a come-and-go reception in the Brazos Conference Center. Stop by any time between 3-5 p.m. to wish Janet all the best in retirement. If you would like to submit a video memory for Janet, click here. If you would like to submit a photo/message, click here.
Houston Texans Visit HMSL During Playoffs
The Houston Texans are gearing up for the AFC Divisional Playoff game this weekend, after a huge win against the Chargers in the Wild Card game! Before the win, Houston Texans Legend Travis Johnson, their mascot Toro and the Houston Texans Cheerleaders stopped by HMSL to gear up for the fun. They stopped by mother/baby in the Childbirth Center, Sweetwater radiology and radiation oncology. Congratulations to the Houston Texans! We'll be watching Saturday! Houston Methodist is proud to be the official health care provider for the Houston Texans.
Attend Dr. Boom's Virtual Town Hall
Join Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist, as he delivers the State of the System address during a live virtual town hall from noon – 1 p.m. Monday, January 27. Dr. Boom will highlight last year’s successes and this year’s plans. Click here to watch the livestream and add it to your calendars via this link from The HUB. You can submit your questions live or email them ahead of time by clicking here. Dr. Boom will answer as many questions as possible. If you can’t attend the event live, a recording will be available later.
Don’t Forget to Use Your DoorDash Credit
There’s still time to use your $100 Celebrating You DoorDash Credit, but the clock is ticking. The credit will expire January 15. It’s easy to use the credit and you don’t have to use the credit for a restaurant. There are stores on DoorDash such as Walgreens, Target, Aldi, PetSmart and 7-11. Click here to learn more.
Bike Medicine & Injury Prevention Seminar
Join Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Bike Medicine at an educational seminar designed for cyclists. The event will be this Wednesday, January 15 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at HMOSM in suite 100. Physical therapists will talk about injury prevention, proper bike fitting and ways you can stay safe and ride smoothly. Click here for more information, including the agenda. To RSVP, please contact Geri Sandoval.
Watch Your Mailbox for New Allegiance Cards
If you’re on the Houston Methodist medical plan, you will soon receive new cards from Allegiance that reflect the deductibles for this year. When you receive your new card, please destroy the old one and put the new one in your wallet to have it available when you see a doctor or go to the pharmacy.
New Physicians Join HMSL
Dr. Abdullah Siddiqui joined Houston Methodist Endocrinology Associates at Aliana and is now accepting new patients. His clinical interests include Type 1 and 2 diabetes, hormonal disorders, thyroid cancers and adrenal diseases.
Dr. Sagar Kamprath joined Houston Methodist Primary Care Group in MOB 4 and is now accepting new patients. His clinical interests include health screenings, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking cessation.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, January 20. This year’s celebration will feature systemwide virtual and in-person presentations, activities and more. The event at HMSL will be in the Brazos Chapel from 10-11 a.m. Refreshments will be served following the event. Click here for more information.
Graduate Nurse Summer Cohort Registration Now Open
Houston Methodist Nurse Residency Program is now accepting applications. The deadline for external candidates is Tuesday, January 21. The deadline for internal candidates is Monday, January 27. This is an amazing opportunity for new nurses to enhance their skills, build confidence and experience professional growth. Our campus will offer specialties in Acute Care Medical/Surgical and Emergency. Click here to register and see application requirements. Please share with your family and friends!
Celebrate National Mentoring Month
Webinar: Career Advice I Would Give My Younger Self
Thursday, January 23, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Join us on Zoom - register here
Seasoned mentors will share personal experiences and valuable lessons they wish they had known earlier in their careers. From overcoming challenges to embracing opportunities, hear their stories and ask questions to help you navigate your professional journey. Click here for more information.
I CARE Award Nominations Deadline Approaching
The annual deadline for nominating someone for an I CARE Award is Friday, January 31. The I CARE Awards recognize employees who consistently exemplify our values and regularly do more than is expected of them in their jobs. To nominate someone:
- Log in to MARS or The HUB.
- Click on the BRAVO tile.
