We would like to congratulate Dr. Jason Bleazard, Optometrist, in receiving the 2019 Provider of the Year award! We gave out five awards this year at our 2019 Virtual All Staff event and Dr. Bleazard received this award for his leadership, excellent patient care and team work and collaboration.

Dr. Bleazard grew up on a farm in a little town North of Pasco called Eltopia. He attended Pacific University College of Optometry in Oregon and went on to complete his residency at American Lake Veteran’s Hospital in Lakewood, WA. He has been with CBHA since 2012.

This year’s awards were awarded through a virtual video. “I was on my way to meet with a patient and someone came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations’ I said ‘I don’t know what I did, but thank you!’ They told me that I won the provider of the year award. It was nice to hear,” said Dr. Bleazard. He is very appreciative to be given this award.

Dr. Bleazard says that winning this award was a great honor, but is more of a reflection of his team, than it is of himself. “I love my eye care staff. They are hardworking and I can rely on them for just about anything.” He also enjoys fixing problems, and when his patients come in with something wrong, he enjoys being able to give relief to that pain and seeing resolution come out from it. “It’s very rewarding to give kids glasses for the first time. To see the change and later progress in school because of their vision, it is very gratifying to see,” says Dr. Bleazard.

When he first started with us, not everyone could pronounce his last name. So employees caught on to nicknaming him “Dr. B.” At first he didn’t know how to feel about it, but he grew in to it and saw some positivity through it as well. “It’s nice to be able to go into a room and introduce myself as Dr. B. It makes it especially easy for Spanish speaking families, or for little kids who find laughter in it. My nickname eases the tension and brings in something fun to the conversation as well.”

Dr. Bleazard is constantly motivated by his patients. “They are real people with families, hopes, dreams, concerns and problems,” says Dr. Bleazard. He ensures to not just know a patient by their eye history, but also through a provider-patient relationship. “When I have to have a tough conversation with someone about their history, it’s easier to give some hope when you’re already caught up to speed with everything else going on.”

He believes that we all want each other to be successful in the work that we do here at CBHA. He says to trust in your abilities because people trust in you, and have confided in you to be good at the work you do. “Just because it isn’t written on your job description, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to expand yourself and do better. People want each other to succeed and we see that here at CBHA all the time.”