Week of November 18, 2024
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
We are starting to get into the busiest time of the year for many. Please remember open enrollment for the 2025 Houston Methodist benefits is underway and runs through December 6. You should have received a copy of your benefits guide in the mail, but there are resources online to help.
You all know one of my favorite things about leading this hospital is celebrating our people. Last week there was a lot of fun on campus! Toro with the Houston Texans stopped by several areas of the hospital and I was able to attend the Fall 2024 International Fashion Show. If you haven't seen the video of Janet and Sally dancing yet on CEO Corner on Facebook, it is linked below. Trust me, it is a must watch! It was so great to see everyone celebrating the diversity we have here on campus. We have so many talented singers and dancers!
Another celebration I want to share - Houston Methodist Sugar Land has once again achieved a Leapfrog "A" safety grade for Fall 2024 (the 22nd consecutive time we've earned this award). Thank you for always putting the patient first. Congratulations!
As we approach the season of gratitude, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work happening across our hospital every day. Your dedication to our patients, their families and one another creates a healing environment. While I’ll have more to say about Thanksgiving next week, I want you to know how much your efforts are appreciated — not just during this season, but all year long.
Michael Garcia
Chief Executive Officer
Houston Methodist Sugar Land
Leapfrog "A" Safety Grade - Fall 2024
Congratulations to everybody at HMSL for earning an "A" in the fall 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, the gold standard measure of patient safety for U.S. health systems. This is the only rating solely focused on a hospital's ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 publicly available hospital safety data measures to assign grades to nearly 3,000 U.S. acute care hospitals twice per year. Once again, all Houston Methodist hospitals received an "A" grade this fall. Thank you for putting patient safety first!
2024 HMSL Holiday Party - Join the Waitlist
There's an important update about the annual HMSL Holiday Celebration. Unfortunately the RSVP list is full and all 1,000 slots have been filled. There is now a waiting list. If you would like to be added, click here to email Caryn Goode. You will be contacted by e-mail one way or the other, closer to the event if a spot opens up. This year the festivities will take place at Safari Texas Ranch on Saturday, December 14 from 7 p.m. - midnight. Click here for FAQs.
Pre-Order Thanksgiving Meats and Desserts
If you need some help in the kitchen when it comes to Thanksgiving next week, the HMSL Food & Nutrition Services department is here to help! They are offering a selection of meats and desserts for pre-order that you can pick up at the Garden Café - everything from turkeys, hams and briskets to delicious pies and cobblers! Orders must be placed by this Friday, November 22 at 3 p.m.
HMSL in the Media
Heart doctors across the country are sharing the one thing they never do on Thanksgiving, including Dr. B. Keith Ellis. He spoke to Parade.com for an article on how he approaches the biggest feast of the year. Click here to read it. Thank you Dr. Ellis for representing HMSL!
World Pressure Injury Prevention Day
Worldwide Pressure Injury Prevention Day is November 21. Preventing pressure injuries is critical for the quality of care and safety of patients. Prevention tactics include movement, comfort, skincare, cleansing, diet and nutrition. Click here for more information.
LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Great American Smokeout
HMSL will observe The Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 21 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. with a booth and fun activities outside the Main Starbucks. Also, did you know 50% of lung cancer patients are not smokers? Stop by our booth if you or a loved one need encouragement to stop smoking and lead a smoke-free life. You can earn 500 HealthyDirections+ points!
HMSL at the LUNGevity Walk
November is Lung Cancer Awareness month. This past weekend, the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative/LUNGevity Breathe Deep Walk raised awareness for lung cancer screenings. HMSL Oncology Nurse Navigator Joan Burnham spoke to the crowd about how nurse navigators can help with screening and lung cancer care. Thank you Joan for representing HMSL!
HMSL Welcomes New Physician
HMSL is welcoming a new gastroenterologist to campus. Dr. Neel Choksi is joining Houston Methodist Gastroenterology Associates in MOB 4. His clinical interests include abnormal liver function tests, irritable bowel syndrome and esophageal disorders. If you see Dr. Choksi in the halls, please welcome him to HMSL!
