2015-02-22 HealthCare Quarterly

VEGAS INC HEALTH CARE QUARTERLY

UMC LEADS THE WAY WITH NEW DA VINCI XI SURGICAL ROBOT 2015 | VOLUME 7

2015 | VOL. 7 SPONSORED BY:

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NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME Many of our medical professionals have been sitting on the sidelines during the past four to five years waiting for the right time and opportunity to begin construction of their dream home in Southern Nevada. As we begin 2015, Nevada State Bank’s Professional Banking Division is here to say that the time is now. With interest rates still at historical lows and land costs much lower compared to eight to ten years ago, it’s a perfect time to begin a project such as this.

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CONTENTS

24 COVER FEATURE

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University Medical Center

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A LEG UP Elizabeth Bailey-Smith is a landmark patient in the field of prosthetics

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OH, THE NERVE Understanding a new way to think about pain

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER Doctor’s mission to improve health care in Southern Nevada

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CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING Valley services key to identifying and healing victims

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SMART BOMBS The new weapon in the war on cancer

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GOTTA GO? What everybody ought to know about overactive bladders

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VEIN OF HOPE The American College of Phlebology helps patients understand treatments available

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THE GIFT OF LIFE Organization aims to change the way minorities think about organ donation

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COMMUNITY 60

MAKING THE ROUNDS Southern Nevada health care events in pictures

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CALENDAR Upcoming events and classes

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BY THE NUMBERS Health care facts and figures

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LOOKING BACK Operation Life, founded by civil rights activist Ruby Duncan

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Elizabeth Baily-Smith photo by Steve Marcus

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24 COLUMNS 16

WELLNESS Ama Brobbey, M.D., HealthCare Partners Nevada

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PEDIATRICS Larry Blumenthal, Good Night Pediatrics

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EDUCATION Rosemary Thuet, R.N., M.S.N., MountainView Hospital

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AGING Jamie Cogburn, Cogburn Law Office

DEPARTMENTS 54

VOLUNTEER Q&A George and Patricia Pratt, Family Home Hospice

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VOLUNTEER Q&A Dr. Neil Marek, Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada

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NONPROFIT Q&A Ronald McDonald House Charities

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PATIENT SUCCESS PROFILE Murray Molinsky, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

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THE NOTES Notes from the health care community

A surgical team prepares to use University Medical Center’s innovative surgical robot, the da Vinci Xi.

Photo courtesy of University Medical Center

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UMC LEADS THE WAY WITH NEW DA VINCI XI SURGICAL ROBOT 2015 | VOL. 7 SPONSORED BY:

COVER ILLUSTRATION Michele Hamrick

WINTER 2015

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©THE ROGERS FOUNDATION

The Vision to Transform Lives Through Arts and Education Innovation

To fund education in STEM subject matter

At The Rogers Foundation, we are leaving a legacy of opportunity, achievement and success. That’s why we’ve established scholarship and grant opportunities forInnovation students, schools and educators in Southern Nevada.

Knowledge To aid schools with vulnerable children populations

To fund education in STEM subject matter

Gift of...

Innovation

Gift of...

Knowledge

To fund education in STEM subject matter

To aid schools with vulnerable children populations

Knowledge

Imagination

Gift of...

Imagination

To fund creative expression and arts programs

To aid schools with To fund creative vulnerable children expression and arts To learn more about the Rogers Foundation and our programs populations

legacy project, visit us at: TheRogers.Foundation Imagination

To fund creative expression and arts programs

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We’re Living Proof Bailey Stevens Former Spring Valley Hospital NICU patient

Jaycee Whipple Former Children’s Medical Center at Summerlin Hospital patient

Ron O’Neal Former Valley Hospital rehabilitation patient Kristina Moore Former Centennial Hills Hospital patient Carrie Unck Former Desert Springs Hospital cardiac patient

Living Proof The Valley Health System is here for you.

Five hospitals. One passion. Quality care.

The Valley Health System is five hospitals, conveniently located throughout Las Vegas.

Providing comprehensive care is our specialty.

• Emergency care – where ER just got easier with ER wait times online and ER Reserve available online*

Learn more about The Valley Health System hospitals, programs and services and read these Living Proof patient stories at www.valleyhealthsystemlv.com

• Maternity care and neonatal intensive care units • Children’s Medical Center • Specialized rehabilitation care • Advanced cardiac care • Wound care programs • Surgical weight loss *ER Wait Time is an average provided for informational purposes only. ER Reserve should be used only if you decide your care can wait until the time you select. Do not wait if your symptoms or conditions worsen or if you need immediate care since delays may complicate your condition. If you are unsure of your condition or if your condition worsens, then please go to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1. Some insurance plans may not cover an ER visit if it is deemed urgent care or may apply a different copay. Please check your covered benefits with your insurance provider for details.

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The Valley Health System. The system shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

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2/13/15 10:28 10:19 AM 2/16/15

FROM THE EDITOR

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f I asked you to think about the best place to find examples of innovation in Southern Nevada, you’d probably begin your search in the tourist corridor, where the folks there keep their business models evolving at whiplash speed. Of course, the Great Recession forced our booming construction industry to innovate. Maybe not in the way we’d hope, but there were innovations nonetheless.

But what of our health care industry? Are our doctors waiting to read the latest reports to discover how their industry is evolving? Are they content to rely on the same old strategies to provide an adequate level of care to their patients?

Not by a long shot.

The magazine that you’re holding in your hands offers evidence of just how much innovation in health care is happening right here in Southern Nevada. It’s exciting news about groundbreaking work.

In the world of surgery, the da Vinci Xi looks like it’d be at home in the medical bay of the Starship Enterprise, but it’s actually in practice at more than one Southern Nevada hospital.

The robot, barely a year old, can perform complex procedures while a surgeon operates it and watches a monitor that provides 3-D images. It changed the life of one UMC patient.

And speaking of changed lives, Elizabeth Bailey-Smith is the first reported person in the country to get a special type of implant. After having her lower leg amputated to save her from cancer, she received a state-of-the-art prosthetic leg.

“The whole prosthesis is connected to her skeleton,” said physical therapist Ed Dolegowski.

“It’s not just an extension of her leg. It is her leg because it’s attached.”

Amputation was the best course of action to save Bailey-Smith from chondrosarcoma, a cancer of the bones and joints, but oncology research is evolving every day in Southern Nevada.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is the first site in the country testing a new drug that fights lymphoma and kidney cancers at the cellular level. It’s a targeted therapy that brings less severe and minimalized side effects. Their tests are in the early stages, but all signs are pointing in the right direction and the fact that the study is happening in our backyard is heartening.

Speaking of our backyards, not everything is rosy. Child sex trafficking continues to rise.

It’s not merely a judicial issue; it’s an issue of physical and mental health. Here in the valley, professionals are working on changing how they treat victims and working to make it easier to identify victims. Kathlyn Jaramillo is helping fight the tragedy of sex trafficking through Mariah’s House, which gives victims a place to go and begin the healing process.

Another field where innovative work is being done is in the peripheral nervous system.

That refers to all the nerves outside the skull and spine, so, many of them. Damage to the system isn’t necessarily well understood, so Nevada is fortunate to have the only comprehensive peripheral nerve specialist west of the Mississippi. He’s looking at pain and nerve damage in ways that other specialists might not.

So, yes, there is a lot that’s new and innovative out there in health care, and lucky for us, it’s happening right here.

Craig Peterson Editor of Special Publications craig.peterson@gmgvegas.com

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PUBLISHER DONN JERSEY (donn.jersey@gmgvegas.com)

EDITORIAL EDITOR OF SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS CRAIG PETERSON RESEARCH LIBRARIAN REBECCA CLIFFORD-CRUZ RESEARCHER PASHTANA USUFZY

ART ART DIRECTOR MICHELE HAMRICK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS L.E. BASKOW, CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, SAM MORRIS PHOTO COORDINATOR MIKAYLA WHITMORE

ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ONLINE MEDIA KATIE HORTON ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE AND VEGAS2GO JAMAL PARKER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, LAS VEGAS WEEKLY MARK DE POOTER ADVERTISING DIRECTOR JEFF JACOBS ACCOUNT MANAGERS KATIE HARRISON, BREEN NOLAN, SUE SRAN ADVERTISING MANAGERS BRIANNA ECK, DANIELLE EL KADI, FRANK FEDER, KELLY GAJEWSKI, KENNETH HARMON, TRASIE MASON, MICHELLE WALDEN DIRECTOR OF SALES OPERATIONS STEPHANIE REVIEA PUBLICATION COORDINATORS KASHMIR OWENS, KAREN PARISI DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER EMMA CAUTHORN

PRODUCTION VICE PRESIDENT OF MANUFACTURING MARIA BLONDEAUX ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PAUL HUNTSBERRY PRODUCTION MANAGER BLUE UYEDA PRODUCTION ARTISTS MARISSA MAHERAS, DARA RICCI TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR ESTEE WRIGHT ART DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING AND MARKETING SERVICES SEAN RADEMACHER GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLOS HERRERA TRAFFIC COORDINATORS MEAGAN HODSON, KIM SMITH

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION RON GANNON ROUTE MANAGER RANDY CARLSON FULFILLMENT MANAGER DORIS HOLLIFIELD CIRCULATION RESEARCH SPECIALIST CHAD HARWOOD

MARKETING AND EVENTS EVENT MANAGER KRISTIN WILSON

GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR BRIAN GREENSPUN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ROBERT CAUTHORN GROUP PUBLISHER TRAVIS KEYS EXECUTIVE EDITOR TOM GORMAN MANAGING EDITOR RIC ANDERSON ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS DELEN GOLDBERG CREATIVE DIRECTOR ERIK STEIN VEGAS INC 2360 CORPORATE CIRCLE, THIRD FLOOR HENDERSON, NEVADA 89074 | 702.990.2550

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WELLNESS

MODERN HEALTH CARE, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS, IS BECOMING A TEAM EFFORT

By Ama Brobbey, M.D.

I

n the wake of the Affordable Care Act, health care organizations across the nation are recognizing the importance of focusing more intently on quality of care and improved medical outcomes. For some organizations, this is a dramatic departure from the traditional, volume-based approach of yesteryear. A growing number of health care models now prioritize patient-centered, coordinated care while seeking to maximize the value provided to community members.

To meet these new goals, many organizations are beginning to embrace team-based health care, an approach in which a full team of health care providers work alongside doctors to promote successful outcomes for patients.

This approach serves as a potential solution for easing the national shortage of primary care physicians, using highly skilled nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other professionals to provide additional access for patients.

Rather than engaging solely with a physician during primary care visits, many patients now receive coordinated care from a larger team of health care professionals. While physicians continue to play an integral role in treating patients, this model provides additional support from a trusted team to offer a variety of valuable services to patients. In many cases, these providers are supported by professional staff and care coordinators.

Most importantly, team-based care can significantly improve quality of care, especially among senior citizens with chronic medical conditions. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, team-based care substantially increased the levels of care provided for three out of four common chronic conditions among seniors, including dementia, risk for falls and incontinence.

The study, which followed 485 patients who were older than 75, discovered that patients who saw a nurse practitioner-physician team were more likely to receive the recommended care for certain common conditions than those who saw only a physician. For instance, patients served by a physician and a nurse practitioner received 80 percent of the recommended care for fall assessments, while those treated solely by a doctor received only 34 percent of the recommended care.

This research serves to illustrate the true impact of providing patients with a coordinated team of professionals who help people receive the care they deserve. While many organizations are only beginning to embrace these changes, HealthCare Partners Nevada has successfully used this team-based approach for many years.

This collaborative approach is the cornerstone of HealthCare Partners’ Total Care Model, which provides patients with access to a coordinated team of primary care providers, specialists and other medical professionals. This coordinated, patient-centered approach includes a strong focus on preventative medicine and assisting patients with maximizing their health insurance benefits.

Beyond assisting with typical clinical matters, the Total Care Model enables a highly skilled team to work together and address any issues that impact patients’ access to health care. This is much more than simply referring a patient to a specialist. At HealthCare Partners, primary care providers work alongside a wide range of specialists, including cardiologists, oncologists, dermatologists and many others to monitor patients’ care and work collaboratively to determine the best course of action.

The implementation of readily accessible electronic health records also plays a crucial role in offering high-quality coordinated care. This provides team members with access to essential patient information, including primary care offices, urgent care centers and specialty clinics.

At HealthCare Partners, outpatient and inpatient provider teams work in tandem to ensure patients enjoy a continuum of care from the exam room to the hospital room to the comfort of their homes. In addition to managing patient appointments, HealthCare Partners’ team members also ensure screenings and immunizations are complete and correct medicines are used, decreasing out-of-pocket expenses for patients.

Patients across Nevada and the nation are expected to benefit as more health care organizations begin to implement coordinated, team-based approaches to care. HealthCare Partners serves as a primary example of the benefits, and the organization hopes to see its efforts inspire other companies to develop talented teams of health care professionals to address the needs of their patients.

Ama Brobbey, M.D., is chief medical officer of HealthCare Partners Nevada.

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P E D I AT R I C S

ILLNESS DOESN’T CARE IF YOU WORK A GRAVEYARD SHIFT

By Larry Blumenthal

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edical facilities in Nevada are increasingly adapting to accommodate patients’ diverse health care needs, with a strong focus on providing patients with improved access to treatment. These efforts include ensuring late-night and weekend care for patients who can experience health issues outside normal office hours. This has long remained a high concern for Southern Nevada families, as children often have limited health care options during evening and nighttime hours, when their primary pediatric providers’ offices are typically closed. Families have often encountered a lack of alternative health care options for children late at night and on weekends, with many parents forced to choose between deferring care until their primary care provider is available, or taking children to the emergency room and incurring higher costs and longer wait times due to the escalation in level of care.

Good Night Pediatrics, an urgent care facility in Henderson, seeks to address this gap in health care with an innovative model of delivering care. The facility specializes in providing services for children and teenagers during evening and nighttime hours, with the clinic open from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. 365 days of the year. The clinic’s unique business model, the only one of its kind in the Las Vegas Valley, aims to provide a convenient alternative to the ER when children experience health issues at night, allowing children to see a pediatric specialist and avoid undue escalation and unnecessary ER visits. Pediatricians at the facility can treat a wide range of non-emergency illnesses and injuries, including strep, asthma issues, flu symptoms, minor cuts and broken bones, earaches, fevers and more. In addition, the clinic provides sports physicals for students. The availability of after-hours pediatric services in a non-emergency environment reduces wait time and cost of care for both families and insurance providers, while providing high-quality pediatric care to patients.

The availability of all-night care for children serves as a valuable resource in Las Vegas, where many parents and guardians work late shifts in the hospitality and entertainment industries. Families with unique schedules might otherwise face challenges with obtaining high quality and cost effective health care services for children.

The all-night pediatric urgent care model might also help reduce pressure on Southern Nevada’s emergency rooms by

providing a helpful late-night care option for children’s nonemergency health issues. In 2012, 18 percent of children under the age of 18 in the U.S. visited the emergency room at least once that year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 75 percent of children’s ER visits that year occurred at night or on weekends. According to the CDC, previous research has found that many adults visiting the ER at night reported they did so because doctors’ offices weren’t open. Additionally, the CDC has reported that nearly two-thirds of pediatric ER visits are considered non-emergent.

Providing pediatric care at night could play an important role in lowering the number of nighttime visits to local emergency rooms, reducing overcrowding and wait times.

There are a variety of reasons families might choose to use all-night pediatric urgent care instead of waiting for their primary physicians’ offices to open. Some non-emergency illnesses children experience, such as ear aches, can be extremely painful. A long sleepless night caused by pain can often compound these problems. Infants experiencing issues such as a high fever might have difficulty eating and sleeping, potentially leading to additional health problems.

