Week of August 7, 2023
Chris Siebenaler
Executive Vice President
CEO
Happy August - back to school season is here. And while I know many of you are busy getting your families ready to return to the classroom, I want you take some time to celebrate a hospital-wide honor.
HMSL has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 5 hospital in Houston and No. 9 in Texas! It’s an incredible privilege to maintain our rankings on this distinguished list, but none of this would be possible without you and your dedication to our patients.
I hope you had the opportunity to read Dr. Boom's email about Houston Methodist Hospital being named to the prestigious Honor Roll - the best hospitals in the country. Our flagship hospital is also the No. 1 hospital in Texas for the 12th year in a row. Click here to read about the U.S. News & World Report latest rankings.
Join us this Friday as we celebrate our rankings! Also, be on the lookout next week for a sweet treat to wrap up our U.S. News rankings celebrations.
Employee Celebration
- Friday, August 11
- 11:00 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Brazos Pavilion Conference Center
- Snacks, a selfie station plus an Astros player will stop by! Please note, due to time constraints, the player will not be taking photos with employees. He will be signing one autograph per employee.
HMSL EMPLOYEE PARKING CHANGES
HMSL is committed to making parking more convenient and safer for you and our patients. We are reestablishing the use of employee vehicle registration and parking stickers. We are asking:
- HMSL employees register their vehicles, including EZ Tag registration for touchless gated parking entry
- Once registered, HMSL employees will receive a parking sticker.
To register your vehicle and receive a parking sticker, CLICK HERE or text HMSLParking to 45991. We request all employees complete the registration process by Aug. 28, 2023. To read more about our updated parking guidelines or if you have questions about the new parking policy, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document here.
36th DAISY Award Winner
HMSL 4 West nurse Susana Rangel is the 36th HMSL recipient of the DAISY award. Susana was surprised by her family and her team on Main 4 West, who celebrated her along with senior leadership. DAISY Award honorees personify HMSL's remarkable patient experience. Read the patient nominations here. Congratulations Susana!
Welcome Dr. Raja
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is pleased to welcome rheumatologist Quratul Ain Raja, M.D. She will begin seeing patients August 14 at Houston Methodist Rheumatology Associates in MOB 2. She has over six years of successful experience in rheumatology and treatment and management of rheumatologic disease and Internal Medicine. You can read more about Dr. Raja here.
Community Baby Shower
HMSL's Childbirth Center hosted their annual Community Baby Shower last week and it was a success! More than 30 community vendors came together for the maternal/infant resource fair, which was free to the public. The goal was to celebrate new and expectant moms, as well as help them learn techniques to provide the best care for their newborns. Goal achieved! Before the event, the Childbirth Center Director Cristina Martin and Lactation Consultant Donna Timmer were both on KPRC promoting the event. Watch it here.
License and Certification Renewal Reminders to Come by Text Message
As of Aug. 1, if you have an expiring license or certification that is required on your job description, you’ll receive a text message reminder. Please make sure your mobile number is updated in MARS to ensure you receive these important reminders.
DoorDash $15 Credit
We all know that going back to school leads to some hectic evenings – Houston Methodist and DoorDash have partnered to give you a back-to-school break. For Houston Methodist employees only, you have a $15 credit in your account (no promo code needed) that is available to use one time before August 31. Be sure to take advantage of it before the end of the month!
Successful Shoe Drive!
Thank you for another successful back-to-school shoe drive in support of the Fort Bend Rainbow Room. HMSL collected 246 pairs of shoes for the children they serve. On top of that, employees donated a total of $500. This is an incredible accomplishment. Thank you to everyone who pitched in. We will support Rainbow Room again during the holidays and look forward to seeing your generous spirits in full force then, too.
Patient Satisfaction Bonus
Houston Methodist rewards you financially when we achieve positive rankings for patient satisfaction. If you are eligible, you will receive a patient satisfaction bonus on Tuesday, August 8. The payout amount varies by entity. Click here to see your bonus amount. Learn more about the eligibility requirements here. If you have specific questions, please ask your manager.
