Honesty a Core Value
Following graduation from the State University of New York College of Optometry and the completion of her residency of serving Florida’s veterans, Dr. Prissilla Issa, OD, interviewed at numerous clinic and hospital-based practices. Throughout this process, she found her way to conversations with physicians from Quigley Eye Specialists in southwest Florida. Dr. Issa was impressed by the idea that the company was essentially a “mini eye hospital” with specialists of multiple disciplines including cornea, retina and glaucoma. “Having been taught directly by multiple specialists in the VA hospital, I have extensive training in ocular disease,” she says. Therefore, the structure of Quigley Eye appealed to her since patients had access to multiple ocular subspecialties all within one network.
Learning that Quigley Eye had a wide range of services was a strong appeal on paper; however, what really attracted her to joining the Quigley team was how knowledgeable and trustworthy the doctors were. Prior to signing on, Dr. Issa visited the practice and was impressed by how the physicians showed genuine care for patients. “I’ve seen a lot of physicians promote a high-end premium implant for cataract surgery. Here, the doctors had honest conversations about how well they expected products to work for each individual patient or what they might expect based on underlying conditions,” she says.
She understands that eye care is a business, of course, but her affection for the aging population she saw in the VA and for her own grandfather who had age-related macular degeneration has made her an advocate for her patients. She sees a similar attitude among the physicians employed by Quigley Eye.
Dr. Issa joined the team in November 2021, and her early impressions have held steady. “I feel that Quigley Eye is a company that listens to us and is willing to allow our voices to be heard,” she says. That’s a good guide for eye care professionals who are looking for a place to start or transition their career. Ask questions about patient care policies, scheduling and how concerns are aired, she suggests.
