New UMSL Patient Care Center Opens and Celebrates with Donor Reception

The UMSL – Patient Care Center officially opened and began seeing patients on Monday, September 19, 2016. The long anticipated opening occurred with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony attended by College of Optometry faculty, students, staff and university officials. Those individuals performing the honors were Dean Larry Davis, Interim Provost Dr. Chris Spilling, Director of Clinic Operations, Dr. Vinita Henry (’85), Alumnus Dr. Barbara Brown (’88), Assistant Professor Dr. Erin Brooks (’11), and Morgan Poore (’17). The biggest pair of scissors deservedly belonged to Dr. Henry who helped in every phase of the planning of the building and now receives the rewards of her masterpiece coming to life, “After 30+ years in a temporary facility, it is wonderful to finally have a clinic made for us. It is a beautiful building and will contribute a great deal to our patient care and our student education.”

Dean Davis’s vision for a new facility has now become a reality, “The new Patient Care Center is more than a beautiful and welcoming building. The design incorporates features that facilitate effective workflow, technology and collaboration among providers. The compassionate care provided by our staff, students and faculty is consistently rated high by patients. Now we have a facility commensurate with that work,” he said. Interim Provost Spilling was the first official patient at the new facility where he was examined by UMSL Extern Morgan Poore and Dr. Brooks as the supervising clinical instructor.

On Friday, September 23^rd, Dean Davis hosted a donor reception at the Patient Care Center to recognize those who have been supportive in enhancing the clinical education of future optometrists. The donors were among the first to tour the new facility and were very impressed as indicated by Dr. Kathy Noonan (’86), "I was amazed to see the new Patient Care Center! It is a beautiful facility with state-of-the-art spaces and updated technology. It provides an exciting place for faculty and students to teach and learn for years to come. I am proud to be an alumna." Another donor and UMSL alumni, Dr. Steve Barnett (’84) agrees with Noonan, “My expectations for the new Patient Care Center were exceeded on my visit and I could not be more proud for my alma mater and for the many students that will be clinically trained there.”

Dean Davis welcomed everyone and was impressed by our family of contributors who took time out of their busy schedule to see the new facility. “It is humbling to see so much interest by alumni and friends for the Patient Care Center. That ongoing support is critical for us to sustain what the students began through their commitment to the facility,” commented Davis.

One of the attendees, who has established a prominent practice in the St. Louis, Dr. Sean Mulqueeny (’91) went to much effort to attend the donor’s reception and had a very good reason to be proud of the new crown jewel on the UMSL campus: "Having grown up in Normandy in the 1960s and 1970s, I've seen a metamorphosis of this community led by the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. The addition of the state-of-the-art Patient Care Center is not only an asset to the College of Optometry, but to the community of Normandy as a whole. As a 1991 graduate, the clinical experience was one of the most important aspects of my training. This facility will significantly enhance the experiences of patients, students and professors alike. The scale and beauty of the physical structure moves UM-Saint Louis' College of Optometry to the top of all Optometry programs in the United States."

Dean Larry Davis welcomes and thanks all of the donors who attended this function, held just four days after the Center for Patient Care opened to the public.