Week of August 5, 2024
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
I want to start off by telling you all how grateful I am that so many of you participated in our hospital-wide events last week. From hanging out with Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco, to chowing down on Chick-fil-A or cooling off with some shaved ice from Kona Ice, the senior leaders and I really enjoyed interacting with you (check out some photos below). You all work so hard, you deserve to be rewarded. I cannot wait until our next fun event!
I am also pleased to share that we have successfully completed the first four major phases of our 5S initiative, with the fifth phase—SUSTAIN—now becoming a part of our ongoing commitment to excellence. If you haven’t quite finished yet, I encourage you to stick with it and put the finishing touches on your areas.
Your dedication and hard work throughout the 5S process have been instrumental in eliminating costly waste, enhancing workflow and communication, minimizing confusion, reducing the time spent searching for needed items and decreasing the opportunity for errors. These improvements are pivotal in elevating the safety and quality of our care.
Building and maintaining work areas we can all be proud of is essential in developing our culture of performance excellence. Organizations that excel pay meticulous attention to these details because they lead to better performance and outcomes. A clean, well-organized workspace is a testament to the high standards of health care we strive for and uphold.
Congratulations to all our teams for your incredible efforts. Let us stay focused on the many benefits that the 5S initiative brings us today and in the future.
We would like to see the improvements here at HMSL! Please share your before and after photos by clicking on this link.
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
Patient Satisfaction Bonus
All eligible employees will receive a patient satisfaction bonus as a direct deposit Tuesday, August 6. When we achieve high patient satisfaction scores, we reward you so you remember to always keep the patient at the center of everything you do. Thank you for continuing to promote our patients’ health and healing every day. View the payout amount for each entity. Learn more about the eligibility requirements for the payout satisfaction bonus.
New Manager of Education
Gilbert Barrera, Jr. MSN, RN, NPD-BC, has been promoted to Manager of Education, effective August 11. He has been a nurse for 36 years, with experience in hospital education, ED, ICU and LifeFlight. He's been with HMSL for 19 years and has been instrumental in managing our Vizient Nurse Residency program. Click here to read the leadership announcement.
Recognizing the Impact of Microaggressions
Microaggressions can lead to strained relationships and breakdowns in trust, as well as present barriers to promoting inclusivity. There will be another in-person DEI learning series on microaggressions Tuesday August 6, from 10 - 11 a.m. in Brazos BC. Click here to register.
HMSL Blood Drive
Save a life and donate blood! The next blood drive at HMSL will be Thursday, August 8 and Friday, August 9 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Brazos BC. Eligible donors will receive a Houston Astros Tumbler, while supplies last. You can also earn one hour credit toward your Paid Time Off (PTO awarded in four-hour increments within a calendar year). Click here to schedule an appointment.
Back-to-School Shoe Drive
Have you gone shopping for shoes yet? This Friday is HMSL’s back-to-school shoe drive supporting Fort Bend Rainbow Room. Your donation ensures abused and neglected children in crisis have shoes this school year. The drive will take place on Friday, Aug. 9 in Brazos AD. Enjoy light refreshments and a photo booth when you drop off your donation. We hope to collect 300 pairs of shoes this year! Click here for a helpful flyer.
Houston Astros Player Celebration
Thank you to all of the employees who were able to attend Monday's Houston Astros player appearance. The team is gearing up for the second half of their season and we are gearing up for the second half of the year. Pitcher Ronel Blanco helped us celebrate our success so far! Go Astros!
Employee Appreciation Celebration after Hurricane Beryl
Thank you to all of the staff who joined HMSL Senior Leaders for Chick-fil-A breakfast sandwiches and cooled off with Kona Ice shaved ice last week. These celebrations were to honor and thank staff after Hurricane Beryl in early July. Thank you again for all of your hard work! Click here for more pictures.
Community Baby Shower
HMSL's Childbirth Center hosted their annual Community Baby Shower last week and it was another successful event! More than two dozen vendors came together for the maternal/infant resource fair, which was free to the public. Our teams celebrated new and expectant moms and showered them with resources for their growing families. Thank you to everybody who worked behind the scenes!
2024 Excellence in Nursing Award
Do you work with a nurse who is OUTSTANDING? Now is the time to nominate a colleague for this year's Excellence in Nursing Award. At HMSL, we are dedicated to honoring those who embody our I CARE values. The deadline is Monday, Sept. 9. Click here for more information on how to nominate.
Talent Talk Tuesdays
If you want to get to the next level in your career, the Talent Talks program is for you. If you have been at HMSL less than a year, schedule your 30-minute session with an HR Talent Consultant. They can help with resume building, mock interviews and career guidance. Sessions are Tuesdays from 1-5 p.m. Click here to register.