Blanket Drive
Help the local homeless community stay warm. The second annual blanket drive is now underway. The Women's Empowerment Alliance ERG is collecting new and gently used blankets through November 29. All donations will go to Hope Impacts to support the local homeless community. There are three collection boxes around the hospital: the security desk at the front entrance of Bhalla Main Pavilion, the security desk in MOB 3 and the security desk in MOB 4. Click here for more information.
Texas Nurses Association District 9 Nursing Celebration
Earlier this month was the 32nd Anniversary of the Texas Nurses Association District 9 Foundation’s Nursing Celebration Gala. During the event, 20 outstanding registered nurses from all areas and levels of practice were honored, including two from HMSL. Emergency Department Director Rita Richards and Childbirth Center Director Cristina Martin were both recognized. Since the TNA District 9 Foundation started hosting this event, they have recognized the outstanding contributions of 650 registered nurses. Funds raised are used for this event along with scholarships and grants to support nursing practice, education and research. Previous nurses recognized include CNO Janet Leatherwood and ACNO Sally Shen. Congratulations, Rita and Cristina!
Toro with the Houston Texans Visits HMSL
The Houston Texans are gearing up for Monday Night Football tonight - and their mascot Toro stopped by HMSL last week to build excitement. He stopped by Main Endo, Main 6W and EVS. But in true Toro fashion, he also stopped several others along the way. Houston Methodist is proud to be the official health care provider for the Houston Texans.
Fall 2024 International Fashion Show
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's HMSL International Fashion Show. It was an incredible event where we got to see the rich cultures that make up our staff. Congratulations to our top three performances—your hard work and artistry were outstanding! First place went to Yvette Pardo, second place to Amruta Mardikar and third place to Veronica Juarez. We hope everyone enjoyed the festivities and we hope to see you next year! Click here to see videos and photos of the event.
Open Enrollment Underway
Open Enrollment for Benefits is underway. Check your mailbox at home for a hard copy of the Quick Start Guide or you can read the guide online. Medical costs continue to rise, but our premiums will increase very minimally this year. In the Premier Plan, which covers 96% of our employees, the increase is only $2 per paycheck for employee-only coverage and $10 per paycheck for family coverage. Annual deductibles in all plans will increase by $150 for employee-only coverage and $300 for employee plus dependents coverage.
There will be 27 pay periods in 2025, instead of the normal 26. So, on the first paycheck of the year, Jan. 2, we will have a benefits holiday with no deductions for medical, dental, vision, life insurance or accidental death and dismemberment insurance. There are many ways to get your questions about benefits answered.
- Call 832.667.6211
- Virtual benefits fair on myHR
- Live chat with HR Hub experts via MARS or by texting 832.667.6211
- Ask HR Hub Chatbot on myHR
- Email hrhub@houstonmethodist.org
Benefits representatives will also visit each hospital to answer questions and help employees set up a Fidelity emergency savings account so that they can get the $100 deposit that was announced by Dr. Boom.
HR Hub staff will be on-site in front of Main Starbucks:
- Wednesday, November 20, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday, November 22, 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Reminder: Get Ready for The Hub – Going Live on December 4
The Hub, our new intranet, will go live on December 4. This updated, more user-friendly platform will serve as a Houston Methodist resource for frequently accessed tools, news and communications. As part of this transition, the current intranet site will be retired on December 4. After this date, all links to the old site will be unavailable. Take a moment now to download anything you might need before the change!
Underwood Center Undergoes Name Change
The Houston Methodist Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders is now named the Houston Methodist Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Health to better recognize the center’s role in promoting gut health and preventing disease. Along with the Underwood family, the Underwood Center’s leaders changed the name to grow the center’s reputation as a trusted authority in digestive health and wellness through integrated, multidisciplinary care. The name change will occur over the next few months.
