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Andrea Giancarli Receives VBF's Service Award

At the 2007 Port Wine Stain and Vascular Birthmarks Conference held at The Island Hotel in Newport Beach, California, the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation Service Award was presented to Andrea Giancarli of the Beckman Laser Institute for her tireless effort in assisting families with insurance issues regarding the treatment of their vascular birthmarks and tumors.

Andrea was hired as Financial Billing Manager at the Beckman Laser Institute Medical Clinic in 1997. Her expertise ranges from public relations and coordination of day-to-day administrative activities to insurance billing. She is also the Clinic Coordinator of the Vascular Birthmarks and Malformations Diagnostic and Treatment Center (VBMDTC) at BLI under the direction of Dr. J. Stuart Nelson. The VBMDTC is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of medical specialists designed to provide accurate diagnosis and current treatment option for patients and their families who are affected by vascular birthmarks or malformations, including port wine stains, hemangiomas, arteriovenous malformations, and lymphatic malformations.

In presenting the award to Andrea, Dr. Nelson noted that some of her duties include getting authorizations from insurance companies for laser treatments performed for non-cosmetic reasons, submitting the insurance claims, and following up on payments and insurance company requests. Because of her persistence and efficiency, insurance claims and payments to the doctor are completed in a timely manner. Dr. Nelson noted that he often receives compliments from patients about the quality of service received at the clinic. "Because I do not have to worry about the day-to-day operation of the clinic, I am free to concentrate on just treating the patient. This also translates into a calm and comforting atmosphere for patients, staff, and doctors alike because they respond to Andrea.s responsible, professional and friendly approach," said Dr. Nelson in explaining why she deserved such recognition and praise.

Andrea is married with two daughters, Stephanie, 9, and Jacqueline, 4. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and likes going to the beach and playing tennis.