While these issues might not warrant a trip to the ER, many parents would prefer not to wait through the night to address their children’s suffering.

This business model isn’t structured to replace the services of children’s primary care providers. The intent is to complement those providers, rather than competing with them. In order to provide continuity of care, Good Night Pediatrics forwards all relevant medical information to the child’s primary care provider, allowing families to follow up with their pediatrician later.

It is highly important for families to identify which children’s health issues warrant a trip to urgent care or the ER. Significant health issues such as seizures, severe bleeding and severe broken bones, for instance, warrant a trip to the ER. Additional information about when to take children to urgent care or the ER is available on the clinic’s website, at www.goodnightpeds.com.

Keeping children healthy is a 24-hour responsibility, and it is often valuable for families to explore new options for care. Good Night Pediatrics encourages families to consider all of their options for care when children experience health issues, during daytime and evening hours alike.

Larry Blumenthal is the chief financial officer at Good Night Pediatrics.

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Photographer: Meghan Poort

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Eva Littman,

Shannon L. McGrath,

M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

M.S.N., W.H.N.P.-C.

6410 Medical Center Street, Suite A • Las Vegas, NV 89148 870 Seven Hills Drive, Suite 103 • Henderson, NV 89052

2/3/15 10:40 2/16/15 10:35 AM

E D U C AT I O N

PROGRAM PROVIDES INTENSIVE TRAINING FOR NEW GRADUATE NURSES

By Rosemary Thuet, R.N., M.S.N.

T

ransitioning into the role of professional nurse is cause for great excitement and apprehension for the student nurse. Nursing school is tough, but the student nurses have their professors to help them during training, and during preceptorhships they have their preceptors always looking over their shoulders. Once they step into the workplace, things get a whole lot more complicated and scary. For that reason, MountainView Hospital has implemented a program to transition nursing graduates into the real world of nursing.

A 2004 article in the Journal of Nursing Administration noted that 35 to 69 percent of new graduate nurses left their jobs within one year. A consistent, structured and standardized graduate nurse program can help prevent new nurses from fleeing their first job and the nursing profession. The need for a standardized transition-to-practice model has arisen because of the changes in health care in the past 20 years. Patients are living longer and have multiple chronic conditions; systems are becoming more complex and technology is growing exponentially. At the same time, the focus is on patient safety, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice, which require high-level thinking and experiential learning.

MountainView Hospital has partnered with Parallon Workforce Solutions on a program that will transition nursing graduates into the workforce. The program, StaRN, is a specialty training initiative that provides intense post-graduate training to newly licensed nurses. The program is designed for med/ surg, telemetry, and critical care nurses.

The program is based on the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Essentials of Critical Care Orientation core curriculum. It will also incorporate many of MountainView Hospital’s specific training initiatives such as Core Measures and care of the septic patient. At the end of the program, the graduate nurses will be BLS, ACLS, NIH Stroke Scale and CPI certified. The program also uses the Team-

“

STEPPS training developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That program along with some cultural lessons around patient safety and communications will help develop a well-rounded professional nurse.

The new nurses will also be trained on Meditech, the Electronic Health Record, and complete a didactic and basic dysrhythmia final exam. The program runs 13 weeks. The first six to seven weeks include a combination of didactic education and simulation. The remaining six to seven weeks are spent at MountainView Hospital working with a carefully selected clinical preceptor.

The program also includes training for the seasoned nurses that will be precepting the graduate nurses. The preceptor will attend a one-day seminary along with completing the online AACN Challenge course so that they have the tools and skills to be a great preceptor.

Through the training and simulation, which include American Association of Critical-Care Nurses curriculum and six to seven weeks of clinical preceptorship, the new nurses are capable of working independently much earlier in their profession than prior to the introduction of this program. The StaRN program provides a consistent, structured and standardized national curriculum for newly licensed registered nurses.

MountainView Hospital will have 15 graduates participating in our first StaRN program. We are so excited to help transition these new nurses into the practice environment and have them become part of the MountainView family. By doing so, we are able to provide our patients excellent care and also support our community.

The universities and colleges in Nevada have produced top-notch nurses who are intelligent, compassionate, and professional. Now that MountainView has partnered with Parallon and their StaRN program, we are able to take these graduate nurses and turn them into “Rock Stars” that deliver safe, quality driven care.

A 2004 article in the Journal of Nursing Administration noted that 35 to 69 percent of new graduate nurses left their jobs within one year.

Rosemary Thuet, R.N., M.S.N., is the director of education at MountainView Hospital.

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AGING

WORRIED IF YOU’RE CHOOSING THE RIGHT NURSING HOME?

By Jamie Cogburn

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s your loved ones get older, they may decide to move into a nursing home. There are a tremendous amount of benefits from living in a nursing home, but picking the right one can be very difficult. In addition, once you choose a nursing home you need to ensure the facility is taking the proper precautions when caring for your loved ones.

The first step in choosing a nursing home is simple — educate yourself. Begin with talking to other people who have dealt with nursing homes or have loved ones in nursing homes. One of the best resources is www.Medicare.gov, which compares nursing homes and uses a rating system similar to how one would rate a hotel. Once you have your list of nursing homes narrowed down, you need to schedule a visit. Some of the basic factors you should consider are:

• Staffing — Is the nursing home properly staffed? Is there a lot of turnover with staff? Does the staff seemed rushed?

Does the staff seem happy and genuinely interested in you?

Are there enough nurses on staff? Although certified nursing assistants deal with most patients, you want to ensure there are a high level of registered nurses on staff, as this helps with the quality of care.

• Residents — Are the current residents happy and seem engaged in activities, or do they seem groggy and overmedicated? Are residents treated with respect? Talk to other families of the residents and get their thoughts on the nursing home.

• Cleanliness — Is the nursing home clean? Many nursing homes can have funky odors, smell of urine or have an overwhelming deodorizer smell to cover up these unwelcoming odors.

• Accidents — How does the nursing home react when someone falls? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falling is the largest problem in nursing homes.

Once you have done your homework and selected a nursing home, you need to stay involved. Although you may have chosen an excellent facility, you want to make sure your loved one’s care continues at the highest level. Unfortunately, an estimated 2.1 million seniors are the victim of some form of abuse. What is even more concerning is research shows that for every case reported, there may be as many as five more cases of abuse that go unreported. You need to visit your loved one often and be aware of possible problems they may encounter. Some common signs of nursing home neglect include: • Dehydration • Malnutrition • Poor personal hygiene • Unsanitary living conditions • Soiled bed linens • Unusual bruising or bleeding • Sudden and unexplained changes in weight • Bed sores • Sudden changes in mood or emotional health If you suspect something is wrong or your loved one is being mistreated, speak up. Immediately inform the nursing home of your concerns and continue to follow up to ensure your concerns are addressed. Make sure you document any problems, including the date, time and staff members involved, so the management or a state agency can properly investigate your concerns. Most abuse or neglect happens over a period of time, so staying involved and speaking up is imperative if you want your loved one to have the best possible care. If problems persist or you have concerns that are not being addressed, you may need legal representation.

Cogburn Law Offices represents individuals and families subjected to nursing home abuse and neglect. In fact, you do not pay a fee, unless your case is successful. If you have any concerns, please don’t wait and get help now.

Jamie Cogburn is co-founder of Cogburn Law Offices.

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RTISTRY OF THE DA VINCI XI

UMC IS ONE OF THE FEW HOSPITALS IN NEVADA WITH BREAKTHROUGH SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY

By Danita Cohen

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uilding on its reputation of providing the highest level of care in Nevada, UMC now has one of the only surgical

robotic systems of its kind in the state.

The da Vinci Xi has broader capabilities than prior generations of the da Vinci system, with the adaptability to be used across an array of procedures in urology, gynecology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.

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Minimally invasive surgery allows a quicker recovery time, less pain, less bleeding and shorter hospitalization.

UMC’s da Vinci Xi has 3D-HD visualization, giving surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

Photo Credit

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Above: Letticia Forde prepares to undergo surgery for ulcerative colitis. Right: Dr. Ovunc Bardakcioglu is among those who will operate UMC’s new surgical robot, the da Vinci Xi.

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Letticia Forde, a 23 year old college graduate, was the first patient at UMC to undergo a procedure using this breakthrough technology. Throughout her college career, Forde suffered from ulcerative colitis – inflammation of the large intestine and colon – which led to abdominal cramping and bloody persistent diarrhea, taking a destructive toll on her entire life.

“My first year of college in 2009 I had stomach pain. I would eat and not know what was going on. I thought I was eating the wrong kinds of food and then one day I had a bowel movement and there was blood in toilet. I was scared out of my mind,” said Forde.

She quickly made an appointment with her primary care physician who referred her to a GI specialist for a colonoscopy that showed ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is ulcers in the lining of colon. At first, Forde’s physicians thought it could be controlled with medication, but by April 2014, the inflammation was worse and the side effects of the multiple medications, including severe bone density loss, were more than she wanted to handle. Her side was inflamed, she was gaining and losing weight, and worst of all she had to be in the bathroom 15-20 times a day. The disease was making it very difficult for Forde to get through college.

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The surgical team is able to watch the procedure on large video monitors.

“It took over my life; it was very hard for me to go through school – I graduated but I wasn’t able to graduate with the grades I wanted and knew I could achieve. I missed a lot of class because my stomach would make loud noises and I would have to leave in the middle of a lecture for 15-20 minutes. It was very embarrassing,” she said.

Forde searched for a colorectal surgeon, finding Dr. Ovunc Bardakcioglu, chief of colon and rectal surgery of the University of Nevada School of Medicine and practicing at UMC. Bardakcioglu is fellowship-trained in colon and rectal surgery from Cedars Sinai Medical Center and the UCLA School of Medicine.

“When I met Forde I could tell she has been suffering for too long,” said Bardakcioglu.

“He told he my disease would only get worse and never better and that he had a cure for this,” said Forde.

The cure would be a three-step surgical process performed by Bardakcioglu controlling the hands of UMC’s brand-new surgical robot.

“The new robotics system at UMC is a perfect fit and it’s one of the only hospitals in the valley with the system,” said Bardakcioglu.

“The advanced technology is superior to all others as it allowed me to work in the upper and lower part of the body at the same time. I was able to remove her entire colon using the robotics system.”

First, her entire colon was removed and she was given an ileostomy bag. Then, in three months her rectum will be removed and in the final step, Bardakcioglu will build her a new colon using her small bowel.

“This is one of the most technically difficult procedures as a colorectal surgeon. The beauty of the robotics system is the precision of the system. For rectal surgeries and a host of other procedures the system at UMC is superior — there is none better,” said Bardakcioglu.

During the surgery, Bardakcioglu controls the robot from a console, watching the process from a huge video screen. It’s the robot at the patient’s side following Bardakcioglu’s commands.

“The UMC robot has what’s called an ‘endo wrist,’ which makes its instruments very flexible. Conventional laparoscopy utilizes instruments similar to ‘chopsticks.’ On the UMC robot, I am able to control three arms with a switch on my foot that is assigned to the left or right hand rather than relying on my assistant’s hands and telling them what to do, I am able to do it myself. It cuts down on the communication and the need for an advanced skill set of another surgeon. Another big advantage is the 3-D camera, much like the difference between watching a movie from a VHS tape and watching it on a 3-D movie screen,” said Bardakcioglu.

Using UMC’s robotic technology, Forde doesn’t have an extraction site – she only has three incisions merely 8 millimeters wide.

If Bardakcioglu would have done the procedure hand-assisted laparoscopically, her scars would have been 8-9 centimeters and using a traditional process, her entire abdomen would have been open. Thus, her in hospital recovery time was lessened to only 3-4 days, down from 10 days.

“I am already feeling so much better. I still have two more procedures to go and want them to go as smoothly as this one. I don’t even have any stitches, just a little bit of glue holding the tiny incisions together,” said Forde.

When she is fully recovered, Forde will have a completely rebuilt colon, with her energy level back and big plans to go to graduate school.

“Dr. Bardakcioglu is rewiring me with the use of UMC’s robot.

That technology is pretty incredible!”

Danita Cohen is the UMC executive director, strategic development and marketing.

Photos courtesy UMC

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A LEG UP NURSE ELIZABETH BAILEY-SMITH IS WALKING AGAIN AFTER BEING A LANDMARK PATIENT IN THE FIELD OF PROSTHETICS

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By Laura Carroll

nside the exercise room of Matt Smith Physical Therapy, Elizabeth Bailey-Smith is moving, albeit a little stiffly, in a circle around the large workout area with encouragement from physical therapist Ed Dolegowski. It was her first walk on two legs in a year.

Bailey-Smith’s long journey to medical history started with a pain in her right leg. Doctors discovered a lump behind her right knee and found she’d Right: Elizabeth Bailey-Smith is seen with Ed developed chonDolegowski at Matt Smith Physical Therapy.

Bailey-Smith had an osteointegration implant drosarcoma, a canafter losing her right leg due to bone cancer. cer that affects the Below: X-ray of the titanium alloy bones and joints. If rod implant in her femur. she opted to simply remove the cancer, her chances were high that it could return. An amputation was needed to erase the disease.

It’s been a few months since Bailey-Smith has been discharged from physical therapy and she wears her state-of-the-art prosthetic leg all the time. A cane helps, but for the most part, it’s all her.

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Photo by Steve Marcus

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To be clear, Bailey-Smith was an ideal candidate for this. She As the first reported person in the U.S. to receive an osteoinsays she wasn’t going to accept permanent amputation without tegration implant for transfemoral amputation, Bailey-Smith’s prosthesis and has a strong desire to return to her career as progress is significant. a critical care nurse. She’s a nonsmoker who’s in great shape In May 2013, Ronald Hillock amputated Bailey-Smith’s right and doesn’t have to take medications for anything other than leg from just above the knee down. At the same time, he placed the amputation. She also received extensive counseling before a titanium alloy rod implant in her femur, which allowed for a undergoing this process. Prior to receiving the osteointegration stable and secure attachment so forces can be transmitted from implant, Bailey-Smith was counseled by experienced prosthaBailey-Smith’s hip and thigh musculature to a prosthesis. tists about the anticipated function from a conventional suction At Hillock’s practice in Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center, he suspension system prosthetic and wasn’t satisfied. She then is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal received extensive counseling about the expected form and disease and adult reconstruction. With Bailey-Smith, Hillock was function from the osteointegration device prior to beginning prepared to start a medical process he’d never performed before, her journey. in the name of making headway in the field of prosthetics.

With the guidance of Dolegowski and the Matt Smith Physical Once Bailey-Smith’s body became used to the implanted rod, Therapy staff, Bailey-Smith exshe was ready to begin using ecutes her steps more naturally a pylon that extends down than someone using a traditiondirectly from her bone. This al prosthetic. Her gait is also direct-to-bone attachment assisted by a programmable miallows the osteointegration coprocessor in her knee, which implant to give patients more allows Bailey-Smith to mimic movement akin to the natural her natural gait so both legs body, through a direct energy move in time with each other. transfer to the device, whereas Bailey-Smith is able to set the traditional prosthetics can mini computer in her knee to sometimes be clunky or make match her natural steps as often the wearer feel separate from as needed, as she gains strength his or her piece. or wears different shoes.

During her time at Matt Smith To gain strength and become Physical Therapy, Bailey-Smith’s used to all the ways her new leg sessions began with Baileymoves, Bailey-Smith exercises Smith attaching her prosthetic three times each day in her to the permanent rod that juts home with assistance from her out from her leg. husband, Dwayne.

