[Coney]

How is the quality of healthcare in Las Vegas? How are the hospitals? Do you find that there are enough doctors in each speciality or that you have to go to a bigger city, such as LA, if you have a serious problem? How is the care for mental illnesses? I know that there is no local medical school so are none of the hospitals teaching hospitals? Is there any medical research in LA?

Thank you

[dynimagelv]

we have 3 witchdoctors. Does that help?

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by Coney

I know that there is no local medical school so are none of the hospitals teaching hospitals?

The University of Nevada School of Medicine is in Reno, but their main teaching hospital is in Las Vegas (University Medical Center).

[dynimagelv]

Also the newly opened Lou Rouvo Brain Center run by the Cleveland Clinic....doing brain research.



This should ALSO be proof that we DO have a brain in Las Vegas....[sorry couldn't resist that one]

[tom_c]

Quality Care Nevada -- (http://s103.advocateoffice.com/ - broken link)

[mojavedxer]

My doctor is originally from Sri Lanka and she almost speaks english.

[dynimagelv]

Mine is from the Philipines and appears to be about 16 years old

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Coney

How is the quality of health care in Las Vegas? How are the hospitals? Do you find that there are enough doctors in each specialty or that you have to go to a bigger city, such as LA, if you have a serious problem? How is the care for mental illnesses? I know that there is no local medical school so are none of the hospitals teaching hospitals? Is there any medical research in LA?

Thank you

Where are you from? Are you seriously asking if any medical research is done in Los Angeles, the largest city in the U.S.? By the way, Las Vegas is not east Los Angeles. We have 2 million people here, and all the amenities you'd expect in a large city, including large hospitals, and even a few famous doctors. By the way, I had surgery by one of the country's most renowned thoracic surgeons at the teaching hospital, University Medical Center, and I wish I had sued the SOB. And he is/was the highest paid state employee in Nevada at something like $800,000 a year. I also had one of the world's leading cardiologists evaluate my case at Cedar's Sinai in Los Angeles, and my electro physiologist here in Las Vegas was unimpressed. He says research doctors don't see enough patients day to day, so aren't really good for giving exams. He totally disagreed with what the guy in LA told me. My EP, that I jokingly refer to as Doogie Houser, is, I think, one of the best doctors I've ever had. MY GP is also a great doctor...after all she actually saved my life. In the case of certain cancers, or for certain transplants, you might end up going to Los Angeles, but you'd probably expect to go to a major metropolis for that no matter where you're from. But to answer your question, from a layman's point of view, and someone who has had a lot of experience with doctors in several cities, health care is as good here as anywhere. For emergencies, I hope I never go to any of the hospitals in the Valley Hospital/Desert Springs group again. I don't know how many they own here but I think Summerlin Hosp. is one of them. For emergencies, UMC used to be best, but an incident recently that may have caused a pregnant woman to lose her baby has caused doubt about them. In their defense they did fire six people right away in that case though.

[Coney]

I am sorry. I made a terrible typo. I wrote LA, instead of LV.

I am thinking of moving to Las Vegas. I am from NYC and I have health insurance from a national company. There is coverage from this plan in Las Vegas. However, when I looked at network providers for specialities, I see about 50-150 names. Here in NYC, when I look for providers in a 25 miles radius on my plan, I get 2000 or more names. For mental health care in Las Vegas, there seems to be a lot less options. My friends who have been living in Las Vegas for 20 years have some serious illnesses. Like anywhere else, they have liked some doctors and have disliked other doctors. However, they have traveled to both LA and NYC for second opinions and for treatment options unavailable in Las Vegas. This is why I asked if people were satisfied with the quality and availablity of health care in Las Vegas. This will be a very important criteria for me in order to relocate to Las Vegas. I thought given that there are many retirees in Las Vegas, that there would be an increase in doctors and hospitals. I understand that a new hospital is being built in the northwest section.

Thank you for telling me about the teaching hospital.

[sierramadre44]

Originally Posted by Coney

How is the quality of healthcare in Las Vegas? How are the hospitals? Do you find that there are enough doctors in each speciality or that you have to go to a bigger city, such as LA, if you have a serious problem? How is the care for mental illnesses? I know that there is no local medical school so are none of the hospitals teaching hospitals? Is there any medical research in LA?

Thank you

The ranking for care in general is pretty bad. For a major city they offer services like rural health care facilities - shortages or non-existent. Thank God, my family and I are pretty darn healthy. I would hate to have a major need for health care. But, having been in health care in Nashville and the fact that I worked for a Regional Level I Trauma center/teaching hospital, I set the bar rather high.

In 2002, UMC closed it's trauma center because of mass resignations: LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: NEWS: TRAUMA CENTER: Facility at UMC set to close all brought on by medical malpractice insurance premiums.

I have a friend, senior, that has had care here and they have been 'testing' her for a year and trying pain management for what her docs thought was a nerve problem in her tailbone. Turns out she had a mass in her uterus and had to have a hysterectomy. Her husband has esophageal carcinoma and they go to LA for his treatments.

For mental illnesses... not much improvement there either. A lot of mentally ill continually hit the revolving door at the Clark County Detention Center because they don't know how to deal with mental illnesses. UMC has been over run with mentally ill and most are homeless without the necessary coping skills.

HOWEVER, all that said, you can find some quality physicians, it just takes work to weed out the yahoos. Do some searching on state licensing boards. Look for complaints filed against them. Get references from hospitals and get their cv's. Some even post them. Find out where they were schooled and to what associations they belong. Request a meeting with them prior to accepting them as your physician to 'get to know them' and discuss what your expectations are. If they can't communicate on your level and discuss your health care issues that make you feel comfortable, keeping moving on until you find someone that can.

Good luck.