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Week of November 13, 2023

Gratitude Bonus

Make sure Tuesday is marked on your calendars. Tomorrow, all eligible employees will receive a $500 bonus. Dr. Boom sent an email last week, expressing his appreciation to everyone. He hopes the gratitude bonus will make the holiday season extra special for you and your loved ones. You can find answers to frequently asked questions about eligibility by clicking here. 

Magnet Thanks and Giving

This year, HMSL's Magnet Council is partnering with ABC 13 for their Share Your Holidays food drive. We will be collecting food for the FBISD Share Your Dreams program and the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. You may drop off your donations in boxes on your unit or in the white boxes in the lobbies of Main, Sweetwater, MOB 3 and Brazos. Items needed are canned fruit and vegetables, pasta, soups/broth, crackers, granola bars, peanut butter and jelly. The food drive ends on Monday, Nov. 27. Click here for more information.

• Set up a payroll deduction through MARS. Under Voluntary Deductions, select United Way and fill in your desired deduction amount and frequency.
• Give a one-time gift with a credit card on the United Way website.
• Text HMGIVES to 51555 to make a one-time donation.
• Bid on items in the Houston Methodist silent auction, available Nov. 1 – 15.

Open Enrollment Continues

Houston Methodist takes pride in offering you a comprehensive total rewards package, including benefits, that supports you in every chapter of your life. Open Enrollment continues until Friday, Dec. 1. The HR Hub has this Quick Start Guide to go over new changes including:

Pre-Order Holiday Meats and Desserts 

October Town Hall Meeting Winners

If you missed our October Town Hall meetings, we want to make sure you can still access all the important information shared. Click here for campus updates, reminders, events and activities. Another flyer handed out was our career and personal development resource guide. A third item we wanted to share was a video played during the town hall titled "Stories of Collaboration Across Our Hospital." HMSL has grown over the years - not just in the beds we have and the specialized care we offer but also, the teams we have in place to serve our growing community. It takes over 1,300 physicians, 400+ allied health professionals and more than 2,700 staff to do what we do - offer healing and hope. What makes this work – this coordinated, consistent experience for our patients – is a result of many different teams, each an expert in their respective areas, coming together. 

Growing & Developing in 2024

The HMSL Clinical Education Department would like all employees and leaders to participate in a survey. The results of this survey will guide education and professional development offerings next year. The survey will close out Friday, Nov. 17. Click here to take the survey.

World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day is Tuesday, Nov. 14. Stop by the Main Pavilion across Starbucks to learn about diabetes prevention and management. Plus, don't forget your sneakers. You can take a 15-minute outdoor walk with our wellness team at 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Walking at a brisk pace most days a week can help maintain your blood glucose control.

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.

Free Employee COVID-19 Testing Discontinued

As COVID-19 infections are down significantly, Houston Methodist will discontinue its free COVID-19 testing effective today, Nov. 13. If you need a COVID-19 PCR test, please contact your PCP to obtain an order, instead of using the Employee Health site in MARS to schedule a test. If you and your dependents are covered under our medical plan, there is no cost for a test from your PCP. You may also test using the home kits available at Walgreens or CVS. As a part of our Houston Methodist benefits plan, you are eligible for two free at home testing kits per month.

HMSL Digital Library Additions

Just in time for your holiday travels, we have added 11 new books to the HMSL Digital Library. From DEI, to sharpening skills as a speaker, to learning about your Enneagram number, to strengthening your work team and even getting to know country music’s sparkiest superstar Dolly Parton – there is something for everyone in this latest group of additions. Remember: the HMSL Digital Library is free for you to use and is compatible with your preferred e-reader. Click here for helpful instructions. Happy reading!

This week is Perioperative Nurse Week. Here at HMSL, we celebrate all perioperative staff during this week. Departments celebrating include PAT, AOD, SPD, OR, PACU, and Endoscopy; these departments combined include 300+ staff members! Periop staff handle the care of patients who need surgery or other invasive procedures. They interact with everyone involved- the patients, their families, the surgeons, the anesthesiologists, and many other medical personnel involved to ensure their patients' comfort. Inside an operating room, perioperative nurses work as scrub nurses in charge of the instruments, or as circulating nurses, who ensure the quality of nursing care throughout the procedure. Pre and post-surgery, they  ensure that the patients have all the information they need to continue healing and have the best possible care in the hospital. The job is frequently stressful, but nurses perform their duties cheerfully. If you see a Periop staff member this week, please tell them thank you!

It is also National Nurse Practitioner Week. Click here to read about all those who are celebrating this month.

PATIENT COMPLIMENTS

IMPORTANT DATES

JUST FOR FUN DATES

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision."
- Neil Gaiman