“This is a much different situPhysical therapist Ed Dolegowski Although she’s been disation than I’ve ever experienced. charged, Bailey-Smith says she There’s a huge benefit to this, still has back pain, which she because there’s no socket and thinks stems from an alignment she has total control. It’s going to problem. When she’s standing for long periods, such as when she’s be phenomenal,” Dolegowski, the physical therapist, said last May. cooking, the pain becomes worse. Because of that, she says she “Can you see my goosebumps?” wants to return to Matt Smith Physical Therapy to have the staff Today, Dolegowski says he’s confident and happy that Baileyhelp her figure out what’s causing the pain and give her tools to Smith is able to walk and negotiate stairs, inclines and declines combat the issue. safely. He adds that she has a high level of functionality and he’s She also says she needs to learn more about how to make the never had a person with an above-knee amputation feel more adjustments on her programmable knee. As she grows stronger, comfortable standing. more adjustments will have to be made to match her new stride.

“I was hopeful because the whole prosthesis is connected to her She’d also like to learn to allow for the changes that need to be skeleton. It’s not just an extension of her leg. It is her leg because made when she wears shoes with a heel. it’s attached. When she puts weight on her foot, she feels it be“When you know what you’re doing, it’s not difficult at all. But, cause it’s connected to her body,” Dolegowski says. if you don’t make the correct adjustments I could be leaning And she does, in fact, feel her prosthetic foot. forward like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s amazing how much a In her first week wearing the complete prosthetic, Bailey-Smith little fraction of an inch can make in making these adjustments,” said she felt a sensation in her new foot when it grazed a wall in Bailey-Smith says. her home.

Even with the issues that come with learning to use her new “It’s becoming a part of me,” Bailey-Smith says. “I feel all the prosthetic, Bailey-Smith says she’s happy with her progress. little bumps and sensation is definitely in play.”

“

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t’s not just an extension of her leg. It is her leg because it’s attached.

When she puts weight on her foot, she feels it because it’s connected to her body.”

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“Last year this time I was pretty much a mess mentally and physically because I was not able to emulate. Last December I was using my walker with one foot,” Bailey-Smith says.

Since completing her surgery, Hillock has published four case reports on Bailey-Smith’s recovery in a scientific peer-reviewed publication, the Reconstructive Review, the journal of the Joint Implant Surgery & Research Foundation. Hillock also has made several presentations at scientific meetings, including a recent one at the University of Nevada School of Medicine’s annex in Las Vegas.

“I would declare Elizabeth at this point at a stable and static state. I’m trying to talk her into going back to work now,” Hillock says. “That’s where we sit with her.”

Looking ahead for the device, Hillock and his cohorts are working on the 1.5 iteration of the osteointegration implant, based on information from Bailey-Smith’s experience. Three people are in the design process for an updated model. In February, Hillock was expected to perform his second osteointegration procedure.

Hillock’s results and processes are constantly reviewed by an independent board of ethics, but since the prosthetics are custom, they don’t have to have Food and Drug Administration approval, they just have to be disclosed in detail to the FDA. The organization can, however, pull the plug on Hillock’s project at any time.

Looking ahead, Hillock already has permission to perform the procedure on nine Dr. Ronald Hillock provided more patients, after a case report about Elizabeth which he said he hopes to get that extended to Bailey-Smith’s procedure.

10 more.

You can find it on the Joint Dolegowski says that Implant Surgery & Research the success BaileySmith has had with her Foundation’s website at: implant is extremely http://tinyurl.com/kooox46 innovative in the physical therapy world.

“It’s one of those things you look at as a therapist and say ‘Why haven’t we done this sooner?’ Dr. Hillock and the engineers, what they went through, for the United States, it’s game changing,” Dolegowski says. “It wasn’t easy. They really got it done. It’s extreme innovation and it’s truly amazing.”

In terms of Bailey-Smith’s back pain, Dolegowski says she’s experiencing it because she can feel her new leg’s effects throughout her entire body.

“I loved the experience of working with Elizabeth and what this innovation can do for patients. It’s a world of difference for people and will allow them to attain a real high level of function,” he adds.

As she becomes stronger and stronger, Bailey-Smith has said she’s most looking forward to bicycling and walking her dog, Macy Gray. She’s not yet at the point where she can ride a bike, but she sees it happening.

“I’m becoming steadier on my feet, and I’m more acclimated to my prosthetic device,” she says.

Bailey-Smith says she also wants to visit a specialist she met at a medical conference with Hillock who can help manipulate her back and teach her some tricks of the trade to get out the kinks at home.

“To experience a diagnosis of cancer and amputation does not mean that your life is over. It has shown me how to be more patient with myself and how to adapt to a situation and be creative in getting the things done that you need to do,” Bailey-Smith says.

Laura Carroll is an account executive at the Ferraro Group.

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Bailey-Smith, seen with physical therapist Ed Dolegowski, wears a state-of-the-art prosthetic leg that attaches to the implant in her femur, which allows for a stable and secure connection.

Photos by Steve Marcus

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OH, THE NERVE UNDERSTANDING A NEW WAY TO THINK ABOUT PAIN

By Timothy Tollestrup, M.D.

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ain is universal. It is a common link all people share, the root of empathy; it separates the good times from the bad times.

Pain alerts our brains to danger and damage, thereby keeping us safe, helping us to learn from and alter bad behaviors. In many ways, pain is good.

Until it’s not.

We each know someone who experiences chronic pain, the result of disease or accident or the lingering side effect of surgery. One of the most likely causes is damage to the peripheral nervous system.

Consisting of all of the nerves outside of the skull and bony spine, the peripheral nervous system is one of the largest and most poorly understood in the human body.

While surgeons (neuro, orthopedic, plastic, hand) have been operating on peripheral nerves for a long time, the approach, until very recently, has been fragmented at best. The typical course of study that leads doctors through their medical training includes only the most bare-bones basic instruction on the peripheral nervous system in medical school, and it is not revisited in any depth during a medical or surgical residency, or additional fellowship subspecialty training. Bits and pieces of what is actually peripheral nerve surgery have, over time, been incorporated into other specialties, usually out of necessity. Examples of this would be hand surgeons doing carpal tunnel surgery or orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons doing tarsal tunnel surgery.

When orthopedic surgeons operate to repair a crushed foot, their primary objective is to restore the function and form of the foot. They tend to focus on repairing bones, tendons and ligaments, which is their area of expertise. Although they are generally aware of large nerves important for motor function (muscle movement), they are typically unfamiliar with the many smaller nerves that transmit signals from the foot to

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the spine and then the brain, nerves that may be displaced, damaged or severed during the operation, if not the injury that preceded it.

It is only recently that the specialty of peripheral nerve surgery has developed to specifically treat pain problems related to the peripheral nervous system. Historically, the lion’s share of research in the field of peripheral nerve surgery has been devoted to solving functional problems — patients who have lost the ability to move an important muscle, group of muscles or an entire arm or leg. This includes research in the areas of better understanding the biology of nerve healing, the surgical techniques and technology involved in nerve repair, and more recently nerve transfers to try and restore functional deficits. While these types of injuries are obvious in their severity, they represent less than one percent of peripheral nerve pathology.

The vast majority, the other 99 percent, manifest primarily as pain.

There are three main categories of surgically treatable nerve pain: Nerve compression — the most commonly recognized form of nerve compression is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is essentially a situation where the nerve is being compressed or “pinched” by surrounding tissue.

Nerve stretching — when functioning properly, nerves glide through tissue and around joints as our bodies move. When a nerve becomes stuck in scar tissue, the nerve is stretched like a rubber band, rather than gliding back and forth, which can be very painful.

Neuroma formation — when a peripheral nerve is cut, it will try to regenerate and heal itself. The end of the nerve that is still attached to the spinal cord (the proximal end) will sprout new nerve fibers.

The other end of the nerve (the distal end) will produce chemical signalers to try and guide the new growing nerve ends from the proximal part of the nerve so that it can reconnect. If this process is frustrated because a large piece of the nerve is missing or the proximal end of

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the nerve gets stuck in scar tissue, then a neuroma, a bulbous growth of Electrodiagnostic testing is also commonly used in attempts to diagsensitive nerve endings, will develop on the end of the proximal nerve. If nose peripheral nerve problems. While EMG (electromyography) and this structure ends up in a place where it is being bumped or stretched NCS (nerve conduction study) can be useful when they identify a pinched or rubbed for whatever reason, the patient will often experience severe, nerve, they may also fail to detect the problem altogether. In cases such unrelenting pain. as these, normal EMG/NCS results do not indicate that the problem is Western medicine’s traditional approach treats all pain as one homog- temporary, minor or imagined, but rather that the EMG/NCS has simply enous entity. Pain medication has been the primary tool used to treat failed to detect the problem with the nerve(s) from an electrical standanyone in severe or chronic pain. The more pain a patient is in, the more point. This is known as a “false negative” result. In patients with more pain medication is doled out, even when it fails to alleviate the pain. complex peripheral nerve problems, it is unlikely that the EMG/NCS will Unfortunately, for patients with peripheral nerve problems, traditional identify all of the trouble nerves and is therefore of little use. narcotic (Percocet, Lortab, Oxycontin, etc.) or “neuropathic” pain mediDue to the severe limitations associated with current imaging technolcations (Gabapentin/Neurotonin, Cymbalta, Lyrica) are usually quite ogy and electrodiagnostic studies, diagnosing peripheral nerve problems ineffective at treating peripheral nerve-related pain. Although the exact requires a combination of patient history and physical examination. Permechanism of action of many of these drugs is not clearly understood, forming a comprehensive peripheral nerve examination requires a detailed they all act to block the pain signal centrally in the brain or spinal cord. understanding of peripheral nerve anatomy. In many situations, diagnosUnfortunately, peripheral nerve issues are pritic blocks are also useful in determining which marily mechanical problems outside the brain nerve(s) are signaling pain. A diagnostic block is and spinal cord where the nerve itself is damsimply done by injecting local anesthetic around aged or compressed (pinched). the suspected nerve to “put it to sleep” and then The other major practice in the treatment of seeing if the pain goes away. Patients with perperipheral pain, or pain occurring in arms, legs, sistent extremity pain or weakness after spine torso or pelvis, is to attribute the cause of pain surgery or in the face of ongoing spine pain with to a problem at the spinal cord or nerve root levno obvious compressive lesion at the spine level el. Because the central nervous system is most should always have a peripheral nerve evaluation. physicians’ primary suspect, treatment comPeripheral nerve surgery can offer relief to pamences with the spine in the neck or lower back, tients suffering from a wide range of pain problems, usually without any investigation of the periphpreviously without solutions, including: Nerve eral nerves — those between the spine and the compression syndromes — these patients present site where the patient is experiencing pain – and with confusing pain syndromes that may involve many peripheral nerve problems can mimic an partial or entire limbs; diabetic or idiopathic neuissue at the spine level. Misdiagnosed patients ropathy; certain types of chronic or migraine headcan undergo multiple rounds of spinal injections aches; phantom pain or stump pain in amputees; Dr. Tollestrup performs peripheral by pain management physicians and even spine Meralgia paresthetica — compression of the lateral nerve surgery to treat pain. surgery for what may ultimately have been a pefemoral cutaneous nerve which is a common painripheral nerve problem. ful condition affecting the thigh and hip area; reflex Unfortunately, most of the commonly available imaging studies, such sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), now more commonly called chronic regional as MRIs, CT scans, X-rays and ultrasound, are essentially useless for di- pain syndrome (CRPS); chronic joint pain; groin, pelvic or facial pain. With a rectly pinpointing the location of compressed or damaged nerves in pa- history of prior traumatic injury or some type of surgical procedure, patients tients with peripheral nerve problems — nerve tissue does not appear on who continue to experience debilitating pain beyond six months should be X-rays and most CT and MRI scanners are not sensitive enough to iden- considered to have peripheral nerve damage until proven otherwise. tify structures as small as most peripheral nerves. Even in cases where a It is the goal of peripheral nerve surgery to relieve pain — permanently larger nerve is identifiable, the images typically do not allow a radiologist and effectively — at its source. In pinpointing the specific, distressed to determine if the nerve is distressed and likely to be causing pain. There nerve(s), we are now able to address severe peripheral nerve pain directare now a few centers around the country utilizing MR Neurography — ly, eliminating the need for chronic pain medication or indwelling devices more powerful 3Tesla MRI machines and cutting edge mathematical such as pain pumps and spinal cord stimulators. algorithms to render the data that can locate more of these difficult-toFor the vast majority of patients with true chronic peripheral nerve identify peripheral nerves. However, this type of imaging study is still not pain, peripheral nerve surgery offers the only real possibility for permawidely available. nent pain relief.

Timothy W. Tollestrup, M.D., earned medical and master of public health degrees from the University of Utah. He completed his residency in general and trauma surgery at Saint Louis University Hospital, a fellowship in hand, reconstructive and microsurgery from Baylor College of Medicine and another in peripheral nerve surgery from the Dellon Institute of Peripheral Nerve Surgery. He is the only comprehensive peripheral nerve specialist focused on treating chronic nerve pain practicing west of the Mississippi.

Surgery photo by Annie Waggoner

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER

By Dr. Stephen Portz

D

r. Dhiraj Narula still remembers the line from a news article years ago that made his stomach sink.

“The newspaper story asked, ‘Where can you get the best health care in Las Vegas?’” he said.

He didn’t appreciate the answer: the airport.

“The story implied that if you want the best medical technology, you need to travel to California or Utah because Las Vegas doesn’t have the best health care available,” said the cardiologist with HealthCare Partners Medical Group. “To me, that was a big issue. Las Vegas is my home, and it appeared as if our health care system was deficient.”

Passionate about providing patients in Southern Nevada with the most cutting-edge medical technology, Narula has devoted his practice to proving that article wrong. His efforts haven’t been in vain. He recently made a tremendous step in advancing medical technology on a global level.

In July 2014, Narula became the first physician in the Western United States to conduct a revolutionary procedure. He was among the first handful of cardiologists in the world to conduct an implant of the Evera MRI implant-

able cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) system.

Narula and the HealthCare Partners Medical Group research team played a key role in efforts to hopefully make this technology available to patients across the globe.

Narula sees this as two achievements, not only providing the latest technology to help patients survive, but also positioning Las Vegas at the center of this innovation.

“I feel that we have been able to move health care in Southern Nevada a significant step forward,” Narula said. “That’s really the key for me.”

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Dr. Dhiraj Narula and his team performed the first MRI implant in the Western United States last year as part of a worldwide clinical trial.

Clockwise from bottom: Research coordinator Christie Abano, R.N.; Research coordinator Malou Dumo, R.N.; Nursing supervisor Roxanne Aranas,R.N. and Narula.

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Life-Saving Technology… With an Issue Many cardiac patients are familiar with ICD systems, a technology that has existed for roughly 20 years. The battery-powered device, implanted under the skin in the upper torso, serves an essential function for patients with advanced heart disease who have or are likely to experience cardiac arrest. Monitoring an individual’s heart rate, an ICD system provides life-saving electric shocks to the heart when an abnormal heart rhythm occurs.

“The device plays an important role in preventing people from experiencing sudden death as a result of cardiac arrest,” Narula said. “It’s a technology that saves lives.”

But there has long been an issue with this technology. Throughout the device’s history, individuals with ICD implants have typically been unable to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can diagnose numerous health issues. The powerful magnetic fields and radio waves of MRI scanners raise the risk of causing harmful reactions with the ICD, Narula said.

“The device would prevent you from dying of a cardiac arrest, but if you experience another medical condition such as back issues, you can’t get clear imaging of it with an MRI,” Narula said.

