By the Pontiac Front Desk Staff
Edited by Jennifer Shipman
A reception and administrative staff can make or break an office. How many times have you walked into a business - a doctor's office or any other business, for that matter - and been greeted with apathy (or worse) by the first person you meet? The first person you see or talk to on the phone gives you the first impression you will get of that business. So it better be good.
At Wilkinson Eye Center we have one of the finest Front Desk staffs around. From the feedback we get from you, our patients, you agree! Of course we all have our "off-days"
and if ever we've been less than our best for you we hope you'll forgive us. To the best of our human ability, we at WEC believe in treating you with friendliness, professionalism and compassion - to help you with those impossible insurance issues, to keep your visit as smooth as possible, and to be sensitive to your health concerns. The Front Desk is here to schedule your appointments, prep your chart so that the technicians and doctors can practice medicine and not paperwork, and process the "money" part of your services as painlessly as possible.
We asked our "Front Desk Chicks" to answer a few questions to help us get to know them a little better. Just like our article on our technicians this one is a little longer than normal but it's fun and easy reading!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Kathy: Hi! I grew up in good old Waterford, MI. I have been
married to a fabulous man named Jeff for 35 awesome years. We have 4 wonderful fuzzy kids - 3 Boston terriers and one cat. I was married at a young age right out of high school and went into the work world immediately.
Charlene: I grew up here in Pontiac, MI. I now live in Springfield Township and love it. I am the proud parent of Danny who just celebrated his 30th birthday! I love animals, gardening, reading, movies, bird watching, and roller derby!
Linda: I grew up in Rodney, Ontario, Canada - a small town of about 1000 people. I had one year of college before marrying - and then having 3 kids! I love to knit, read and garden.
Lisa: Hi! I grew up in Troy. I am a single mom, with three almost-grown kids: my oldest daughter will be 20 years old in June, WOW!! She is in college. Then my son just graduated this year and is 17 and will be going into the Marine Corps. My youngest daughter is 16 years old, a Junior and on the Honor Roll, and of course my Princess. Now that they are pretty much on their own, I am able to take time for myself and actually figure out what it is "I like"!
Jennifer: I am first and foremost a Bible-believing Christian, which isn't always popular but the truth nonetheless. I was born in Kansas but we moved to Missouri before I was one; we then lived in Nebraska and Wisconsin - where I lived until I moved to Michigan in 2004. I went to University in Wisconsin for Art. I love to read, scrapbook, play computer games, listen to music, and garden.
Sandy: I was born and raised in Pontiac. After high school I 
went to Highland Community College for a Liberal Arts Degree and transferred to Wayne State where I was working towards Social Services. I left there before getting my degree so I could work with inner city kids through Power Company Kids Club, where I became a proud parent of over 100 children. These are my kids that God has entrusted me to have. Building relationships and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and life-changing lessons really are changing the lives of these children.
What lead you into this job?
Kathy: I worked in banking for 20 years and then on to the construction world as a payables clerk. And then I woke up. At the ripe old age of 51 I changed my career completely and am still wondering what took me so long to find Wilkinson Eye Center. Just out of the blue my niece called me and told me about a position available and I prayed about it for many days and made the best decision of my life!
Charlene: I have worked in the healthcare field since I was a teenager. When I needed to move back to Michigan from Tennessee and then a position opened up here, I grabbed it!
Linda: My friend said her sister was looking for someone part-time for the office - that sister is our practice administrator Jill!
Lisa: I went to work right out of school although I did take some college classes. I worked at Beaumont Hospital for 14 years - 10 of them in the Emergency Room and the last 4 in the Beaumont Eye Institute. When I was working at Beaumont Eye Institute and scheduling LASIK surgeries I would often talk to Sharon at WEC; she told me that WEC was hiring so I sent my resume in and I've been happy ever since! I was looking for the personal small office - I wanted to get away from the big corporation where you are considered a number.
Jennifer: I found an ad for WEC in the Oakland Press online - I was looking for a job in the area so I could move here and get married! Jill gave me a "phone interview" - the first ever at WEC - then a "real" interview and I was hired!
Sandy: My job with WEC was an answer to prayer and has become a very important part of my life.
What do you like most about working at WEC?
Kathy: I truly love working with the patients - that's what makes my job so great.
Charlene: I just love helping people and that is what motivates me. It is really rewarding to help patients and the gratitude they convey is priceless. I love working at WEC. The Doctors, staff and patients are fun and competent. The compassion for helping patients is exceptional.
Linda: I like the people I work with.
