2018-02-18 - HealthCare Quarterly (Vol. 19) - Winter 2018

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CONTENTS

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20 FIGHTING

THE GOOD FIGHT Health Care Quarterly asked the folks on the frontlines of health care to think about their battles.

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BRAILLE: THE BLIND PERSON’S REALITY Has modern technology made Braille obsolete?

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Tony Fant of Performance Contracting Inc. disconnects a strap from a crane after workers secure a 6-foot titanium cross to the bell tower of the St. Rose Dominican’s Siena Campus during a topping-off ceremony on Nov. 17, 1999.

COLUMNS 12

VACCINATIONS Daniel W. Heller, Pharma D, Smith’s Food & Drug Stores

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TECHNOLOGY Fadi Braiteh, MD, and Roy Lamey Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

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COMPASSION Lanette Rivera, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth

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INTIMATE PROBLEMS Sarah Ryan, MD, Urology Specialists of Nevada

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Photos by Steve Marcus.

DEPARTMENTS 43

SENIOR LIVING Jonathan Boyar, Las Ventanas at Summerlin

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FALL PREVENTION Nancy Yu, MD, OptumCare Mountain West Region

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EDUCATION Linda Johnson, MD, Southwest Medical Associates

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JOBS Jason Roth, Roseman University of Health Science

57

MEDICARE UnitedHealthcare

COMMUNITY 58

THE NOTES Notes from the health care community

61

CALENDAR Upcoming events and classes

64

A LOOK BACK St. Rose Dominican’s Siena Campus

65

MILESTONE Nathan Adelson Hospice celebrates 40 years

Shaina Meyer of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Dr. Adit Shetty of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada are on the frontlines of medical care.

Dr. Shetty photo by Wade Vandervort.

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FROM THE EDITOR

I

don’t know of any household that didn’t have at least one person in bed with the flu over the past few months. It’s been quite a nasty one — as of early February, 18 people in Clark County died because of the flu.

Waiting rooms filled up as doctors prepared to go to war to battle H3N2 (that’s the flu’s name on its driver’s license).

Their arsenal in the flu fight is not uncommon to us: the flu vaccine, rest, fluids, fluids and more fluids.

Health Care Quarterly asked valley medical professionals to think about the other health-care battles they face. What are they? What is their biggest enemy? And more than that, how do they face those enemies? What are the tools they can use to maintain an upper hand in health care?

We got a vast selection of responses that provided very personal thoughts.

One thread that can be seen in many of them is that we patients need to shape up. It’s our own bad habits that hold us back so many times. Getting well sometimes takes a fight. Perhaps thinking of our doctors, administrators and other medical professionals as generals in that battle will inspire us toward wellness.

Of course, modern technology is a major tool in any doctor’s arsenal. Our knowledge gets broader every day, giving us new ways to fight old obstacles at every turn.

For people with limited vision, there are apps available that can offer amazing assistance.

Cristobal Sotelo is a member and employee of the Blind Center of Nevada and he uses apps that help identify currency and convert text to speech. Does that mean he doesn’t use Braille resources? Not at all, but technology is one of the reasons that Braille use is in decline.

Knowledge of Braille remains an important tool for the blind, however, as Sotelo explains.

It’s hard to be an effective soldier in the fight for health care if you are laid up in the infirmary with a fractured hip. Talk to your doctor if you notice yourself tripping and falling more often. Sometimes people are just klutzy, but as OptumCare’s Nancy Yu, points out, there could be underlying causes. Each year, Yu says, one in three adults 65 and older will fall, and falling tends to be a problem that repeats itself.

One common problem that we have in Southern Nevada is that the sheer number of medical professionals hasn’t kept up with our needs. The tide is slowly turning, however.

Dr. Linda Johnson of Southwest Medical enlightens us on how that agency is working with valley schools and hospitals to get educated medical professionals on the front lines. Meanwhile, Jason Roth of the Roseman University of Health Sciences has some insights into that school’s nursing program and the rising number of male students looking into nursing as a profession.

It’s natural to want to seek out as much help as possible when it comes to our health care.

It’s our hope that this issue of Health Care Quarterly offers some inspiration and useful tips for you as you fight your battles.

Stay well, stay hydrated, and use more sunscreen!

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

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v a c c i n at i o n s

a game-changing vaccine in fight Against shingles

By Daniel W. Heller

Shingrix will take place of zostavax The real risk of shingles increases as you get older.

About half of all cases occur in people over 60 years of age.

A

ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost one out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles, also known as herpes zoster, in their lifetime. Most of these cases are in individuals over the age of 60 who are much more susceptible to the virus.

Shingles is a painful rash on one side of the body, usually brought on by emotional or physical stress and/or a weakened immune system. Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, so those who have been exposed to chickenpox at some time in their life are at risk, as it can remain dormant in the body until it is reactivated. Generally, a pain condition, a shingles rash can lead to long term pain and discomfort, and in some cases, blindness if the nerves to the eye are affected. Children and young adults can get shingles too; however, the real risk of shingles increases as you get older. About half of all cases occur in people over 60 years of age.

Typically, those inflicted by the virus will only experience shingles once in their lifetime, however the possibility of a second or even third episode could happen, which is why a vaccine is so important. With the new game-changing Shingrix vaccine, hopefully the condition will be a thing of the past.