That was the understanding until recently. Medtronic, the world’s largest medical technology company, recently sought approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the Evera MRI, an MRI-compatible ICD. The new technology, roughly half the

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size of an iPod, would serve as the first ICD specifically engineered to provide a SureScan mode, ensuring patient safety during MRIs. When Narula heard that Medtronic had been approved to conduct a clinical trial of the device and was investigating potential clinical research sites across the globe, he recognized a valuable opportunity. This could be a chance to provide unprecedented technology for patients in Southern Nevada, while providing the research team at HealthCare Partners Medical Group with an opportunity to influence the future of cardiovascular care. It was also a chance to remind the world that Las Vegas offers cuttingedge health care services.

“I knew this would be a significant opportunity to have a lasting impact on Southern Nevada,” he recalls.

Tapped for the Trial There’s nothing simple about participating in a global clinical trial for unprecedented medical technology.

Only 40 research sites around the world would be selected to participate in the trial, which would involve each site’s research team surgically implanting patients with the new technology and conducting follow-ups. It was a painstaking process in which the capabilities of hospitals and research teams were carefully scrutinized for their abilities to conduct a thorough, reliable trial.

“It’s a highly competitive process,” Narula said.

Photo by L.E. Baskow

2/16/15 11:09 AM

Despite the high stakes, Narula was successful in early 2014 in securing approval for the HealthCare Partners Medical Group team to conduct implants for several patients at Summerlin and Desert Springs hospitals.

“When we tested this technology in Las Vegas, it wasn’t available in Phoenix or Salt Lake City or Los Angeles,” Narula said. “That’s a big step forward for Las Vegas. We have moved to the point where we can provide cutting-edge technology to patients right here at home.”

He attributes being tapped for the study to HealthCare Partners, the Southern Nevada medical network that includes Narula’s cardiology division. Offering more than 310 primary care providers and more than 1,700 specialists, the organization prioritizes research and advancing health care practices.

The organization has invested in providing a full-scale cardiology research department, outfitted with a team of research nurses many health care organizations lack, Narula said. The organization also offers established practices for conducting medical research, and a large cardiology practice with an electrophysiology division that is well-equipped to handle clinical trials.

“Medtronic selected us for the clinical trial because HealthCare Partners Medical Group had invested in research infrastructure.

It is a central tenet of our philosophy to provide the best health care in the world,” Narula said. “That’s been an ongoing goal of the organization, and this was one example of achieving that goal.”

Finding Patients The research team adopted a careful approach to identifying nine patients to enroll in the trial and test the new technology, Narula said.

“The patients had to be made aware that if the trial was successful, they would have the newest medical technology available, but there were also unknowns,” he said.

There are a multitude of safeguards in place to ensure patients are protected during a clinical trial, he notes, and this was no different. Summerlin and Desert Springs hospitals contracted a review board to carefully analyze every aspect of the team’s research plans, including specific details of how patients would be treated.

Although the implant of the Evera MRI wouldn’t be any different from other ICD surgeries Narula conducted throughout his career, there is always an element of risk with clinical trials, he notes.

“We had to disclose this to patients,” he said.

The risks didn’t dissuade Roy Randall, 72, Narula’s first patient in the trial to undergo surgery for the implant.

Randall had been referred for the clinical trial based on his medical history, which included two silent heart attacks that damaged his heart. These issues affected him every day, he said, noting that he felt constantly tired.

“I could wash the car, but then I’d have to sit down for a couple of hours and rest,” he said.

When he met with Narula to discuss the details of the clinical trial, Randall was optimistic that the ICD could have a positive impact on his heart issues. He felt especially motivated by the

prospect of having an ICD that allowed for MRIs, which he anticipated needing down the road.

“I’m 72. I’m wearing out,” Randall reasons.

The possible risks weren’t so daunting after he discussed the trial with his brother-in-law, a spine specialist who was aware of Medtronic and assured him the manufacturer was reputable.

“It’s always good to get help from someone who knows more than you do,” Randall said with a chuckle.

The Results It appears that Randall’s decision paid off.

The nine patients selected for the trial in Las Vegas have demonstrated great success with the Evera MRI devices, Narula said. Since July 2014, when the first device was implanted, neither Randall nor any of the other trial patients have experienced significant issues with their devices. Roughly half of them were randomly selected to undergo a study MRI. The research team has carefully collected data during these tests, analyzed the results and submitted them to Medtronic, along with other trial participants around the world.

“If any particular issue comes up, everyone participating in the trial will be alerted. If they see a problem in Berlin, everybody needs to know,” Narula said, emphasizing the importance of ensuring patients’ safety. “We put our information into a database that is constantly being analyzed to make sure nothing is going in the wrong direction.”

So far, no issues have been reported.

“We haven’t discovered any problems here, and there haven’t been problems discovered elsewhere,” he said, adding that he expects the FDA to approve the device for general release later in the year. “It’s our belief that this is going to be a new technology that will benefit a lot of patients.”

Randall said he has been pain-free throughout the process.

Since his surgery, he has returned to the hospital to undergo an MRI, and again for testing of his ICD. There have been no issues when the scanner passes over his torso, he said.

“I don’t even know the implant is there anymore,” he said.

Randall has also noticed a difference since the surgery. He doesn’t feel as tired, and his previously pale complexion has gained a healthier color. There still remain issues with the rhythm of his heart, but his health care team believes this is a result of an issue they hope to soon address with an additional procedure called a cryo balloon ablation.

The HealthCare Partners team has offered constant support throughout the trial, he added. Team members were happy to explain details about the process and carefully monitor his overall wellness. He appreciates that an entire team is devoted to his care, including Narula, the research nurses and MRI technicians.

Randall considers the clinical trial the latest in a long line of technological advances he has observed during his lifetime. After watching cars, appliances, airplanes and more go through dramatic evolutions, he is excited that the latest technology is resting under his skin.

“I’m lucky to be in Las Vegas, where a lot of big steps are being made,” he said.

Dr. Stephen Portz is a cardiologist with HealthCare Partners Medical Group.

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THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JUDGES IS HELPING CHANGE THE WAY VICTIMS ARE TREATED 40

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Photo Credit

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CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING

VALLEY SERVICES INSTRUMENTAL TO IDENTIFYING AND HEALING VICTIMS

By Ruth Furman

W

hen it comes to child sex trafficking, Las Vegas is among the most vulnerable cities in the United States. Under

the buzz of neon lights, high-profile conventions, labyrinthine casinos and sexy events, criminals plot and prey on their young victims. Given Las Vegas’ ideal environment— a bustling honeycomb of illicit opportunity—it’s hardly a surprise that Southern Nevada’s population center has al-

ways topped the FBI’s list for child prostitution. Add to that the fact that the Las Vegas Metro has investigated about 2,200 children exploited through sex trafficking since 1994, and it’s hard to deny the issue is gravely serious.

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It is estimated that 293,000 U.S. children are at risk of commercial risk for dental diseases, malnutrition, and communicable and sexually sexual exploitation. The Nevada-based National Council of Juvenile and transmitted diseases like HIV, it’s important for health care professionFamily Court Judges (NCJFCJ) understands the magnitude of this issue, als to be vigilant. This responsibility extends to school-based and local and has made it a priority — with federal backing — to help judges identi- health clinics, in addition to emergency rooms. fy victims and children at risk. NCJFCJ relies on allies like the UNLV Boyd “In addition to the burden of disease, there are comorbidities associSchool of Law, a law school member of NCJFCJ, to bridge the gap and ated with sexual exploitation, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, decombat this growing problem. It’s a pression, substance abuse and behavioral discrucial partnership, considering Neorders,” said Bohannan, who noted that health vada is one of the top four states for care professionals may be unaware they’ve trafficking. encountered a victim. “To help prevent future Child sex trafficking activity is exploitation, it is critical for state and local on the rise, as criminals relish in its health authorities to inform health profesprofitability and the low likelihood sionals of the red flags victims may presof severe punishment. Criminals ent during their visits.” have discovered it is more profitTaking a public health approach to this able and less risky to sell people growing and complex issue can help preJustice Nancy Saitta, than, for example, drugs. Buyers are vent exploitation and expose more victims.

Nevada Supreme Court very rarely charged or convicted for So too can juvenile and family court judgsolicitation or pandering, let alone es ordering evaluations of children prior statutory rape or child endangerto placement, and following their return ment. Demand is high because a sale can be brokered quickly, easily and from runaway episodes. Both proactive anonymously online. Though once regarded primarily as an international approaches are key to victims’ physical and mental healing. issue, the FBI reports that between 2008-10, 83 percent of sex trafficking This most heinous of child abuses overwhelmingly claims girls between victims found within the United States were U.S. citizens. the ages of 12 and 14. These young females are often criminalized and jailed Theresa Bohannan, research associate for NCJFCJ, explained that for prostitution, despite not being of age to provide valid consent. Oftentimes while trafficking is commonly perceived as a legal matter, it is also a pub- they have a history of sexual and physical abuse. Other risk factors include lic and mental health issue. Because victims of trafficking are at a higher being runaway, homeless, in poverty or having family instability.

“

T

he public does not understand that the kids in the ‘trade’ are victims.”

MARIAH’S HOUSE PROVIDES HAVEN Kathlyn Jaramillo is founder of Mariah’s House, a transitional home for victims of sex trafficking.

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udges and health care professionals aren’t alone in their quest to help trafficking victims recover.

Kathlyn Jaramillo is opening Mariah’s House, a transitional home for victims of sex trafficking. Jaramillo watched her niece Mariah live a life on the streets.

“We understand that females who have lived a controlled life need to heal before they can begin exploring the future,” said Jaramillo, who also launched

the Las Vegas Anti-Human Trafficking Meetup Group.

Jaramillo said Las Vegas’ reputation as “Sin City” leads to the belief that willing participants — especially minors — are in plentiful supply. Though much remains to be done to support victims, she emphasized that it’s important for victims themselves to understand their role.

“Victims need to be educated to understand that they are victims, and that there is hope,” Jaramillo said.

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NCJFCJ member Mary Berkheiser is a Joyce Mack professor of law and director of the Juvenile Justice Center at the Boyd School of Law. She said that there is significant local victimization, much of which goes unreported. Berkheiser said that abused children are often treated as criminals, rather than victims in need of safe housing and services.

“In 2013, there were just under 200 reported child sex trafficking victims, but there could be five or 10 times that many,” said Berkheiser, who noted that many out-of-state offenders see opportunity via Las Vegas’ marquee sporting events, including fight nights and race car weekends.

“It’s very easy to hide here.”

Fatma Marouf, associate professor of law and co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the Boyd School of Law, said it’s difficult to pinpoint exact numbers in Southern Nevada given the numerous origination points of criminal activity.

“Within Nevada, Las Vegas is known as the hub of the sex industry,” said Marouf. “It’s hard because there’s legal and non-legal prostitution, and then there’s human trafficking. People get confused, which makes it difficult to delineate. Las Vegas needs some kind of safe harbor so the victims aren’t seen as criminals.”

There are a host of challenges associated with assisting victims, including providing access to medical, social and mental health services.

However, identifying victims is perhaps the most difficult task. Transportation Security Administration employees are now receiving training to spot patterns and behaviors among travelers, since many victims pass through McCarran International Airport. Signs throughout the terminal ask, “Are you a victim of trafficking?”

Strides are being made, as experts and advocates continue to focus on raising awareness and developing long-term systemic strategies.

According to Crystal Duarte, program director, coordinated policy and practice for NCJFCJ, Clark County Judge William Voy has set a high standard for the vital role judges can play in addressing child trafficking issues.

“His court is seen as a national model for others to follow,” Duarte said.

“NCJFCJ supports judges by disseminating information about recommended practices, such as those implemented in Judge Voy’s courtroom.”

“The public does not understand that the kids in the ‘trade’ are victims,” said Justice Nancy Saitta, Nevada Supreme Court. “They are not, nor should they be, treated as criminals. They need unique, specialized services. We need to develop prevention programs to access children at risk of sex trafficking. Both judicial leadership and community-wide education must be a priority in our state so that we can identify and improve outcomes for the victims. The young boys and girls who have fallen prey to this trade have been abused, neglected and subject to unmentionable situations of trauma and maltreatment. Immediate action to establish housing opportunities, long-term mental health services and separate, specific consideration in the court process are an urgent priority.”

As health care professionals, judges and the general population gain awareness and understanding of human trafficking, there will be increased opportunities to prevent further exploitation. However, it requires a large-scale culture shift that goes beyond supporting victims— children, unable to consent to sexual activity—to actually seeing these children as just that. Victims.

Ruth Furman is a Las Vegas-based writer and marketing communications executive.

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SMART

BOMBS THE NEW WEAPON IN THE WAR ON CANCER

By Drs. Edwin Kingsley and Nicholas Vogelzang

T

he oncology world’s version of a “smart bomb” is

well underway. ¶ While traditional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation target active cancer cells in a physical region, new procedures are waging an extremely precise war against specific proteins and molecules involved in cancer growth.

¶ The cancer world’s smart bomb comes in the form of an

immunotoxin. Immunotoxins carry a payload of chemotherapy and attach to the cancerous cell, killing it when the time is right.

¶ An im-

munotoxin is an antibody combined with a toxin. The antibody seeks out and attaches itself to a cancer cell — the cancer cell allows it because it does not initially perceive the antibody as a threat.

The antibody unlocks the cell and releases a deadly toxin inside. The toxin kills the cancerous cell.

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Immunotoxins are different than immunotherapy, or immunooncology, which is another form of targeted therapy. Immunooncology therapies boost the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells.

One targeted therapy, developed in part by Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, is the anti-PDL1 compound MPDL3280A. This therapy was proven to be effective in combatting a number of different cancers containing the PDL1 protein, including melanoma, kidney, bladder, head and neck as well as breast cancers. The anti-PDL1 therapy was fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October 2014.

Targeted therapy such as anti-PDL1 and immunotoxins can come with less severe and minimalized side effects, as treatments focus on specific molecules and not all metastasizing and/or cancerous cells throughout the body. Side effects from using immunotoxins are typically very mild – some patients may experience a mild reaction such as a rash, low blood pressure or swelling in targeted areas. Additionally, collateral damage to surrounding, otherwise efore a healthy cells is reduced.

A first in the U.S., right here in Nevada

B

In the oncology world, the goal is always to hit a home run in Phase I trials – once efficacy, dosage and toxicity are determined, the trial can potentially move through to Phase II (detailing the safety of a treatment), Phase III (comparing a drug to most effective treatments available) and Phase IV (testing a drug once it has been approved by the FDA). To date, CCCN has played a role in developing 52 FDA-approved cancer therapies and hopes to add to its successes with this trial.

There has been notable patient success with immunotoxin drugs and trials similar to SGN-CD70, one example being the drug Ontak, which is also known by its generic name Denileukin Diftitox. Ontak is used in the treatment of recurrent T-cell lymphoma for patients who have a high-rate of the CD-25 protein and is typically administered intravenously. The drug was originally approved by the FDA in 1999 and has since helped countless patients across the globe.

Before the SGN-CD70 drug can potentially make its way through the phases and impact lives in an Ontaklike fashion, there must be a strong treatment base of Phase I patients.

achieves FDA approval,

Wanted: Patients

So, who is the optimal patient for it must be tested. Phase I the SGN-CD70 trial? First and foreRecently, CCCN became the first most a prospective patient must have site in the country to open a very means the immunotoxin has the CD70 protein present. A simple promising Phase I immunotoxin test at a local CCCN clinic can verify drug trial. The drug being tested, been pre-clinically studied in the eligibility requirements.

