Strategic Plan to Address Growth in Southern Nevada

Critical Issue: Health Care

Southern Nevada faces serious health care challenges due to unprecedented population growth and demographic factors common to regions in the Western United States. While Nevada ranks low in the number of physicians per resident, we cannot attribute all the rankings to the quality of health care available in our community. We have some of the finest and most modern facilities and a cadre of well-trained and talented providers. University Medical Center has been recognized as one of the top 100 teaching hospitals. Experts attribute low rankings to poor lifestyle choices by Nevadans, such as: the prevalence of smoking, use of alcohol, and drug abuse. Also, access to health care is an overall concern. It is estimated that over 20 percent of Southern Nevadans are not covered by health insurance. All of this helps create a system where preventative health care is minimal and where the use of emergency rooms—often at public expense—becomes the primary health care option. Certainly, the unprecedented growth rate adds to the challenge of providing access to health related services.

Health Care Recommendations

Immediate Local Action
Develop programs to increase the number of health care professionals in Southern Nevada.

Immediate State Appropriation
Support the Board of Regents’ proposal to establish a dental college at UNLV.

Enhance the quality of Nevada’s professional education programs, particularly the medical school at UNR and UNLV.

Immediate State Legislation
Support legislation for the Clark County Organized Health System to coordinate publicly assisted medical programs.

Establish state mandated performance standards for health plans, hospitals, long term care facilities and other institutional providers.

Immediate State Action
Determine who should be designated to be responsible for coordinating health care issues.