Dr. Derek Williams
Dr. Derek Williams, a 2018 alumnus of Ferris State University’s Michigan College of Optometry, was named the Michigan Optometric Association’s 2022 Young Optometrist of the Year.
Williams, of Midland, was highlighted with the award during the Great Lakes Eyecare Conference in Rochester in May 2023, which included the MOA’s 127th annual meeting.
“It is an amazing thing to receive consideration with my peers and join other recipients who have served as role models,” Williams said. “I am grateful to the association for this honor in what has been a most humbling experience.”
Williams has spent his career working with Great Lakes Bay Health Centers (GLBHC). He started as a staff optometrist before his June 2022 promotion to vision director, caring for underserved individuals with limited or no insurance options.
“Medicaid patients are eligible for services from GLBHC,” Williams said. “One in five people who come to us for care has no insurance coverage, so we apply a sliding, income-based scale for these clients’ visual exams and eyeglasses. It allows us to serve their needs, regardless of their financial situation.”
Williams has worked to expand care access with locations in downtown Saginaw and the Old Town neighborhood on the city’s west side.
“Our clients find acquiring transportation for care a significant barrier, so our centers are in walkable locations, close to public transit routes. GLBHC also operates a patient ride service for those in need,” Williams said. “Other service improvements we have brought to bear include affordable options for clients seeking contact lenses and establishing an edging and grinding laboratory. That latter means delivering eyewear to a client in a week instead of a three-week turnaround, an efficient and economical outcome we are proud to offer our patients.”
Williams also created a learning opportunity for his alma mater as the first Michigan College of Optometry externship was approved. Later, 2023 MCO alumna Alissa Athanasakos, of Richmond Hill, Ontario, assisted at GLBHC clinics.
“Our first discussions with MCO about this prospect came in the Summer 2021,” Williams said. “Alissa interacted with approximately 450 patients from January to April this year. It was a great success, with the college now expected to present two students for externships, which will continue at their direction.”
Williams’ commitment to community healthcare outcomes was evidenced by his participation in regional PCR testing programs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020.
“Our clinics were only able to offer patient care in emergencies. As a result, we had a greatly reduced service schedule,” he said. “Two of us from GLBHC Eye Care agreed to staff drive-up testing clinics, where we each served more than 1,000 patients. I was very glad to contribute to a collaborative process in a most necessary response, where I saw clients arrive, who were relieved to get care from a familiar face.”