SGN-CD70, targets a specific protein During these beginning stages of found in lymphoma and kidney cantest tubes as well as animals the SGN-CD70 trial, CCCN is solely cers known as CD70. seeking lymphoma patients, specifiThe SGN-CD70 drug is a first-inand there is significant cally those with an aggressive form of class drug and is the only drug on the non-Hodgkins lymphoma. market targeting the CD70 protein. evidence suggesting it will The majority of Phase I patients SGN-CD70 is an immunotoxin are those who have had their respecdesigned and engineered to idenwork in human beings. tive disease for a while and/or have tify and attach to the CD70 protein, received multiple treatments withwhich is found on the cell surface out lasting success. One advantage of some high-grade lymphomas and of this drug is that it can be given to kidney cancers. patients who have other health issues, and it will have a minimal CCCN was directly approached by Seattle Genetics to spearimpact on their overall vitality. head the SGN-CD70 trial, thanks to its recent clinical successes in CCCN remains the only center in Nevada conducting Phase I the lymphoma realm, and remains one of the very few sites across research. Specifically for local patients who have struggled to find the country to have it open. CCCN is granted access to more than the right treatment, this trial provides a significant and conve170 clinical trials each year, in large part due to its affiliations with nient opportunity in our backyard. the U.S. Oncology Network and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. Another step forward in treating kidney cancer Before a treatment achieves FDA approval, it must be tested.

The SGN-CD70 trial is in Phase I, meaning the immunotoxin has On the spectrum of cancer treatment, lymphoma is traditionbeen pre-clinically studied in test tubes as well as animals and ally easier to treat than kidney cancer. Once an appropriate dosage there is significant evidence suggesting it will work in human is identified for lymphoma patients, the trial will be subsequently beings. This Phase I trial marks the first time the drug has been opened up to kidney cancer patients. administered in humans — now is the time to determine which The advances in kidney cancer in recent years have been nothtumors it will work in, the safety of a range of doses and toxicity ing short of astounding. Today, the average person whose cancer mein humans. tastasizes lives an approximate 2 1/2 to more than three years. Before

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modern medicine, these patients lived approximately nine months – thus, the quality and length of life has greatly improved overall.

Kidney cancer remains such an attractive target for clinical trials because the cancer is very unique, has the potential to go into remission and also has the potential to be recalcitrant through therapy. Amid the improvements, there are still younger cancer patients, in their 40s and 50s, who are still seeking the right treatment that will work for them. For kidney cancer patients, this specific drug is shaping up to be quite promising.

It is a novel-agent that has the capacity to hit kidney tumors in a way that they have not been hit before – attacking the CD70 protein, which is expressed in the majority of kidney cancer patients.

Now that we have the drug and a novel way to target the CD70 molecule, it is an exciting, prospective new chapter for kidney cancer patients.

Currently, there are only a handful of patients in the world enrolled in the SGN-CD70 study. As more qualifying patients enroll in the lymphoma portion of the study, the kidney cancer trials will become more of a reality – potentially as early as the second quarter of 2015.

Through targeted therapies, such as the SGN-CD70 trial, cancer is being combatted in a sophisticated and strategic fashion. In addition to providing improved health and quality of life to patients who have otherwise exhausted all other treatment options, these trials are also providing a new level of hope to all of those touched by cancer.

Dr. Edwin Kingsley is a veteran of medical oncology and hematology in Las Vegas and is one of the co-founders of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada. He is the principal investigator of multiple clinical trials at the practice and the author of nine publications. He is an adjunct assistant clinical professor at Touro University, a past president of the Nevada State Medical Association as well as the Clark County Medical Society and an active investigator for the Southern Nevada Community Clinical Oncology Program.

Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang is a medical oncologist at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and serves as medical director of the Research Executive Committee, associate chair of the Developmental Therapeutics Committee, and member of the Genitourinary Committee for US Oncology Research.

In his roles, he leads cutting-edge clinical trials in genitourinary malignancies and mesothelioma, and is involved in new therapies for patients with metastatic kidney cancer, including gene therapy and cytokine therapy.

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GOTTA GO? WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT OVERACTIVE BLADDERS

By Jason Zommick, M.D.

L

eaky? Drippy?

No, these aren’t the names of cute characters from an animated Disney film.

Rather, these are some of the complaints I hear from my patients with urinary problems. As a urologist in private practice since 2001, I’ve managed thousands of patients who complain that they have to run to the bathroom … all day long … all night long … and often don’t make it in time.

They can’t go to the movies, live shows or sporting events because they have to be right near a bathroom or else they’ll have an accident. When they go to a restaurant, they immediately look for the restrooms. Airline travel can be a nightmare, especially if they are stuck with a window seat.

The condition is called overactive bladder and the key symptom is urgency. Urgency is defined as “a sudden compelling desire to void, which is difficult to defer.” Other symptoms include frequency, getting up at night more than twice to void, and a sudden leakage of urine not related to laughing, coughing or sneezing.

If you have these symptoms and you think you’re all alone, think again.

Studies show that one in three adults over the age of 40 have reported symptoms of OAB at least sometimes. It does become more common as one gets older and by age 75, it is almost equally prevalent in both men and women.

The first line treatment is behavioral therapy, such as eliminating or reducing caffeine and alcohol. The second line treatment includes medications either taken orally or used as a skin patch, which can increase the capacity of the bladder and reduce bladder spasms.

If these are not effective, then third line therapies are used. One option that has been used for several years is a sacral nerve stimulation device

by Medtronic. This technique involves placing a small thin wire from the lower back onto the nerve that stimulates the bladder. Although it requires a minimally invasive surgical procedure, the results are immediately effective. My patients have reported going from eight pads per day down to just two pads in less than 24 hours.

Another option is percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, also known as Urgent PC, which is a low-risk, nonsurgical treatment creating excellent results. Here’s a story by a patient who was treated very successfully with Urgent PC: Back in 2012, Laurie (not her real name), then age 55, started noticing that she was making more and more trips to the bathroom. An avid traveler, she and her husband would take frequent car trips, including trips around Europe with friends. Laurie remembers how they’d always have to pull over so she could go to the bathroom.

Dr. Jason Zommick is a urologist with Urology Specialists of Nevada.

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“I didn’t realize anything was wrong at first. I just thought these Brits have large bladders!” Three years later, she had enough of her urinary symptoms. Her frequent bathroom visits made her feel like a nuisance when she was out with family and friends. She was tired of rushing to the bathroom again and again. It reached the point where every 10 minutes Laurie was running to the bathroom.

“I can tell you where all the restrooms are,” joked Laurie. “I would go before I left the house, drive to the grocery store and go there, do my shopping, go again before I left the store, then drive home and immediately go again. I knew things had to change.”

A urologist diagnosed her with overactive bladder and put her on medications. The medication helped, minimally. Instead of a bathroom trip every 10 minutes, she was now going every half hour.

That’s when fate stepped in. Laurie took a trip to Southern California to visit a friend, who was also a retired nurse. After hearing Laurie’s story, her friend made some calls and got Laurie information about Urgent PC. She started using it in California and soon came to Urology Specialists of Nevada for treatment.

Urgent PC is a minimally invasive procedure that improves bladder control in men and women by stimulation under the skin of the tibial nerve, the large nerve that runs the length of the leg. This ultimately leads to the adjustment of bladder control.

This therapy is provided through a series of 30-minute treatments.

During each session, the patient sits with their foot elevated. This allows stimulation of the tibial nerve using a very thin needle temporarily placed in the ankle. This stimulation travels up the leg to the sacral nerve plexus, which is the group of nerves at the base of the spine that are responsible for bladder function.

Urgent PC offers many different levels of stimulation, so we can adjust treatment to suit an individual patient’s needs, as well as address any discomfort that might be experienced during treatment.

“I never felt any pain during the treatments,” said Laurie. “It just felt like a vibration.”

Urgent PC therapies require a bit of patience as Urgent PC treatments gently and gradually work to retrain the bladder system. Most patients typically start to see results after six treatments but the full effect of treatment may not occur until the patient receives the 12 initial treatments. After the 12 treatments, successful patients usually need a monthly maintenance treatment.

Urgent PC is an option for most overactive bladder patients and is often used for patients who are not satisfied with the results from drug therapy because they do not respond or only experience a small benefit. This therapy is so low-risk, it is usually an option even for patients who cannot take overactive bladder drugs or are unable to have other treatments.

Most patients do not experience side effects but if they do occur, they are typically temporary and include mild pain and skin inflammation at or near where the needle is placed. Clinical studies show that up to 80 percent of patients get good results.

“It has changed my life,” said Laurie. She’s currently planning her next car trip in April and knows that this time there won’t have to be frequent stops.

For more information about treatments for overactive bladder, call the office of Dr. Jason Zommick of Urology Specialists of Nevada at 702-877-0814 to schedule an initial appointment.

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702.777.1750 702.777.1750 874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson, NV 89014 Touro University School of Nursing BSN program approved by the State 874isAmerican Pacific Drive,Nevada Henderson, NVBoard 89014 of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Education, Dupont Circle, NW, Suiteand530, Washington 20036, (202) 887-6791.

Touro TouroCollegiate University NevadaNursing School of Nursing BSN program isOne approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing accredited by the CommissionDC on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, SuiteUniversity 530, WashingtonNevada DC 20036, 887-6791. Touro University Nevada is accredited by the Western Association Schools and Colleges licensedHenderson, in Nevada by theNV Commission 874 ofAmerican PacificandDrive, 89014on Post-Secondary Education. Touro University Nevada does not discriminate is (202) accredited by the Western Association Colleges and licensed in Nevada byor activities. the Commission on Post-Secondary on the basis of race, of color,Schools national origin,and sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age in its employment, programs, Touro University Nevada School of Nursing BSN program is approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, Education.

University Nevada does discriminate on the race, national origin, sex, Touro sexual orientation, disability, (202) 887-6791.Touro Touro University Nevada is accredited by the Westernnot Association of Schools and Colleges and basis licensed inof Nevada by thecolor, Commission on Post-Secondary Education.

University Nevada does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age in its employment, programs, or activities. or age in its employment, programs, or activities.

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of VEIN HOP T

ake a 24-hour town, round-the-clock, never-sit- tor’s office. And I was healed in a few days.” Bluestone had the procedure done in December. He followed it up down job shifts and an aging workforce and you by wearing a compression stocking and resumed activity have prime conditions for vascular issues such as right away. He said he feels since having the procedure varicose veins. that he already has a better quality of life.

Varicose veins, which occur in all age groups and both American College of Phlebology board member Dr. men and women, can cause symptoms that can hamper well-being, including heaviness, aching, swelling, throb- Marlin Schul, owner of the Lafayette Regional Vein & Laser Center in Lafayette, Ind., said that besides Varithena, bing and itching of the legs.

“Roughly 25 million people in the United States are af- new technologies will include a medical glue that is going through FDA approval designed to close the saphenous fected by venous disease,” said Dr. Nick Morrison, past veins, the two chief superficial veins in the leg. Also, he said, president of the American College of Phlebology. “The a coming cold laser ablation American College of Phletechnique involves no heat bology would like to furor blood clots and a simple ther the understanding of needle puncture. In adleg vein symptoms, and the dition, he said there have minimally invasive methods been huge advances in that can be used to treat compression technology, vein disorders.” including Velcro wrap de Many patients rememvices, unique fabrics that alber the outdated use of low easier application and vein-stripping surgery to styles like a Capri garment treat varicose veins, which that helps patient care. can be painful and involve Common vein conditions, such as spider veins (left) and varicose veins (right), can be successfully treated with Varithena.

Luh, a board-certified a lengthy recovery. But vascular surgeon and directhere are a number of new products, procedures and technologies for treating vari- tor of the Elite Vein Center of Las Vegas Surgical Associates, was the first to bring laser vein ablation cose veins and shortening recovery time. One of the latest therapy to Las Vegas for FDA-approved procedures being used by several valley treatment of superficial physicians, including members of the American College venous insufficiency and of Phlebology, is a nonsurgical product called Varithena, a the first to bring minifoam injected directly into the malfunctioning vein. mally invasive transillumiHoward Bluestone of Henderson had a bulging vein on nated powered phlebectomy. his left leg that was bothering him for several years before his family doctor referred him to Dr. Eddy Luh, a board- He also performs microfoam ablation using Varithena. certified vascular surgeon who used Varithena.

Luh calls Varithena “a game-changer.” Luh said it saves “The vein in my leg was getting worse and I felt it was time to get it taken care of,” he said. “The 10-minute pro- costs, eliminating the need for extensive anesthetic or cedure was a piece of cake and it was all done in the doc- other surgical paraphernalia. Also, he said, the procedure

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THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHLEBOLOGY HELPS PATIENTS UNDERSTAND TREATMENTS AVAILABLE

By Ruth Furman

can be quicker and less painful than many other venous treatments; patients return to work more quickly.

Dr. Robert Diamond, vice president of medical affairs for the Conshohocken, Pa.-based BTG International Inc., said Varithena is the first and only Food and Drug Administrationapproved microfoam for the treatment of superficial venous incompetency and other visible varicosities.

Designed in consultation with the FDA, only physicians who have had specific experience with venous disease and duplex ultrasound are eligible for the BTG Varithena Physician Training Program. BTG is currently working with more southern Nevada medical professionals to be trained in the technology.

To find a list of vein specialists in the Las Vegas area as well as information about vein disease, including a free online assessment to see if you’re at risk, visit the American College of Phlebology website at www.phlebology.org/patient-information.

Ruth Furman is a Las Vegas-based writer and marketing communications executive.

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To learn more about donation and to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit www.DonateLifeNevada.org or www.DoneVidaNevada.org

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THE GIFT OF LIFE ORGANIZATION AIMS TO CHANGE THE WAY MINORITY COMMUNITIES THINK ABOUT ORGAN DONATION

By Latoya Bembry

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or people such as Arlett Valencia, who is waiting for a life-saving kidney and pancreas transplant, there is no greater gift than the gift of life. Enter Nevada Donor Network, a not-for-profit organ procurement organization that coordinates, recovers and allocates lifesaving organs and healing tissues for transplantation. It also provides a strong network of support for the families who save lives through the gift of donation. While there is much work to be done to educate residents and increase the number of organ donor registrations in the state, Nevada Donor Network will be paying specific attention to potential multicultural donors in 2015. At just 40 percent, Nevada ranks a dismal 40th in the nation in the number of registered donors.

How exactly do the numbers stack up? As of December 2014, a total of 581 people are on the transplant waiting list in Nevada. More than half, 300 Nevadans waiting for that lifesaving gift, belong to a minority group. Yet, research has shown that, nationwide, Caucasians are three times more likely to register than Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians – a trend Nevada Donor Network is looking to change in 2015.

Does race or ethnicity of a donor make a difference in matching organs or tissue to an individual in need of a transplant? According to Joe Ferreira, chief executive officer and president of Nevada Donor Network, the answer is yes.

