Care Team

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Our Care Team

Optimal, compassionate care takes a more than just a doctor. Our multidisciplinary care team includes a retinal optometrist, surgical coordinators, ophthalmic technicians, scribes, photographers, and other health professionals all working towards a common goal: to provide patient-centric care. Our care team comprises of: Clinical Care Team, Triage, Patient & Referral Intake, Financial Counselors, On-Call Physician, Language Interpreters, Pet Partners Therapy Dogs

Clinical Care Team

At CRA, we believe high-quality care is provided through investment in education. We empower our front-line team members through extensive training and development so they can make informed decisions in various medical situations. Each medical assistant is continually engaging in courses to keep up with new techniques and technologies in retina. Our staff is an extension of their physician, assisting with patient counseling and education, comprehensive examinations, and preparation for minor office procedures.

Pet Partners Therapy Dogs

We believe the human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial relationship that improves the physical, social, and emotional lives of those living with challenging health conditions, including ocular disease. Pet Partners, a non-profit organization, brings pet therapy into our clinics to better serve our patients. We think of our registered therapy dogs as furry members of our clinical team, catalysts for reducing stress, promoting healing, and lifting spirits. Don’t miss Katie the Golden Retriever, Tino the Goldendoodle or Rosebud the Havanese at your next appointment.

Learn More

  • Katie, M.D.

  • Rosebud, M.D.

  • Tino, M.D.

Triage

Our triage team plays an essential role in providing an extra level of patient care. When a patient presents an ocular emergency, it's crucial we act fast to prevent the situation from escalating further and potentially resulting in irreversible vision loss. Our triage coordinators have worked extensively alongside our surgeons. They possess vast knowledge of the retina to assist in the diagnosis of common and complex ocular conditions. Our on-call team is available by phone 24/7, including after hours, weekends, and holidays to address any ocular emergency our patients’ experience. Your medical and ocular history and current symptoms to quickly assess the severity and urgency of your concern. If deemed urgent, the team will collaborate with our on-call physician to provide immediate, same-day care.

Call us at 303-261-1600 and follow the prompts for triage.

  • Rebecca Alarcon

    Triage Coordinator

  • Elena Vasquez, COA, CPSS

    Triage Supervisor

Patient & Referral Intake

Our talented team of intake and referral coordinators ensure that each new patient of CRA receives the care they need. Our coordinators are liaisons between you, your referring doctor, and your Colorado Retina physician to convey and triage pertinent medical information and schedule you accordingly based on your symptoms and potential diagnosis. This team assists in appointment coordination, medical documentation, and importantly prepares and educates each patient for what to expect at an initial appointment.

  • Bianca Ramiez, COA

    Referrals Coordinator

  • Lexus Gallegos

    Referral Support Specialist

  • Curtis Brobst, COA, OSC

    Triage and Referrals Manager

  • Veronica Garcia, COT

    New Patient Clinical Liaison

  • Jasmine Coronado

    Patient Intake Coordinator

Subspeciality Coordinators

Subspeciality coordinators exclusively handle the niche ophthalmic conditions, including autoimmune and inflammatory ocular disorders, intraocular tumors and lesions, and rare genetic disorders. Although these are comparatively small subspecialties, they have profound implications for our patients and often require complex, demanding care plans. From scheduling to ordering additional testing, check-ups, and coordination with your other healthcare providers, they’re here for you every step of the way.

Subspeciality Clinics

Uveitis

  • Sheila Vallejo, COT

    Uveitis Coordinator

  • Rachael Buhrle, OSC

    Uveitis Administrative Assistant

Oncology and Genetics

  • Molly Hagerty

    Specialty Clinics Administrative Assistant

  • Phyllis Romero

    Specialty Clinics Administrative Assistant

  • Rebecca Nelson, MS, CGC

    Certified Genetics Counselor

Financial Counselors

As an added service to our patients, we offer complimentary financial counseling to help you understand the complex billing process. Our counselors assist in the interpretation of copay and drug costs, financial liability, billing, and insurance coverage so you know your options and the best strategy to take. They are also a resource to help you navigate your options in financial assistance, including grant eligibility, customized payment plans, and sliding-scale coverage options to guarantee cost-effective care for all our patients.

On-Call Physician

As part of our dedication to helping our patients with retinal issues, our 24/7 designated on-call physician is essential in ensuring the urgent treatment of ocular emergencies and prevention of vision loss and long-term consequences. Our retina specialists rotate taking call, which means you always have an ophthalmologist available when you need one.

Language Interpreters

Part of providing excellent care to every individual is ensuring our practice is inclusive of all languages and cultures. In addition to having doctors on staff proficient in French, Spanish, Chinese, and Mandarin, Colorado Retina has partnered with a trusted language-access provider to deliver top-notch interpretation and translation to caregivers and patients at their critical moments of need. Our medically qualified, virtual interpreters will help you understand vital documents, your diagnosis, and next steps in your care, all in real-time. When scheduling an appointment let our team know if you would like to use our free-of-charge service, covering over 200 languages worldwide.