Office of Sustainability Newsletter
The Office of Sustainability has rolled out a quarterly newsletter. This newsletter shares departmental updates, campus events and systemwide sustainability efforts. It also has information about involvement opportunities on your campus. Our second newsletter is expected to arrive in December. If you are interested in receiving it, you can click here to sign up. Click here to read the last Office of Sustainability newsletter.
Holiday Lights presented by Houston Methodist
The 11th annual Sugar Land Holiday Lights presented by Houston Methodist returns to Constellation Field November 15 through January 5 and Houston Methodist employees can receive a discount on regular priced general admission tickets. Bring your friends and family out to enjoy over 3.5 million lights, a dazzling 40-foot tree, light shows, numerous themed displays, Santa Claus, holiday vendors, food and so much more!
New this year, attendees can enjoy a synthetic ice rink on the field each night of Sugar Land Holiday Lights (not included with general admission Holiday Lights ticket; ticket pricing varies by night). Upcoming theme nights and giveaways:
- Sunday, November 17 – Orion reindeer bobblehead giveaway
- Sunday, November 17 – Lights & Leashes (Dogs allowed at event at no additional cost)
- Sunday, November 24 – Lights & Leashes (Dogs allowed at event at no additional cost)
- Sunday, December 1 – Lights & Leashes (Dogs allowed at event at no additional cost)
To take advantage of this discount, log on to YouDecide. Click on the Local Discounts tab and select Houston. If you have never used the site before, use the code MTH052 to register.
HM Kicks Off Holiday Season by Celebrating You
The holidays came early for Houston Methodist employees when Dr. Boom announced new programs including a bonus PTO day and Fidelity savings deposit, a $100 DoorDash credit, and a chance to win $10,000. Be sure to take advantage of all these great giveaways! The bonus PTO hours have already been added to your PTO balance, and the DoorDash credit is available in your Houston Methodist DoorDash account.
DoorDash
You can use the $100 on one big order or make multiple smaller orders until the money is gone. The total value must be used by January 15.
Fidelity
If you already have a Goal Booster account, you don’t need to do anything to receive the $100 deposit. To open a Fidelity Goal Booster account, click here. If you fund your account via payroll deduction, Houston Methodist will match whatever you deposit by December 26 up to $250 in addition to the $100 deposit you will get just for opening an account. The $100 and the match will be deposited in your Goal Boster in January.
$10,000 drawing
If you are one of the 315 names drawn to win the $10,000 and the Away suitcase, you will be notified in December.
The celebrations continue this month. This Thursday, November 21 marks Pancreatic Cancer Day and the Great American Smokeout. November is also Epilepsy Awareness Month, Honoring Caregivers Month, National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and Prematurity Awareness Month. Click here to read about others celebrating this November.
IMPORTANT DATES
Now - Friday, November 29: Blanket Drive. More information.
Thursday, November 21: World Pressure Injury Prevention Day. More information.
Thursday, November 21: Employee Health Clinic Closed from 7 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving holiday
Friday, November 29: Day after Thanksgiving holiday
Wednesday, December 4: Launch of The Hub. More information.
Friday, December 6: Open Enrollment ends
Saturday, December 7: Cookies with Santa
Saturday, December 14: Last day to use 2024 DEI personal day hours
Saturday, December 14: HMSL Holiday Party. More information.
Wednesday, December 25: Christmas holiday
Wednesday, January 1: New Year's Day holiday.
JUST FOR FUN DATES
Monday, November 18: @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, November 24: vs. Tennessee Titans
Monday, November 18: @ Milwaukee Bucks
Wednesday, November 20: vs. Indiana Pacers
Friday, November 22: vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Saturday, November 23: vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Tuesday, November 19: Mariah Carey Christmas, Toyota Center
Thursday, November 21: Kacey Musgraves, Toyota Center
Sunday, November 24: A Magical Cirque Christmas, Smart Financial Centre
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit."
- J.R.R. Tolkien
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.