“While it is certainly true that people of different races frequently match one another, there is a higher likelihood of achieving a match if the donor and intended recipient share the same racial/ethnic background,” Ferreira said. “Compat-

ible blood types and tissue markers are critical initiatives implemented under this program will factors for donor/recipient matching which are be a comprehensive education and awareness more likely to be found among members of the campaign aimed at educating staff and customers same ethnicity. Therefore, if we can increase visiting the Mexican Consulate’s Office. The prodonor registration among minority groups we gram will also offer donation awareness and educan potentially increase access to transplanta- cational materials to Nevada Donor Network’s tion for everyone who desperately waits.” community and hospital partners in Spanish and “There are a number of factors that influence Tagalog. In addition, the organization is looking to a person’s decision to not register, but for many have more visibility at cultural events throughout in the minority communities, it often comes the year, including events surrounding Juneteenth, down to a general distrust in the process,” said Black History Month, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Alma Rodriguez, multicultural outreach coordi- Independence Day, Chinese New Year and Asiannator for Nevada Donor Network. “We’ve seen Pacific American Heritage Month. that some people are afraid doctors won’t work “While outreach is a year-round process, we’re as hard to save their life or their loved ones if looking to really amp up efforts with an annual the hospital personnel know the patient is a signature community event, such as a Nevada registered donor. Some people believe organ Donor Network sponsored health and wellness donation is against their religious beliefs. Some fair during National Minority Donor Awareness fear their bodies will be disfigured. These are all Week in early August,” said Rodriguez. myths and concerns that we have to address, Spreading the word about the importance and we are working tirelessly to educate and of donation is important to dedicated volunbring awareness.” teers like Valencia. She joined Nevada Donor Many health conditions that lead to the need Network’s Advocates for Life program more for a transplant, such as diabetes and hyperten- than a year ago, hoping to educate members of sion, occur in greater numbers among multicultur- our community about the difficulties of life on al populations, according to the U.S. Department the waiting list and the need for more lifesavof Health and Human Services at organdonor.gov. ing organ and tissue donors. Nearly two years For example, the website says, African Americans, after being told she needed a new kidney and Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Latinos are three pancreas, she still performs dialysis every night, times more likely than Caucasians to suffer from waiting and hoping for her second chance at a end-stage renal (kidney) disease, often as the re- happy, healthy life with her husband and son. sult of high blood pressure and other conditions “Every day, it gets harder. My body is getting that can damage the kidneys. tired; very, very tired. I’m ready for it, because In 2015, Nevada Donor Network is launching I’m tired of being on dialysis. I don’t want to be a new Multicultural Program to meet the needs on it anymore, and I’m ready to start living my of Nevada’s diverse community. One of the first life again.”

Latoya Bembry is senior account manager for the Ferraro Group.

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VOLUNTEER PROFILE

GEORGE AND PATRICIA PRATT

VOLUNTEERS FAMILY HOME HOSPICE

What is your favorite part about volunteering?

We love seeing the smiles from the patients and knowing we are helping.

How long have you been a volunteer at the hospice?

We’ve been volunteering since September 2008.

How many hours do you volunteer each week?

We each volunteer anywhere from 30 to 50 hours every week.

How can someone else become a volunteer there?

Call the volunteer coordinator at Family Home Hospice to express a desire to become a hospice volunteer. She will arrange for you to attend a volunteer orientation and training class. After completing other requirements, you are ready to begin making a difference in someone’s life.

How long do you plan to work as a volunteer there?

We will volunteer for Family Home Hospice for as long as we are needed.

What makes for a good volunteer?

First, a volunteer should have a “hospice heart” of compassion, caring and empathy with those going through the end-of-life process. A good volunteer is anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of both the patient and the caregivers.

Are you retired? If so, what was your career?

(Pat): I retired from Southwest Medical. I worked at the front desk in one of the health centers for nine years. Before that I was a clinical nursing assistant in a local health care facility.

(George): I am retired from being a bus and truck driver and mechanic.

How long have you lived in Las Vegas?

Since 1994

What volunteer activities do you take part in at the hospice?

We see patients in their homes, facilities or group homes. We sometimes shop and cook for patients. We also assist in the office with phone calls to check in and chat with patients, as well as bereavement calls to family members following the loss of their love one. We help with mailings and with invitations to our yearly Celebration of Life. We also assist with weekly data entry.

What other activities are you involved in when you aren’t volunteering?

(Pat): I am active in Southwest Medical Lifestyle Center activities, especially Wii bowling and games with friends.

(George): I collect antique tools, and I love to cook.

What is the biggest reward from volunteering?

The biggest reward is that we make a difference with the patients and their caregivers/families, and seeing the smiles on the patient’s faces at the end of our visit.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?

We enjoy working as part of the hospice team. Even after the patient transitions we enjoy calling and visiting the families. Along with volunteering with hospice, we love to spend time with our children and grandchildren. George volunteered in the Southwest Medical health centers and in 2010 both of us participated in the volunteer program for the newly opened Southwest Medical Lifestyle Centers.

Do you know a medical volunteer who we should know about? Please contact Craig Peterson at craig.peterson@gmgvegas.com.

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Photo by Christopher DeVargas

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I SURVIVED BECAUSE OF UMC The UMC Trauma Center was ready for Andrew to come through the doors when his luck ran out. Back home after two tours of duty in Iraq, Andrew went out for a hamburger late one night and fell asleep at the wheel, crashing into a fence post, which went right through him. First responders assumed he was dead until they saw him texting his wife that he had been in a crash. EMS crews sawed Andrew away from the fence, but the fence post was still lodged inside his mouth, literally in one end of his head and out the other. Just moments after the crash he was transported to UMC Trauma where an entire team of specialists were already waiting for him. UMC is always ready. Surgeons, physicians and nurses carefully sawed a smooth edge off the pole and delicately slid it out of Andrew. This could have been an un-survivable injury. Yet, Andrew lived to share his story of all that is possible because of UMC.

UMC TRAUMA IS HOPE umcsn.com

NEVADA’S ONLY LEVEL I TRAUMA CENTER

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VOLUNTEER PROFILE

DR. NEIL MAREK

PODIATRIST VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA

What is your favorite part or best experience about volunteering?

VMSN is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to providing uninsured Nevadans with access to preventative and comprehensive medical care. The clinic offers preventive and wellness health care, as well as treatment of acute and chronic illnesses. VMSN currently serves as a medical home for more than 2,300 patients I am proud to be part of a voluntary workforce of more than 650 people. VMSN founder Dr. Florence Jameson’s dream of providing the “Gift of Hope and Health” inspired me four years ago, when I began volunteering at the Paradise Park Clinic.

How long have you lived in Las Vegas?

I have lived in Las Vegas for more than 30 years. My wife of 27 years, Shana Marek, grew up in Las Vegas, and I enjoy hearing all of the stories about how Vegas used to be. We have three children.

What volunteer activities to you take part in at the clinic?

I provide podiatric services at VMSN, including treatment of all sorts of foot problems. My goal is to keep people ambulatory.

What things do you do during your shift at the clinic?

To learn more about the volunteer opportunities at VMSN, call or email our volunteer manager Jennifer Huston at 702-967-0530 ext. 208 or visit www.vmsn.org.

Lack of ambulation caused by a foot problem is a common issue for patients, especially diabetic patients. VMSN sees and treats a sizeable percentage of diabetic patients.

Many of our patients are standing and working long hours on their feet.

A foot condition under these circumstances can become a chronic ailment which limits their ability to work and ambulate.

We sometimes see children that have had foot pathology for years, which affects their activities in school and sports. Treating these children and having them resume normal activities really brings a smile to us.

How long do you plan to work as a volunteer there?

What other activities are you involved in?

Long after I retire from private practice, I am sure I will continue to volunteer at VMSN. It is such a joy to treat our patients at the clinic. Helping people is the reason I went into medicine in the first place.

In addition to the time I spend volunteering at VMSN, I also volunteer with my family at the Blind Center of Nevada, where I currently serve on the board of trustees.

What makes for a good volunteer?

What is the biggest reward from volunteering?

Being a good volunteer starts with wanting to make a difference to help and give back to our community. It also requires a willingness to give of time and energy. Most importantly, you have to feel it in your heart.

When you are inspired and feel it in your heart, you will work hard and serve as a great volunteer.

VMSN has many great volunteers, and I would like to recognize Bonnie Crane, RN, who does such an outstanding job, helping at the clinic.

The biggest reward of volunteering is being in clinic and working with our wonderful patients and gaining inspiration from all of the other volunteers. Professionally, the biggest reward is when I am able to prevent an infection or ulceration in a diabetic patient.

How many hours do you volunteer each week at the clinic?

I volunteer one to two clinic days per month.

How can someone else become a volunteer there?

Are you retired? If so, what was your career?

I am the owner and operator of Nevada Foot Institute on East Charleston. I also have a second office on West Ann Road. I have been a podiatrist for 30 years.

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What are some of your hobbies?

In my spare time, I enjoy sports and spending time outdoors with my wife and three kids.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?

I have always been honored to volunteer. For me, it is not a chore or obligation. It is a privilege.

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NONPROFIT Q & A

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES 2323 POTOSI ST. | LAS VEGAS, NV 89146 702-252-4663 RMHLV.COM

Open: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

Operated by: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas Board of Trustees

Operating since: July of 1998

What is the best part about operating your nonprofit in Las Vegas?

The most rewarding aspect of operating the Ronald McDonald House is seeing our children and families return to their homes, knowing they received the critical treatment they needed.

What obstacles has your organization overcome?

What is your mission?

Believing that every child deserves a safe and supportive place to grow, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that creates and supports programs that directly improve the health, education and well-being of children in our community. The Ronald McDonald House is the cornerstone program of RMHC, providing temporary housing, meals and transportation for families who travel to Las Vegas to receive crucial medical treatment for their children.

Whom do you help?

The Ronald McDonald House helps families who travel to Las Vegas to receive essential medical treatment for their children. In 2013, 76 percent of the people served qualified as low to moderate income families.

What makes your organization unique?

As the only facility of its kind in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Ronald McDonald House provides an oasis of comfort and care for families during a stressful and uncertain time in their lives.

What is the most important part of your nonprofit organization?

It is so important to keep families strong by keeping them together. The best medicine for sick or injured children is to have their moms and dads at their sides. The House makes this possible by enabling families to be together while their children receive treatment away from home.

What is the hardest part about operating your nonprofit in Las Vegas?

When we occasionally witness an RMHC family lose its child in the hospital, it shakes the RMHC staff to the core, but we remain strong to support these families.

We have developed a hotel fund to pay for waitlisted families until room opens up at the RMHC House. This way, we don’t have to turn any families away.

How can individuals and businesses help you?

RMHC of Greater Las Vegas offers several volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups of all ages. Volunteers can cook dinner for families, prepare and deliver lunches, help around the House or in the office, and conduct fundraisers or wish list drives. The list goes on and on! Community members can also help raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House by collecting pop tabs for the House to recycle. This is an opportunity to support the organization while also helping the environment. Sponsorship opportunities and donations are another way for businesses and/or individuals to assist RMHC. For more information, please contact missy@rmhlv.org. All donations to RMHC of Greater Las Vegas may be tax deductible, and all monies raised

by RMHC of Greater Las Vegas stay right here in the community.

What are some of your upcoming events or projects?

Annual fundraising events for RMHC of Greater Las Vegas include the Food Drive, where we partnered with Smith’s Food and Drug in January to stock our House pantry for the families. Runnin’ for the House, a 5K run/1-mile walk family event hosted on April 18 at the Ronald McDonald House, includes a pancake breakfast and activity tent for children. The HeART of Giving Gala on Oct. 17 is a “Rockin Good Time” fundraising event that includes a silent/live auction, sit-down dinner and mind-blowing entertainment. For more information about RMHC events, visit www.rmhlv.com/.

Above — Back Row (from left): Jacqueline Bowering, Shaneka Horne, Stephanie Franks, Marvella Baca, Brett Jones, Christine Fernandez, Stacie Lang, Brenda Williams, Julie Beard, Missy Check. Front Row (from left): Dustin Parks, Alyson McCarthy, Donna Cline, Zack Triplett

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PATIENT SUCCESS PROFILE

MURRAY MOLINSKY

DIAGNOSIS: CANCEROUS TUMORS PATIENT OF: DR. FADI BRAITAH, COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTERS OF NEVADA

A

nti-cancer drug development has evolved over the last decade as having the mutation, an oncologist determines his or her eligibility based to further target the cancer cells’ molecular anomalies. Where on the patient’s health and ultimately customizes a treatment regimen. research once focused on the anatomical location of a specific cancer (lungs, breasts, kidneys, gallbladder or the pancreas, for example), Meet Murray Murray Molinsky is a 67-year-old Las Vegas native, devoted husband new studies are looking deeper within the cell to see what molecular of 44 years, father of two and grandfather of three. Molinsky’s battle with anomalies are causing or driving a specific cancer, since each cancer has cancer began in 1992 when his physician found a cancerous tumor, the a specific “signature” or makeup unique to each patient. size of an egg, in his lower back.

The latest in clinical research is allowing us to accrue a patient with He underwent radiation and his then-physician surgically removed the any cancer, as long as they have specific molecular mutations. They are tumor. For five to six years after the surgery, Molinsky was cancer-free. then eligible for a trial called (and fittingly known as) signature studies.

During a routine check-up, his physician noticed that the cancer that was In medical circles these studies are often referred to as tissue agnostic studies or basket studies, because different cancers with similar molecu- once in his back had metastasized to his lungs, where he had seven to eight new tumors. lar abnormalities of a same pathway are lumped together in the same Molinsky subsequently underwent a variety of different procedures, “single basket trial” to be studied together.

Signature studies have only been available for the last three years — chemotherapies, radiation and five different clinical trials in Nevada and out-of-state, but the tumors kept coming back in larger waves. Amid Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada (CCCN) was one of the first sites in the country to get these studies alongside such major cancer cen- several unsuccessful efforts over the years, Molinsky was told by several physicians that there was “nothing left that could be done” and his time ters as MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the Mayo Clinic in left was limited.

Rochester, Minn.

After years without treatment, Molinsky visited CCCN experiencing a CCCN is granted early access to new research, such as the signature studies, thanks in large part to its affiliations with The US Oncology Net- “13 on a pain level of one to 10.” He had four large tumors in his lungs that were growing at a very rapid pace and something needed to be done to work as well as UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. These stop their progression. Molinsky underwent a number of tests and was studies are among the 170-plus trials CCCN conducts each year. identified as having a rare genetic mutation, ESWR1 gene rearrangement.

CCCN remains one of a very few community oncology practices in the Molinsky became one of the first patients in the United States enrolled country to have access to signature studies and currently has 11 of these in the Dovitinib (CTKI 258) trial and remains on it to this day. This is not studies open to patients, each focused on distinct genetic mutations, in a typical cytotoxic, or chemical, compound that poisons the cancer cells, collaboration with pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, but rather a compound to interfere with and block the growth, survival Seattle Genetics, and Genentech. While not all patients are eligible for and division of cancer cells. While Molinsky’s tumors were growing fast these trials, those who have enrolled have benefited from stabilization at the time he started the drug in October 2012, Dovitinib has proven to of their disease growth. Some even become, and remain, cancer-free for “freeze” the cancer and keep it stable — essentially the tumor growth that more than three years. once threatened his life, has halted, and he has seen significant improveA Sample Signature Study: Dovitinib (CTKI258) ments of his symptoms including pain. This drug has allowed Molinsky Among CCCN’s current signature studies is the drug Dovitinib, which to live as normal of a life as possible, with minimal side effects, working is reserved for patients with various genetic mutations. The drug is cur- part-time and planning various exhibitions with hotels throughout Southrently in development for numerous cancers and those diagnosed with ern Nevada. Where there once was little hope, stands a man who has various tumor types, including but not limited to bladder, cervix, liver, endured doubt and put a stop to his cancer’s growth. melanoma, pancreas and sarcoma.

Signature studies, like Dovitinib, are a giant step forward in drug disThe critical prerequisite for participating in the Dovitinib trial, as well as covery; addressing cancers based on their molecular properties and not the other signature studies, is having the pertinent genetic mutation. At their geographic anatomy. With these studies, patients just like Molinsky CCCN, once a prospective or current patient has been tested and verified are finding and embracing a new level of hope.

Fadi Braiteh, M.D. is a medical oncologist with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.

