Every year on the job for the past 25 years has given Catherine Brennan increased satisfaction.
As office administrator for Hudson Valley Eye Surgeons in Fishkill, she has been able to view firsthand the scientific progress that has improved eyesight and prevented blindness in more and more patients as her years with the practice have progressed.
“There is new therapy for macular degeneration, with Avastin and Lucentis injections halting its progress, laser vision correction surgery and new implants for cataract surgery which provide multi-focal vision from reading to distance,” she said.
“It was particularly rewarding to see a macular degeneration patient with 20/200 vision improved to 20/25 after treatments,” she added.
In managing the service in the Westage Business Center, Brennan runs the business end of an office that boasts five full-time and two part-time ophthalmologists with various sub-specialties, all surgeons, and a part-time optometrist who oversees the low-vision program. This team is buttressed by nine ophthalmic technicians and 13 other support staff.
Despite the size of the practice, Brennan said the personal touch remains primary and every effort is made to keep on schedule so patients are not left fidgeting.
“Dilation takes a while, so that is one thing we can”™t do anything about. But, we notify any doctor that is running behind schedule and advise patients when emergencies pop up that delay a doctor.”
Brennan finds employees “our biggest asset. We look to hire nice people. We take the time and effort to train someone nice who is up to the challenge. It”™s not always easy dealing with the public. We have a great staff that starts with the doctors.” She said many of the employees have been with the practice for 10 to 20 years.
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The office administrator starts her day with a conference with insurance and front-office staff supervisors and checks on what areas might need special help. If an employee calls in sick, schedules have to be rearranged to cover. “Nothing ever goes as expected,” she said, taking it in stride.
She keeps the books, does payroll and purchasing, and oversees insurance for employees and malpractice insurance for the practice.
Patients”™ insurance is handled by the insurance department. “The insurance industry has been heading back toward higher co-payments and deductibles for the patients,” she said.
The high cost of equipment and malpractice insurance and the declining reimbursements from Medicare and other insurance make balancing the budget tricky, Brennan said. Her one leverage, she said, is in negotiating with venders who supply such goods as drugs and contact lenses.
The staff enjoys a relationship with the four opticians at the adjacent Optical Fashions that fills eyeglass prescriptions.
Brennan was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx and was graduated from St. Simon Stock High School. After working briefly at Metropolitan Life, she married and became a stay-at-home mother.
It was her later role as a volunteer soccer mom that led her to her present career. “I was secretary of the East Fishkill Soccer League and learned from a colleague that Hudson Valley Eye Surgeons were converting to a computer system and needed someone clerically,” she recalled. “I started part time and then went to full time after a month.” She became office manager in 1996.
Brennan is the widow of Thomas Brennan. She and their son Thomas live in Hopewell. Their older son, Michael, lives in Poughkeepsie.
As an avocation, she bowls and also confesses to being a shop-a-holic for clothing for the two Brennan granddaughters, Kayla and Katie.
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Challenging Careers focuses on the exciting and unusual business lives of Hudson Valley residents. Comments or suggestions may be emailed to Catherine Portman-Laux at cplaux@optonline.net.
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