AUSA’s Coastal S.C. Chapter Vice President for Veteran Affairs Larry Dandridge presents the Outstanding Service Award to Dr. Kelly Singleton. Submitted photo

VA Medical Center’s Singleton receives AUSA Award for Outstanding Service

Larry Dandridge

By Larry Dandridge

On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 10 a.m., VA Doctor of Optometry Kelly Singleton was awarded the Coastal S.C. Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Outstanding Service Award for her past and ongoing work as an optometrist, professor, and veteran advocate at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina. This ceremony provided more proof that veterans should enroll in VA healthcare.

The award plaque and letter of commendation states:

Many patient evaluations, supervisor appraisals, and coworker comments have described and commended Kelly Singleton as a polite, kind, compassionate, understanding, calming, and highly skilled doctor, communicator, teacher, and patient advocate. Dr. Singleton is ranked in the 99th percentile in the “rate my provider” category by her patients.

Dr. Singleton patiently and professionally evaluates veterans who are visually impaired to give them opportunities to improve their functioning vision. Her job is tough since what her patients want is to have normal vision again, which is unfortunately almost always impossible.

Dr. Singleton and her excellent staff do not dwell on the negative with their patients but instead, encourage them to learn new skills, that will allow them to be more independent and safer. She kindly answers the tough questions from veterans and their families about things like driving. Often, she is the only one they will listen to about giving up driving for the safety of others and themselves.

She tirelessly works with optometry students and residents to improve their training and learning experience at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. Dr. Singleton provides a unique and humanistic form of one-on-one and supportive training that ensures her students complete their examinations and patients are referred appropriately.

In summary, Dr. Singleton is a selfless, highly skilled, enthusiastic, and inspiring leader, doctor, and person. Her outstanding work and positive attitude are contagious and her Care for patients and their families is legendary at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and Healthcare System.

End of citation.

Vision clinic locations and overall workload

On average, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and Healthcare System’s (RHJVAMC&HCS) main Eye Clinic is located in the medical center at 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401-5799, phone 843-577-5011. The main Eye Clinic sees more than 10,000 patients each year. The Goose Creek clinic is located on Charleston Naval Weapons Station at 746 Pulaski Street, Goose Creek, S.C. 29445, phone 843-577-5011, extension 346995. The Goose Creek Clinic sees more than 3,000 patients each year. The VA Eye Clinic staff also sees an average of 10 patients a week on the inpatient floors of the VA Medical Center as well as six to eight patients monthly in our GIVE clinic that focuses on fall reduction.

Visually impaired workload and services

Approximately 20% of patients seen by the VA optometrists are blind or visually impaired. The RHJVA Eye Clinics offer an array of vision rehabilitation services for this sector of the veteran population. The RHJVAMC&HCS provides many different services for blind and visually impaired veterans, including:

  •  Low vision evaluations at all of our clinics – Bee St, Goose, Creek, Myrtle Beach, and telehealth low vision from Savannah.
  •  Support groups for our visually impaired veterans that include speakers from the community.
  •  Various activities through Recreational therapy.
  •  A Daily Living Activities specialist, a Blind Outpatient rehab specialist, and a Low Vision Occupational therapist as part of our Blind Rehab team.
  •  A coordinator for the Visual Impairment Service Team who ensures patients are connected with all resources and benefits available to them.
  •  A low-vision occupational therapist who assists with learning new ways to use smartphones to assist veterans in everyday tasks or asses light-filtering glasses to help with glare.
  •  A Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient specialist teaches blind patients how to use a mobility cane to travel independently. He also assists with technology devices to keep patients independent.
  •  Intensive inpatient low vision rehabilitation at one of our Blind Rehabilitation Centers throughout the country.

The primary focus in the RHJVAMC&HCS low-vision clinics is to ensure veterans remain independent even if they develop a visual impairment from disease or injury.

The RHJVAMC&HCS Eye Clinics have received the highest Press Ganey patient satisfaction score and most of the top 10 each year are VA eye doctors. A number of the VA eye care team members have also received iCare awards.

Staffing and wait times for appointments

The RHJVAMC&HCS Eye Services staff includes two Primary Eye Care optometrists, 14 ophthalmologists (eye surgeons), four nurses (two NPs, 2 RNs), 17 eye clinic technicians, six medical surgical assistants (MSAs), and residents and students. The RHJVAMC&HCS is well-staffed with eye surgeons for almost every specialty within eye care. If a patient requires surgical intervention the RHJVAMC&HCS Eye Clinics can get patients an appointment in a very reasonable time frame.

For primary eye care patients, the wait time is sometimes a bit longer since we only have three optometrists between the two locations but we strive to see everyone as soon as possible. For patients who prefer to be seen sooner than we can accommodate, the VA does have the option for patients to be seen through community care providers.

Most patients, including this writer, prefer to wait a little longer if needed to be able to see a VA Eye Clinic doctor. However, it is time for the RHJVAMC&HCS to hire more optometrists.

Learn more about VA-provided vision care, corrective lenses, eyeglasses, frames, contact lenses, RHJVAMC&HCS Eye Services, and more in the following articles and VA SITREP YouTube videos:

Congratulations to Dr. Singleton and her highly skilled and greatly appreciated staff!

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.

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