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Murray Molinsky undergoes a routine checkup by Dr. Fadi Braiteh.

Molinsky has had good success while on an experimental drug.

Photo by Steve Marcus

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MAKING THE ROUNDS To include your photos in the next issue, contact Craig Peterson at craig.peterson@gmgvegas.com

Above: Dr. Robert McBeath addresses the crowd gathered at the Cabaret Jazz room at the Smith Center for Family Home Hospice’s commemoration of 25 years of service to the Las Vegas Valley. The hospice provides clinical, emotional and spiritual care, comfort and support to individuals and their families facing choices about end-of-life care.

Right: A crowd gathered at the Cabaret Jazz room at the Smith Center for Family Home Hospice’s commemoration of 25 years of service to the Las Vegas Valley to watch a video documenting the service provided by the employees and volunteers of the hospice.

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MAKING THE ROUNDS

Above: Nevada Health Care Association president and CEO Daniel Mathis, left, along with former association president Joe Ann Cole, right, met with Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss the topic of Medicaid reimbursement rates for skilled nursing facilities in Nevada.

Right: Dr. Eugene Somphone was recognized as a VEGAS INC Top Tech Exec for his work on behalf of Southwest Medical Associates in spearheading the NowClinic telemedicine program in Nevada.

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THE NOTES

Melissa Walker is Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican’s chief financial officer. Walker has been with St. Rose since 1996 and previously worked as chief financial officer of the San Martín campus and Dignity Health Medical Group. She was named interim chief financial officer in July 2014.

Diabetes Treatment Center programs at Desert Springs Hospital and Valley Hospital won American Diabetes Association Education Recognition awards. Both hospitals offer diabetes education and counseling.

Classes are offered in Spanish at Desert Springs Hospital.

WALKER

Catherine Flynn, a pediatric nurse practitioner, works at Dignity Health Medical Group’s Dream Fund Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic in Henderson. Flynn previously worked at UMC’s Children’s Diabetes and Endocrinology Center.

FLYNN Larry Barnard is president and CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals-San Martin Campus. He was the CEO of University Medical Center.

A number of people joined the staff of Matt Smith Physical Therapy.

Lauren Taylor Whitaker is a physical therapy assistant at the company’s Stephanie clinic in Henderson. Physical therapist Junwyn Agustin will treat patients at the company’s Charleston/Rancho location. Physical therapy assistant Niurky Miralles will treat patients at the Nellis location.

Physical therapy assistant Jesse Sherrod will treat patients at the Seven Hills location. Physical therapy assistant Asia Hunwick will treat patients at the Windmill location. In addition, physical therapist Patrick Thurman brings more than 20 years of orthopedic experience to the company.

Neonatologist Farooq Abdulla has joined the Foundation for Positively Kids team of medical professionals and is seeing patients at the Child Haven campus at 701 N. Pecos Road in Las Vegas. Abdulla specializes in care for premature and medically fragile infants.

New members of the Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Community board of directors are Dr. Neel Dhudsia, Craig Johnson, Dr. Jennifer Raroque, Rory Reid, John Socha and Bruce Woodbury.

UnitedHealthcare, the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association and East West Bank invested in the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance’s “Engage Southern Nevada” investment campaign, which launched in 2013 and is a three-year undertaking to raise $7.5 million for regional economic development.

Local medical marijuana law firm Ashcraft & Barr is joining with Vicente Sederberg, one of the nation’s leading cannabis law firms. Ashcraft & Barr attorneys will be of counsel to Vicente Sederberg, serving as the lead attorneys in Nevada, while Vicente Sederberg attorneys will provide marijuana industry expertise.

Ramirez Group has launched a website, ramirezgroup.com/nhl/, to provide resources and information to Nevadans seeking health insurance.

Ramirez Group is a public relations firm.

The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities donated about $260,000 to local charities in 2014, including Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Las Vegas and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fundraising events included Laps for Charity at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Drive for Charity Golf Tournament, PJ 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk and NASCAR Driver and Memorabilia Auction.

BrightStar Care of West Las Vegas owner Becky Torrez won BrightStar Care’s Rookie of the Year Award. Torrez provides adult and elder home care, child care and supplemental health care staffing to area hospitals and nursing homes.

The Grant a Gift Autism Foundation’s fifth annual Fashion for Autism Gala raised $246,553. Three local professionals were honored: Scott Kavanaugh of First Foundation Bank, Autism Community Partner Award; Dr. Mario J. Gaspar de Alba of Childrens Healthcare Clinic, Autism Community Care Award; and Carrie Carter Henderson of BESTAgency and Las Vegas Fashion Council, Autism Advocate Award.

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Desiree Caputo is the billing and front office manager at Aliante Integrated Physical Medicine in North Las Vegas.

The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield FoundaCAPUTO tion awarded three grants worth $9,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs in Nevada. The Southern Highlands unit received $5,000; the Elko unit received $3,000; and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Truckee Meadows, Fernley Intermediate School received $1,500.

The Children’s Specialty Center of Nevada, a nonprofit pediatric cancer outpatient treatment facility, received a $245,000 grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to expand a long-term follow-up clinic for childhood cancer survivors.

The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation’s Shine for a Superhero 5k race and walk raised more than $196,000. More than 2,000 people participated.

The Juice Standard, 4555 S. Fort Apache Road, Las Vegas, donated all of its November proceeds to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

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The “Live Your Passion” Benefit and Concert, presented by Hyundai, raised more than $250,000 for the Lili Claire Foundation. Co-sponsored

by Warner Bros. Television, the event included a poker tournament chaired by Jason Alexander and concert hosted by comedians Caroline Rhea and Aisha Tyler.

Advanced nurse practitioner Robin King joined HealthCare Partners Oncology/Hematology Group at the San Martin Oncology clinic in Las Vegas. King has more than 25 years of experience and received her master’s degree in nursing at Wayne State University in Detroit and her bachelor of science degree in nursing at the University of Detroit.

Beauty.

Let your smile

express it.

KING

Centennial Hills Hospital has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, offering a higher level of infant care to benefit Southern Nevada families.

“With our Level III designation, we can now care for infants who arrive as early as 23 weeks or are critically ill,” said John Coldsmith, chief nursing officer. The hospital has added nine Level III beds, bringing the total to 15.

Other special features included oversized bays for twins and triplets and other specialized equipment.

Bank of America’s LGBT advocacy and awareness organization, Ally, joined with United Way of Southern Nevada to provide dental care to local children in need. Ten volunteers and community partners created 4,000 dental kits for distribution.

Staff at Chenin Orthodontics paid $1 a pound for children’s Halloween candy, then sent the candy to troops overseas with cooperation from the Nellis Air Force Base Airman and Family Readiness Center and Operation Gratitude.

AAA Nevada honored Ben Kole, a 12-year veteran firefighter with the Las Vegas Fire Department as the 2014 professional Rescuer of the Year.

Kole revived a newborn girl who was not breathing after an emergency delivery in her family’s apartment. AAA Nevada donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter.

Caesars Foundation donated $200,000 to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s HealthyBrains initiative. The initiative, set to debut in 2015, will provide people with important facts and tips essential to maintaining brain health.

Breast surgeon Dr. Souzan El-Eid of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada was honored among the 2014 “Distinguished Women in Nevada” for making a lasting mark on her community.

Dr. Fadi Braiteh will serve as a community oncology representative on the National Cancer Institute’s pancreas task force of the Gastrointestinal Steering Committee. The GISC is a nationwide group of community oncologists, biostatisticians and patient advocates who collaborate on studies and trials in gastrointestinal cancer.

Simone

Beautiful Smiles By Design

Voted “One of the Top Four Dentists in Las Vegas” — “Best Dentists,” Las Vegas Life Magazine Master in the Academy of General Dentistry Member of the American Dental Association Nevada Dental Association & Southern Nevada Dental Association Participant in the Seattle Institute for Advanced Dental Education Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Member of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology • Conscious sedation available •

Patrick A. Simone D.D.S, MAGD 702-735-2755 PatrickSimoneDDS.com

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THE NOTES

Las Vegas HEALS (Health, Education, Advocacy and Leadership in Southern Nevada) appointed its board of directors. The executive committee is: Ann Lynch, chairman and president; Doug Geinzer, CEO; Bob Cooper, founder; Chris Vito, secretary/treasurer; Charles Perry, legislative task force chairman; Brendan Bussmann, communications task force chairman. Members of the board are Larry Barnard, Brian Brannman, Renee Coffman, Dr. Mike Edwards, Vance Farrow, Dr. Joe Hardy, Dr. Joe Iser, Daline Janiuk, Sam Kaufman, James Kilber, Daniel Mathis, Jonas Peterson, Stacy Scheer, Justin Schmiedel, Todd Sklamberg, Cheryl Smith, Col. Willie Tellez, Dr. Marcia Turner and Carolyn Yucha.

Dr. Michelle Jordan is seeing patients at Wynn Urgent Care, 4880 S. Wynn Road, Las Vegas.

The clinic is part of HealthCare Partners Medical Group.

JORDAN The Joint Commission released its data on Top Performers on Key Quality Measures for 2013.

Southern Nevada hospitals that ranked among the top performers are St. Rose Dominican Hospitals-Siena, Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center, Red Rock Behavioral Health Hospital, SBH-Montevista Hospital, Southern Hills Medical Center, Spring Mountain Treatment Center, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and Sunrise MountainView Hospital.

Nikki Ferraro is the Aid for AIDS of Nevada board of trustees president. He previously served as vice president. Marek Bute, who was president for the past two years, will be vice president. Richard Hudock is a new board member.

Dr. Andrew M. Cash, head of the Desert Institute of Spine Care, expanded his practice to include the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, a surgery center.

St. Rose Dominican Hospitals–Rose de Lima and Desert Springs Hospital each received an “A” in safety from the Leapfrog Group. The St. Rose hospital system was the best-performing system in Southern Nevada. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit that uses the collective leverage of large health care purchasers to improve the safety, quality and affordability of health care.

WestCare Nevada expanded its Southern Nevada Community Triage Center, 930 N. Fourth St., Las Vegas, to house more patients in need of mental health and substance abuse care. The center received $766,000 to expand capacity from 36 beds to 50 beds.

The cost was shared equally by the state, local hospitals and local jurisdictions.

C3/CustomerContactChannels opened a call center at 490 E. Capovilla Ave., Las Vegas to provide customer service support for health care clients. The company created 750 new jobs.

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Centennial Hills, Desert Springs, Spring Valley, Summerlin and Valley hospitals were recognized as “Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Categories examined included patient and employee nondiscrimination policies, equal visitation for same-sex partners and parents, and LGBT health education for staff members.

The Pilates Studio Las Vegas is open at 9540 W. Flamingo Road, Building A, Suite 140, Las Vegas.

2014 HealthInsight Quality Award recipients are Advanced Home Health, Advent Home Health, At Home Health Services, Mother’s Care Home Health Services Inc. and Reliance Health Care LLC. HealthInsight is a private, nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to improving health and health care in Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

The Bennett Family Foundation has given $1 million toward the creation of the Nevada Medical Center. The center will be a nonprofit organization coordinating and facilitating the shared resources of health care centers.

A limited edition Ford Mustang was auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas for $170,000, with proceeds benefiting Henry Ford Health System’s Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute.

The 10th Annual Las Vegas Ride for Kids, a motorcycle road ride benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, raised $65,663. More than 300 riders participated. Top fundraisers included Cheyenne Stoner, top individual raising $12,501; Desert Riders Club, top motorcycle club raising $9,596; and Carter Powersports, top motorcycle dealership raising $20,640. Over the past decade, Las Vegas Ride for Kids has raised more than $609,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Dr. Alfred Danielian is working out of HealthCare Partners Medical Group’s Summerlin Cardiology clinic, 2035 Village Center Circle, Suite 110.

Sands Cares, the Las Vegas Sands Corp. global DANIELIAN corporate citizenship program, donated $70,000 to the UNLV School of Dental Medicine to expedite dental treatment for veterans. The donation allows the clinic to provide services to low-income veterans who have been on a waiting list.

Professional Bull Riders hosted the annual PBR Charity Golf Tournament at Rhodes Ranch Golf Course and raised $12,000 for Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada joined the Jessie Rees Foundation and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kaitlin Sandeno to distribute JoyJars to children at Sunrise Children’s Hospital. JoyJars are 64-ounce containers filled with toys and activities for boys and girls, ages 18 and under, who are fighting cancer.

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CALENDAR To include your calendar items in the next issue, contact Craig Peterson at craig.peterson@gmgvegas.com

SUNRISE HOSPITAL Registration is required for all events.

Call 702-233-5454 at least 48 hours in advance.

For more, visit SunriseHospital.com ONE-ON-ONE MEDICARE COUNSELING Join a Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program S.H.I.P. volunteer who can help you navigate through the Medicare process one on one. By appointment only, every 20 minutes. Free.

Call 702-233-5300 to make a reservation.

Tuesdays, March 10, April 14, May 12, 10 a.m.- noon Sunrise Hospital H2U office, 3131 La Canada St., Suite 107 AARP DRIVER SAFETY CLASS Attend this class and receive a discount on your automobile insurance. $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Bring your driver’s license and your AARP card.

Wednesdays, March 11, April 8, May 12, noon-4:15 p.m.

Sunrise Hospital H2U office, 3131 La Canada St., Suite 107 HEALTHY LIVING UP 2 ME If you or a loved one is living with a chronic condition such as diabetes, arthritis, anxiety, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, sleep disorders or high blood pressure, please attend this free Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The six-week program teaches how to set personal goals and develop the skills needed to overcome barriers.

Tuesdays, March 3 and 10, 9-11:30 a.m.

Sunrise Hospital H2U office, 3131 La Canada St., Suite 107 ADULT OUTPATIENT DIABETES CLASS — OVERVIEW AND MEDICATIONS Introduction to diabetes and the actions and effects of medications on the diabetic patient. This class is for adults only; you are welcome to bring a guest. Free.

Tuesdays, March 17 and April 14, 2-4 p.m.

3121 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 600, sixth floor

BREAST CENTER AT SUNRISE HOSPITAL YOUNG SURVIVORS BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Offered to all women 40 years old and younger who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Free.

Wednesdays, March 11, April 8, May 13, 6-7:30 p.m.

The Breast Center at Sunrise, 3006 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 250 TAI CHI CLASS Tai Chi instructor Terry Tichota has been practicing and teaching Tai Chi since 1995. $5.

Thursdays, 11 a.m.-noon.

The Breast Center at Sunrise, 3006 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 250 ONCOLOGY NUTRITION Led by Judy Reinhardt, registered dietitian and certified nutrition support clinician.

Cancer survivors and their loved ones are invited to learn about healthy eating after a diagnosis of cancer. Register at 702233-5454.

Wednesdays, March 18 and May 20, 6-7:30 p.m.

The Breast Center at Sunrise, 3006 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 250

MOUNTAINVIEW HOSPITAL For more information, visit MountainViewHospital.com. Call 702-233-5300 to register at least 48 hours in advance.

ONE-ON-ONE MEDICARE COUNSELING Join a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (S.H.I.P.) volunteer as they help you navigate through the Medicare process. If you need information on Medicare Part D, you will need to bring a list of all of your medications names, doses and how often you take them.

Wednesdays March 18, April 15, May 20, 9:15-11:15 a.m.

H2U MountainView Office 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114

MATERNITY UNIT TOUR Gives expectant parents and family an opportunity to view the private birthing suites, nurseries and postpartum rooms.

A brief explanation of MountainView’s delivery procedures, visitor rules and items to bring is included.