- Enter the name of the co-worker you want to nominate and click Next.
- Select the I CARE Award recognition program.
You will be guided through a series of questions to help determine if the employee's actions are appropriate for our I CARE Award. Please complete the nomination with as much specific information as possible.
Donate to California Wildfire Relief through the American Red Cross
As devastating wildfires continue to impact California, thousands of families are in urgent need of support. In moments like these, we have the opportunity to come together as a Houston Methodist community and make a difference. Please consider donating to the American Red Cross to aid in relief efforts. Every contribution helps provide essential resources such as shelter, food and medical care to those affected. Click here to donate and support the Red Cross. For questions about the donation page, contact Houston Methodist Community Benefits via email.
Compressed Gas Tank Safety is Everyone's Responsibility
Below is a quick reminder of how to safely and properly store compressed gas in areas throughout the hospital. If you find an unsecure compressed gas tank in any area of the hospital, please immediately take the compressed gas cylinder to any tank storage area. These tank storage areas can be found on each inpatient unit, as well as designated outpatient areas such as the Emergency Department, Radiology, Cath Lab, Infusion Center, Heart Center and other areas with approved tank racks.
Benefits To Help You Keep Your Resolutions
Have you made any New Year's resolutions? If you don’t have any resolutions, you can review these seven tips for starting the year off right from the Houston Methodist On Health blog. If you do have resolutions and need a little support, Houston Methodist benefits can help you with them in 2025. Here are two of them.
Resolution: Lose weight
Noom – All employees on the HM medical plan and their covered spouses can get a free membership to Noom, a weight loss program that focuses on the science behind behavior change. Noom can normally cost as much as $70 per month for an auto-renewing plan. You can also earn Personify (formerly Virgin Pulse) points for participating.
To sign up log in to your Personify account and under My Benefits > Noom Healthy Weight > Start Now > Confirm & Continue. After this, you’ll receive a text to your smartphone with a safe link and instructions to download Noom.
Resolution: Get more sleep
Headspace - Speaking of sleep, it can be hard sometimes to leave the job behind and get a good night’s rest (or a good day’s work if you work the night shift.) Besides consulting with a wellness coach, as mentioned above, you can also try the Headspace app. It’s free. Listening to the meditations on the app might be just what you need to calm your mind and let you drift off to dreamland. Learn how to sign up.
Fitness Schedule at HMSL
Don't forget HMSL offers several fitness classes. There are virtual options over Teams, in-person group classes in our fitness studio and some are both. Click here for the January schedule.
Newsletter 101
You can find helpful links at the top and bottom of this newsletter, including the Garden Café menu and mental health resources.
The DEI Corner, HR Hub, and IT Matters are published and emailed to you directly each week. Some recaps are included in this CEO newsletter.
Access the newsletter outside of your email by scanning the QR code on your badge buddy.
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, January 15: Last day to use Celebrating You $100 DoorDash credit
Wednesday, January 15: Bike Medicine & Injury Prevention Seminar. More information.
Monday, January 20: 2025 MLK Day Celebration. More information.
Thursday, January 23: Career Event - National Mentoring Month. More information.
Tuesday, January 28: Retirement reception for CNO Janet Leatherwood. More information.
Friday, January 31: I CARE Award nominations due
Tuesday, February 4: Patient satisfaction bonus payout
Tuesday, February 18: Hand hygiene bonus payout
JUST FOR FUN DATES
AFC Divisional Playoff: Saturday, January 18: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Monday, January 13: vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Wednesday, January 15: @ Denver Nuggets
Thursday, January 16: @ Sacramento Kings
Saturday, January 18: @ Portland Trail Blazers
Friday, January 17: Charlie Wilson, Smart Financial Centre
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If you are working on something that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed.
The vision pulls you.”
- Steve Jobs
Join The HMSL-CEO Corner Facebook Page
If you are an HMSL employee, you can join the employee-only Facebook page. Join us as we celebrate promotions, graduations, hospital events and more! Click here to join the fun.