Register Now for Pathway to Unparalleled
Pathway to Unparalleled (PTU) is back and this year’s 90-minute interactive program is designed to help employees think about unparalleled quality. Employee sessions begin August 22 and continue through October. All Houston Methodist employees are strongly encouraged to attend and to register as soon as possible. Classes at HMSL tend to fill up quickly. Employees can register for a PTU session in LMS by following these instructions:
- Log in to MARS and click on the LMS SuccessFactors tile
- On the rotating carousel, when the PTU picture appears, click Register for a class
- Find a date/time that works with your schedule
- Click the Register Now button to enroll in a session
Disaster Recovery iPhones Coming to HMSL
Starting Friday, Aug. 16, 500 disaster recovery iPhones will be assigned systemwide in the event of a major storm, cyberattack or other emergency. Instead of facility leaders randomly checking these devices out, red emergency phones and phone numbers will be pre-assigned to essential leadership and staffing/unit roles for each facility (e.g., lab manager, pharmacy front desk, unit secretary, unit charge nurse, etc.).
These phones improve our ability to make and receive phone calls, even when data or telephone networks are unavailable. They can also switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, as well as other HM networks, depending on availability.
Local IT service operations teams, along with their nursing informatics counterparts, are developing digital directories, which can be used on the devices and other BYOD phones with the Vocera Edge app downloaded and enabled. If necessary, broadcast messages can be sent to all emergency phone users, providing urgent alerts and updates.
Highlighting ERGs at HMSL
Houston Methodist Employee Resource Groups (ERG) are employee-created and led, voluntary groups that join together based on common interests, backgrounds or demographics to help create a diverse and inclusive workplace. Today we are highlighting the Veterans Alliance ERG.
Tony Foster, who works at HMSL as the IT Service Operations Manager, is a part of the Veterans Alliance ERG. He shares why this ERG is important to him.
1. What has been the best part about joining your ERG?
The best part for me joining the Veterans Alliance ERG has been meeting those who served or had loved ones that served and hearing their stories. It's been truly amazing to hear each member's experiences while serving their country and how those experiences made them who they are today. During my first week at HMSL, it felt so different transitioning from a day-to-day airman to the corporate world and all I wanted at the time was to meet someone who understood. During New Employee Orientation (NEO), I saw a slide showing all the ERG groups at HMSL and the veterans group stood out. I had to join. (Past Chair) Cesar Argueta reached out to me to join the group. In my first meeting, I introduced myself and was surprised at how many members understood how transitioning can be challenging, and they all reassured me they were there to help in any way. Since then, I’ve felt
completely welcome.
2. How is your ERG impacting HM culture?
The Veterans Alliance embodies the Houston Methodist I CARE values. Many of us veterans came from different branches and each branch has its own values that align with our I CARE values. Having those military core values instilled in our members teaches us to serve people first. Having that people first mentality instilled in us not only means we take care of each other but, more importantly, we take care of the patients who depend on what we do.
3. What do you wish you knew about ERGs before joining?
How rewarding it is to be part of these amazing groups. Whether it's the Veteran Alliance or any of the other ERGs, there is a sense of pride to being part of them. We all have busy schedules, but taking the time to collaborate with those who at their core share the same passion, history and background that you do makes this Houston Methodist experience so much more meaningful.
Mobile Food Ordering Option
Don't forget about the new mobile ordering and pick up option at the Garden Café! All you have to do to save time and skip the line is go to myEATzapp.com. First, select HMSL for the location. Then, select the Garden Café to order your food and select your pick-up time. The pick up shelf is by the beverage cooler. Use the code HMSL15 for 15% off (only available for the Garden Café). Mobile ordering is available weekdays from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the grille and 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the deli. On weekends, mobile ordering is available from 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the grille. The deli is closed.
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Breastfeeding is a special time between mother and baby, and it is a bond that can take time to establish. The first week in August is also considered World Breastfeeding Week. Click here to read about others raising awareness or celebrating this month.
IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday, August 6: Patient satisfaction bonus payout
Tuesday, August 6: Recognizing the Impact of Microaggressions. More information.
Thursday, August 8 - Friday, August 9: HMSL Blood Drive. More information.
Friday, August 9: Back-to-School Shoe Drive. More information.
Thursday, August 22: Pathway to Unparalleled sessions begin
Friday, August 23: Deadline to complete bariatric sensitivity module in LMS
Monday, August 26: Deadline to enter CPAM photo contest. More information.
Monday, September 2: Labor Day
Monday, September 9: Deadline to nominate 2024 Excellence in Nursing Award. More information.
Thursday, September 12: Back & Neck Pain Seminar. More information.
Monday, September 30: Deadline to complete DIY Health Track.
Sunday, October 13: Sugar Land Half Marathon. Register here.
Monday, October 21: 2024 CV Nursing Conference. Register here.
Saturday, October 26: 2024 Houston Heart Walk. More information.
JUST FOR FUN DATES
Monday, August 5 - Wednesday, August 7: @ Texas Rangers
Friday, August 9 - Sunday, August 11: @ Boston Red Sox
Tuesday, August 6 - Sunday, August 11: vs. El Paso Chihuahuas
Friday, August 9: @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Friday, August 9 & Saturday, August 10: Luke Combs, NRG Stadium
Saturday, August 10: Grupo Frontera, Toyota Center
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
- Milton Berle
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.