Wednesdays, March 4, March 11, March 18, April 1, April 8, April 15, April 29, May 6, May 30, 7:30-8:30 p.m.; Fridays, March 13, April 10, April 24, May 8, May 22, 7:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturdays, March 7, March 21, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30, 1-2 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way ADULT OUTPATIENT DIABETES CLASS: NUTRITION Diabetes can lead to complications like blindness, heart disease, stroke, and even death. Learning how to manage your disease is the first step in living a healthy life.

Tuesday, May 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursday, May 21, 1-2:30 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, 1 South Conference Room 3100 N. Tenaya Way BARIATRIC SUPPORT GROUP Join us for a bariatric support group as we encourage members to continue to make healthy changes and choices in their lives.

Mondays, March 30, April 27, May 25, 7-9 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP This support group provides an opportunity for family, friends, caregivers, and others to meet for emotional support and to exchange coping skills in matters relating to Alzheimer’s disease. Meets the third Tuesday of every month. Free.

Tuesdays, March 17, April 21, May 19, 10-11 a.m.

H2U MountainView office, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114

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AARP DRIVER SAFETY CLASS Attend this class and receive a discount on your automobile insurance. $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Checks or money orders only. Bring your AARP card, driver’s license and something to write with.

Tuesdays, March 17, April 21, May 19, 11:45 a.m.-4 p.m.

H2U MountainView office 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114 WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE DONE EXPECTING Participants will benefit by bringing a baby doll or stuffed animal that approximates the size of a newborn for practicing swaddling, diaper changing, and other aspects of newborn care. This class provides information for all parents in knowing how to care for a newborn as well as caring for the mother after delivery, or the fourth trimester. How to quiet a crying baby, car seats, helping mom get needed rest and much more is covered. $25.

Thursdays, March 26, April 23, May 28, 6-8 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way O2 ON THE GO SUPPORT GROUP Come take advantage of the collective knowledge and experience that O2 community offers. Knowing all about your illness not only makes you a more informed health consumer, but will help you take control of your disease as many of us before have done. The 02 on the Go Support Group is made up of knowledgeable and supportive members who are versed in the area of various respiratory illnesses. O2 on the Go also offers emotional support to those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and fears that typically accompany the diagnosis of a life altering, incurable disease.

Fridays, March 20, April 17, May 15, 10 a.m.-noon H2U MountainView office 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114

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CHILDBIRTH CLASS The class is designed to assist expectant parents in a better understanding of the third trimester of pregnancy and throughout the labor and delivery process. The cost of this class is $40. The week break allows for an opportunity to understand the questions that you would like to have answered.

Saturdays, March 28, April 25, May 23, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way STROKE SUPPORT GROUP Join fellow stroke survivors and caregivers and share your experiences and insight on living and coping with life after stroke.

Tuesday, March 3, April 7, May 5, 2-3 p.m.

H2U MountainView office, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114 SIBLING CLASS This class is geared to the 2-year-old to 10-year-old sibling of a new infant. The purpose is to acquaint children with the hospital environment prior to the delivery of the baby. This will include a tour of the maternity unit. Responsibilities of being an older sibling, along with special characteristics of a newborn, are presented in a playful way. $15 per family group.

Tuesdays, March 6, April 14, May 12, 6-7:30 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY SEMINAR Learn everything you ever wanted to know about weight loss surgery from an experienced surgeon. MountainView Hospital is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.

Saturdays, April 11, May 9, 10 a.m.-noon; Wednesdays, April 22, May 27, 6-8 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way

BREAST IS BEST BREASTFEEDING CLASS Learn tips and tricks for successful breastfeeding, the benefits of breast milk, and positioning and latching techniques.

Participants will benefit by bringing a baby doll or stuffed animal that is approximately the size of a newborn for practicing different techniques. $25.

Saturdays, March 21, April 18, May 16, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way DADDY BOOT CAMP: BASIC TRAINING FOR NEW DADS Learn how to change diapers like a pro.

Swaddling? No problem. Football hold?

Check! Learn all this and more in our hands-on Daddy Boot Camp. This class is designed to prepare new dads to assist in the care of mom and baby after leaving the hospital. $25.

Tuesday, May 12, 6 to 8 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, Mark Howard Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way NATURAL CHILDBIRTH CLASS This four-week class is to prepare parents for natural childbirth, using holistic methods and Lamaze breathing. Breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as optimal positions for labor will be discussed. Limited to six couples. $80 for all four classes.

Please call to register prior to your 32nd week of pregnancy.

Tuesdays, March 3 and 10, 6-8 p.m.

MountainView Hospital, 1 South Classroom 3100 N. Tenaya Way BONE STRENGTHENING CLASS Prepaying as low as $4 per class. Reservations required. Call 702-233-5474 or log onto www.mountainview-hospital.com to register online. Doctor’s release is required for all exercise programs.

Mondays and Wednesdays in March, 9 a.m.

H2U MountainView office, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 1143

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ST. ROSE DOMINICAN HOSPITALS For information, visit www.strosehospitals.org, or call 702-616-4900 for class reservations and to learn about other programs.

Location Abbreviations FTF Family to Family Connection, Henderson FTF WIC Family to Family Connection, Henderson HEND WomensCare Center, Henderson MAC Siena Campus - MacDonald Room, Henderson RAN Rose de Lima Campus - Annex, Henderson SAN San Martín Campus, Las Vegas SGR Siena Campus - Garden Room Henderson WEST WomensCare Center, Las Vegas DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM If you have pre-diabetes or other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, modest lifestyle changes — eating healthier, exercise, and reducing stress — can help you avoid the bigger changes that come with managing type 2 diabetes. Enroll in this proven program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Call 702.616.4914.

Thursdays – Apr. 23 until Aug. 6; 2:30-3:30 p.m.

GV: $40 to enroll, $10 per session STANFORD DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Regain control of your life with this six-week program, which offers support, healthy eating, medication management, and communication skills. Compliments your current treatment.

Mondays – April 6 until May 11; 1-3:30 p.m.

GV Thursdays – April 23 until May 28; 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Heritage Park Senior Facility: 300 S. Racetrack Road Call 702-267-2950

HEART HEALTH FAIR Includes screenings — fasting may be required, prices vary; tips on healthy eating; CPR demos; raffles, more.

Saturday, Feb. 21; 8-10:30 a.m.

MAC: Seating is limited.

Call 702-616-4900 to register and schedule lab appointment.

HAPPY FEET SCREENINGS Have your feet examined to prevent diabetic-related problems and identify circulation issues. Free; appointment required.

Saturday, March 21, 1-3 p.m. GV HEART HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Get a healthy heart through nutrition facts, meal planning tips, and regular exercise.

Wednesday, March 18, 10-11:30 a.m.

GV: FREE HEARTSAVER CPR/AED Learn American Heart Association adult, child, infant CPR, AED, and choking. Twoyear certification for the non-health care provider.

Wednesday, March 18; 5-9 p.m.; Wednesday, April 22; 5-9 p.m.

WEST: $30 (includes AHA cert. card) STOP SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS Step out of that cloud of smoke!

Wear comfortable clothes and bring your pillow.

Wednesday, April 8; 6-8 p.m.

WEST: $25 (includes CD) SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS Get a suspicious mole or spot checked Wednesday, April 15; 2-4 p.m.

GV: FREE - appointment required MAMMOGRAMS ON THE MAMMOVAN Call 877-581-6266 to schedule an appointment on Nevada Health Center’s Mammovan. Insured and uninsured patients accepted.

Wednesdays, March 11, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

GV

BECOMING MEDICINE WISE Meet individually with pharmacist Krystal Riccio to learn about how your prescription and over-the-counter medications should be taken so they work correctly with minimal side effects.

Wednesday, March 4; 9 a.m.-noon WEST: FREE - appointment needed Wednesday, April 15; 9 a.m.-noon GV: FREE - appointment needed DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? Join the Shepherd Eye Center for a free eye screening, prescription check, and education about glaucoma and other eye ailments.

Wednesday, March 25; 10 a.m.-noon GV: FREE - appointment needed Wednesday, April 22; 10 a.m.-noon WEST: FREE - appointment needed GOT SNAP? SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Three Square will help you complete and submit your SNAP application free of charge. Call 702-616-4905 for appointment.

Every Tuesday – 8 a.m.-noon GV WIC: FREE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CLUB Free monthly weight management group with St. Rose registered dietitians.

Wednesdays – Feb. 25, March 25 & April 29; 5-6 p.m.

GV: FREE NUTRITION CONSULTATIONS Meet one-on-one with a registered dietitian for carb counting, metabolic testing, meal planning, type 1, 2 and gestational diabetes, renal or heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and nutrition recommendations. All insurance welcome and cash discounts available.

Call 702-616-4975 for an appointment and pricing ZUMBA GOLD Show aging who’s “the boss” with lowimpact dance for the young at heart.

Wednesdays – 9-10 a.m.

GV: $5 per session or 5 sessions for $20

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WALKING CLUBS All ages, fitness levels, and strollers welcome. Call 702-616-4902 for seasonal meeting locations.

Thursdays – 8-9 a.m.

BEGINNER PILATES Build a strong core with floor exercises. $5 per session or 5 sessions for $20 Wednesdays – 10:30-11:30 a.m.

GV AGELESS WOMAN WORKOUT: OSTEOPOROSIS EXERCISE Learn breathing, yoga, and movements that target the woman’s aging zones. $5 per session or 5 sessions for $20 Tuesdays & Thursdays – 9-10 a.m.

GV PRENATAL CLASSES Call 702-616-4900 or log on to StRoseHospitals.org/classes for dates, times, and to register.

Baby Basics - $30: GV & WEST Boot Camp for New Dads - $20: GV Breastfeeding - $30: GV & WEST Childbirth Express - $35: GV Gestational Diabetes Consultations -702-616-4975 Infant CPR - $20: GV & WEST Prepared Childbirth - $50: GV & WEST Smoking Cessation for Pregnancy Call the Nevada Tobacco Users’ Helpline: 702-877-0684

SOUTHERN HILLS HOSPITAL AARP SMART DRIVERS CLASS $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Check payments only accepted at the door; payable to AARP. Light refreshments will be available. Attend this class and receive a discount on your automobile insurance. Call 702-880-2700 or visit southernhillshospital.com/calendar to register.

Thursday, March 12, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Southern Hills Hospital’s Education Room on the first floor across from the cafeteria 9300 West Sunset Road

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LUNCH & LEARN: NUTRITION AND AGING Registered dietitian Julie Locklin will discuss nutrition management for older adults. Lunch will be provided.

Call 702-880-2700 or visit southernhillshospital.com/calendar to register.

Wednesday, March 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

LUNCH & LEARN WITH DR. BRIAN LAWENDA, MD Radiation oncologist Brian Lawenda, MD, will discuss “anti-cancer” nutrition, as well as foods that can support patients during and after cancer treatment. Lunch will be provided free to Health to You (h2u) members and non-member, first-time guests.

All others are asked to join h2u with an annual membership of $20 (or $35 for two members in the same household; prices subject to change). Event registration is required (at least 48 hours in advance of the event date) and membership information is available by calling 702-880-2700.

Southern Hills Hospital’s Education Room on the first floor across from the cafeteria, 9300 West Sunset Road Thursday, March 26, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER SENIOR YOGA The first Tuesday of the month, 10-11 a.m.

901 Rancho Lane INFANT & CHILD CPR If you have a child or care for a child, you need to know these life-savings skills. Must register in person. Requires a $10 deposit, refunded to you when you attend class. No children in class please. Family & Friends CPR is for people who want to learn CPR but do not need a course completion card in CPR for their job. This course is ideal for schools and students, new parents, grandparents, babysitters and others interested in learning how to save a life. Please call 702-383-2229 for additional details.

Thursday, March 12, 2-5 p.m.; Saturday, April 11, 9 a.m.-noon; Friday, May 29 2-5, p.m.

901 Rancho Lane

INFANT MASSAGE Learn techniques to calm and relax baby.

Friday, March 13, 1-2:30 p.m.; Thursday, May 21, 1-2:30 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane CHILDBIRTH This class is designed to teach parents about the birth process, including breathing techniques, comfort measures and relaxation. You should complete your Childbirth class in your seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. Cost $35, free to families delivering at UMC. Saturdays, March 21 and April 18, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesdays, May 5, 12 and 19, 6-9 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane BREASTFEEDING Learn about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Mondays, March 23 and May 18, 6-8:30 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane SENIOR YOGA For all skill levels.

Tuesdays, April 7 and May 5, 10-11 a.m.

901 Rancho Lane BABY BASICS Learn about the basics of newborn care.

Thursday, April 9, 6-8 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane BABY BASICS II Continuation of Baby Basics class.

Tuesday, April 14, 6-8 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane SIBLING CLASS Designed to ease siblings into welcoming a new family member.

Thursday, April 30, 4:30-6 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane DAD BOOT CAMP Learn survival techniques and talk manto-man about diapers and life as a father.

Thursday, May 7, 6-8:30 p.m.

901 Rancho Lane

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Live Each Day To The Fullest.

Home of the Stress Free Zone!

5385 W. Sahara Avenue • Las Vegas, Nevada 89146 Main: 702-495-2100 • Sales: 702-495-2197

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BY THE NUMBERS

3

Number of measles sufferers out of 10 who will develop complications such as pneumonia, ear infections or diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FIRST SESSION FREE!

PERSONAL TRAINING SENIOR FITNESS PROGRAMS

PILATES STRENGTH TRAINING FLEXIBILITY HEALTHY LIVING WORKSHOPS

29,480

Estimated number of people who died last year in the United States due to prostate cancer, accounting for about 5 percent of all cancer deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute.

549

Number of home births reported in Nevada in 2013 to the CDC, about 1.6 percent of all births in the state that year.

2.13

Number of doctors per 1,000 residents in Las Vegas, according to the BetterDoctor.com Healthy Cities Index.

52,255,162

Total number of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States in 2013, including aged and disabled enrollees.

$12 billion

Amount in health care costs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says has been saved as a result of a decline in hospitalacquired conditions between 2010 and 2013.

21 percent

Share of people who say they would rather trade between one week and a year of their lives than take daily medication for cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in an American Heart Association journal.

66 percent

Share of people polled in a 2013 Pew Research report who believe medical doctors contribute “a lot” to society.

FIT 4 QUALITY OF LIFE (FIT4QOL) 6210 Annie Oakley Drive #103 Las Vegas, Nevada 89120

19,000

Number of hospitalizations caused by salmonella bacteria in the United States every year, according to the CDC.

(Near Sunset and Green Valley Parkway)

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LOOKING BACK

COMMUNITY PROJECT PROVIDED HEALTH CARE FOR STRUGGLING MOTHERS

By Rebecca Clifford-Cruz

C

ivil rights activist Ruby Duncan founded Operation Life in 1972. The nonprofit assisted locals — particularly African American women — with services such as health care, childcare and job training. A single-story building was deeded to the grass-roots organization by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development in the heart of West Las Vegas, an area populated primarily by working-class African Americans.

By 1973, the Medical Center had begun providing health care services such as physical examinations, health screening, psychiatric services, family planning, pre- and post-natal care, immunizations, internal medicine, and geriatric care, according to UNLV Libraries Special Collection.

Duncan ran the community project until 1990 when her failing health forced her to resign from the position. Operation Life also folded most of its programs a few years later amid lack of funding and allegations of mismanagement.

Top: Activist Ruby Duncan (center) with other women in front of Operation Life, circa 1973.

Middle: Locals donate goods to the Operation Life Medical Clinic on Feb. 19, 1985.

Bottom: Nurse Mattie Blackshear performs a check-up on a young girl at the Operation Life Medical Clinic on July 31, 1978.

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Photos courtesy of Las Vegas Sun

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