Eye Team Celebrates 2018 at the Worcester Art Museum

The Eye Team celebrated 2018, a year of much progress and many achievements, at the Worcester Art Museum. Dr. Shlomit Schaal, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences summarized the highlights of 2018. “It was a year that exceeded our expectations. We made remarkable progress in patient care, basic science vision research, education, and community outreach”, she said. Dr. Schaal attributed the progress made to the amazing members of the Eye Team. “We have incredibly productive, engaged, positive, and motivated people at the Eye Center”. 

Members of the Eye Team offered their “Best of the Year” items that included: 

• January 4th 2018 – birth of Hawk 
• Eye Team Huddles and getting many things done!
• Our NEW Eye Team members: Drs. Grier, Yoon, Seddon and Johnston, Adam Champagne, Lori Murnane, Alena Allen, Yvelina Feliciano, Nichole Lusk, Jessica Peterson, Barbara Calkins, Abrianna Saez
• Winning the Innovators of the Year Award in 2017
• Revamping of the Retina department
• Opening the ACC Eye Center
• Opening Northboro Xing Eye Center
• Designing and securing the Dean’s support for the “Ophthalmology Empire” on S3 at the Medical School.

“I know it sounds cliché- I really enjoy working at UMass Memorial Healthcare, spent a year and half at CS and realized I missed the face to face patient contact. Had the opportunity to shadow at the Eye Center, meet the staff and knew one day I would love to work in the dept. So this is one of the next best things that has happened to me. I have the opportunity to work with a great team and hopefully shine as well. I am told by many that I am lucky to be working in such a wonderful place. So, YES, I am very lucky to be in such a great department”, said Nichole Lusk, ASR. 

Dr. Steve Tosi, president of UMass Memorial Medical Group presented a System Update. He summarized the multiple challenges healthcare systems face today. He thanked the Eye Team for being an example and an inspiration for other teams in the healthcare system. 

Dabney Hailey and Corinne Zimmermann facilitated a workshop “Engaging with Art”. They led the Eye Team through the exhibits at the Worcester Art Museum, and elucidated how personal perspectives shape the understanding and interpretation of paintings. The Eye team discussed how this experience at the art museum could be used to learn about team work at the healthcare setting.