Where Healing Happens
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to lead a fast-growing, successful hospital? Join the Senior Leadership Team this Thursday as they speak candidly about their day-to-day work. Our education series “Where Healing Happens: From Down the Hall to Across the System” will be held in the Brazos Conference Center. Click here for registration information.
Pathway to Unparalleled
All Houston Methodist employees are strongly encouraged to register for this year's Pathway to Unparalleled (PTU). This year's 90-minute interactive program is designed to help employees think about unparalleled safety. Employee sessions will begin August 20 and continue through October. Click here for instructions to register.
Be a Heart Walk Coach
HMSL Heart Heroes – mark your calendars for Saturday, November 11, 2023. The Houston Heart Walk will be held at RICE University Stadium at 8 a.m. But before the walk, we need Heart Walk Coaches. If you want to spread the word and raise money for life saving research, join our coaches kickoff rally today. There is a Teams meeting at 3 p.m. Email Morgan Faiella and say “I’m in.” Read more here.
Idea Ticket Tank
Have you seen the new artwork installed in the back hallway of the Main Pavilion? This is a new part of the Performance Excellence idea ticket process that focuses on celebrating your voice. Once an idea ticket is successfully completed, celebrate by dropping it into the Idea Ticket Tank! There will be four winners picked each month. We’ll draw them out of the tank, post them for recognition and each winner will choose from a range of prizes! Watch as the tank fills up as teams across the hospital positively impact our work to provide unparalleled, safety, quality, service and innovation. It takes all of us – everybody, every day! If you have any questions about this new activation, please ask your leader.
Answering Your Questions Around Sustainability
After hearing about the new Office of Sustainability from Dr. Marc Boom, many of you had questions about sustainability efforts at Houston Methodist. We sat down with Jason Fischer, director of the Office of Sustainability, to answer your questions and chat about everything sustainability related — from recycling to composting. Click here to read the full interview. For more information, visit the Office of Sustainability’s website or email Jason and his team at sustainability@houstonmethodist.org.
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of routine vaccination for people of all ages. Why are vaccines important? They help provide protection from infectious diseases and can lessen the severity of illness. Click here to read about others raising awareness or celebrating this month.
PATIENT COMPLIMENTS
Main 4 East Patient: "I received very good care. The staff were excellent and had great teamwork. The doctors were very good as well and explained things well. My stay went smoothly. Kudos to the whole team who took care of me from pre-op to ICU to 4 East. Thanks a lot!"
Childbirth Center Patient: "Excellent and amazing staff: from the reception to the triage doctors, every nurse, physician, pediatrician and discharge nurse. They are a wonderful team/set of people."
Main 6 East Patient: "I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful staff who treated me with respect and care the whole time I was there, even keeping me an extra day and it mattered! Thank you!"
IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday, August 8: Patient satisfaction bonus payout
Thursday, August 10: Where Healing Happens: A Day in the Life of our Senior Leadership Team. More information.
Friday, August 11: Employee Celebration for U.S. News & World Report. More information.
Friday, August 11 - Sunday, August 13: Tax-Free Weekend
Sunday, August 20: 'Pathway to Unparalleled' employee sessions begin. More information to register.
Friday, August 25: Due date for managers to complete evaluations
Friday, August 25 & Saturday, August 26: Neuroscience and Spinal Disorders Symposium. More information.
Monday, August 28: Deadline to register your vehicle and receive parking sticker. Register here.
Monday, September 4: Labor Day
Saturday, September 30: Deadline for DIY and New Hire Track participants to earn 20,000 points
JUST FOR FUN DATES
Tuesday, August 8 - Thursday, August 10: @ Baltimore Orioles
Friday, August 11 - Sunday, August 13: vs. Los Angeles Angels
Tuesday, August 8 - Sunday, August 13: vs. El Paso Chihuahuas
Thursday, August 10 - Friday, August 11: Peso Pluma, Smart Financial Centre
Saturday, August 12: Stevie Nicks, Toyota Center
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value."
-Albert Einstein