Lisa: I love how we are a family here and we care so much about our patients and go above and beyond for them. The BEST bosses I've ever had!!! I really enjoy making our patients happy.
Jennifer: The ethics, the bosses, the family feel. It's a place I can trust and remain loyal to, that cares about its employees and the people we serve. Also see the next question.
Sandy: It is really a network of people working together with compassion and helping others with our eye care services. It is more like family.
What does being a "Front Desk Chick" mean to you?
Kathy: Being a front desk chick is rewarding in so many ways mostly being able to educate patients and set proper expectations.
Charlene: My primary responsibility is front desk. I like to be the first face people see when they walk through the door. I like to set the mood by greeting patients and their guests with a smile and nice greeting.
Linda: Talk, talk, talk. Smile, smile, smile!
Lisa: Being a "Front Desk Chick" means going the "extra 
step", by being the first to greet the patients (whether on the phone or at the check-in desk). Making the best impression possible!!! I love having fun with the patients & they seem to enjoy it too.
Jennifer: I love knowing that I am helping people. Vision may be the scariest sense to lose and is so important to so many people - I'm honored to do my part to help preserve it for our patients.
Sandy: Working at the front desk can be both challenging and rewarding. I love working with our patients and co-workers.
What is your biggest challenge, or what do you strive most to accomplish or achieve?
Kathy: Of course the biggest challenge for me is to keep up with all of the insurance changes that come about on a daily basis.
Charlene: My biggest challenge at the front desk is helping patients understand their insurance coverage. It changes constantly and it is very hard for patients to keep current on ever-changing benefits.
Linda: Insurances!
Jennifer: The biggest challenge? INSURANCE ISSUES. The rules change every day. Helping patients understand their benefits when there is little education available to them can be very challenging, and of course any topic involving money can be sensitive!
What is the funniest story you've experienced at WEC?
Charlene: My funniest story for this year was a lady patient 
laid her glasses down while having her exam. She forgot to pick them up and consequently a male patient placed them in his pocket thinking they were his. We searched the office high and low and were at a loss for what had happened to her glasses. One of our opticians noticed these lady glasses in his pocket and questioned him on whether they belonged to him. Glasses Found!
Linda: While vision problems are certainly no laughing matter, sometimes it can be so hard to describe them that they can cause the patient - and us! - to get a chuckle. When I first began work here, a patient came in and said she was seeing "ghosts sitting on a fence" in her vision. Fortunately everything turned out ok for her and Doctor was able to help her. It was the funniest description I'd ever heard! We laughed with her about that good description for a long time! Another time Dr. Scott came to me after reading a message I had written him and said, "Linda, I can't read your writing." You know it's bad if the doctor is complaining about your writing!
Jennifer: Most of the funniest things happen with the doctors - whether it's Dr. Schmitz dressed for a luau on Kids' Day, Dr. Wilkinson replying to the latest what-is-insurance-up-to-now email with something hilarious to lighten the frustrations, or Dr. Saxe saying something completely unexpected from his very professional demeanor!
What do you look forward to for the future?
Kathy: My best hope for Wilkinson Eye Center in the future is continued excellent patient care and I look forward to all of the great changes that come my way.
Charlene: I hope to continue our great work here at WEC and look forward to electronic medical records and taking on more responsibility performing testing for our wonderful patients.
Linda: I hope the practice continues to grow and thrive.
Lisa: Now that my children are on their way, I would like to be able to eventually meet my soul-mate. To have that someone to be a best friend with, to share & love aahh... I would also love to travel to Ireland, Australia, Norway, and Italy. (Sounds like fun, huh??)
Jennifer: I hope we can continue to grow and offer our "complete eye-care services" to more and more people, and that we can adapt with grace to the continually-changing environment.
Sandy: I believe that the future of WEC will continue to give quality care with compassion both from our Doctors and staff, and will offer our community the highest service that they can receive.
(ultraviolet) radiation, and thus increased risk to your health. "Catching some rays" may not be all it's cracked up to be. Wilkinson Eye Center encourages you to know the risks and protect yourself - so you can block the rays but still love the sun!
and UVB rays1. The American Academy of Ophthalmology actually recommends a full 100% block2. Bigger is better, and the more wrap-around the better: sunlight can also shine from the sides and reflect from below from water, sand, snow etc. Higher price or darker color do not equal better protection; just be sure the sunglass is labeled UV 400 (protection for up to 400 nanometers of radiation). Sunglasses labeled "UV Absorbant" are 
children. Make sure they have sunglasses too - and actually wear them! - and hats, and try to keep them out of the sun during those peak times of 10-2.