A previous vaccine, Zostavax, was recommended for individuals over the age of 60, however Shingrix is recommended for individuals as early as age 50 — which provides more time for the vaccine to help fight off the virus and prevent shingles from happening. Shingrix is 91 to 97 percent effective, depending on your age, which is much higher than Zostavax, which only has a 50 percent efficacy rate. Eventually, prescriptions for Zostavax will be phased out, with the CDC recommending that all people who were vaccinated with Zostavax receive the Shingrix vaccine instead.

Another benefit to the Shingrix vaccine is the prevention of Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), a condition that affects nerve fibers and skin, causing a burning sensation that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear. The effectiveness is 90 percent versus 65 percent from Zostavax. The pain associated with shingles is one of the major reasons to acquire a vaccine, and as we age, it can become more difficult to deal with the potential onset of PHN. The Shingrix vaccine, like many vaccines, is administered into the shoulder (deltoid muscle) in a two-dose series. The second dose is recommended two months after the first, but a person may wait up to 6 months after the first dose if they wish. The most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, but this pain should not last any longer than three to five days. In terms of cost, Shingrix is priced similarly to the previous vaccine, however with the recommendation of two doses, the price can be around $280. As of now, not all insurance plans cover the cost of Shingrix, so check with your provider. Call your local pharmacy about availability, most should offer the vaccine without requiring a doctor’s visit.

Shingrix aside, how else can you prevent shingles? The answer is to prevent chickenpox. With young children, a chickenpox vaccine is highly recommended and is available for children as young as a year old. The vaccine can potentially protect immunized individuals, making them less likely to develop shingles later in life. Adults can also receive a chickenpox vaccine, although two doses are recommended to fight off the virus.

Daniel W. Heller, Pharma D, is the patient care coordinator for Smith’s Food & Drug Stores.

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W INTE R 2 0 1 8

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North Las Vegas 95

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Sahara West Flamingo

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Blue Diamond

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tech n o l o g y

netspot marks the spot: Pinpointing harmful tumors like never before

By Dr. Fadi Braiteh and Roy Lamey

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ore than 180,000 patients live with advanced stage neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). NETs, often rising from the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, are unique because of their slow-growing nature. Despite the advanced stage, patients live many years, but require numerous treatments that don’t always respond well to chemotherapy and radiation.

Nearly 22,000 Americans are diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors each year. This number is rising with the enhancement of screening and imaging technology.

In nuclear medicine, physicians and researchers are always looking for natural pathways for tracking down harmful tumors and new technology to treat them. Among the latest in imaging technology that is shaping the way cancer is treated is NETSPOT. The Food and Drug Administration approved NETSPOT in June 2016 and it was first used at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada in August 2017.

NETSPOT is a radioactive probe that helps track down and pinpoint NETs. This happens via the positron emission of a gallium 68 dotatate injection, an active agent for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.

The tumors that are pinpointed may be cancerous and develop in the hormone-producing cells of the body’s neuroendocrine system. The technology is pertinent to a number of different cancers and patients. The cells are most commonly found in the intestines, stomach, lungs and pancreas, though they may be found in other areas of the body.

So, how does the gallium 68 dotatate track down the tumors exactly? The NETs have what is known as somatostatin receptors. Somatostatin is a hormone used for regulating the endocrine system, produced in the pancreas and the brain, among other locales. NETs are covered with somatostatin receptors, overproducing them compared to the rest of the body.

When the gallium 68 dotatate is injected in the body, it essentially mimics somatostatin and travels to the somatostatin receptor-covered tumors. From there, the dotatate can tell us the number of tumors, the size of them and where they have potentially metastasized.

Behind the scenes, gallium 68 is produced by germanium 68 / gallium 68 generators, which are approximately about the size of a large trashcan. As the FDA approved NETSPOT, select sites throughout the country were approved to have germanium 68/gallium 68 generators on-site, including Cardinal Health Pharmacy in Las Vegas. Each generator has a 271-day half-life.

Once the generator produces the gallium 68, it has a 68-minute half-life. This means that everyone involved — the pharmacy attaching the dotatate molecule, the PET department and the patient — must be incredibly efficient and implement the gallium 68 essentially within minutes of the ordered time.

Prior to NETSPOT, the key option for identifying such tumors was an octreotide scan, which works very similarly, but uses a gamma camera for imaging instead of a PET. The difference in imaging by utilizing NETSPOT is incredible — it is much clearer and, compared to octreotide scans, is actually cheaper for most patients.

There are no serious side effects related to NETSPOT, primarily because the body creates a certain level of somatostatin already. With the gallium 68 mimicking a low dosage of somatostatin, the risks are minimal to zero.

As for research pertaining to the technology and its effectiveness, studies have shown that the NETSPOT imaging ultimately resulted in refined and improved treatment regimens.

Currently, somatostatin analogue treatment is used to slow the growth of NETs and decrease the secretory properties of such diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals, such as NETSPOT, have shown impressive impact on survival in various studies.

The challenge has been improving the screening and imaging process, which pinpoints the presence of disease beyond the original tumor. With NETSPOT, the imaging has led to increased clarity in terms of the specific tumors being treated, resulting in a change of treatment in 35 to 71 percent of cases.

The imaging has an accuracy rate of 97 percent with a positive predictive value of 99 percent, meaning there has never been a more accurate mode for pinpointing NETs.

Fadi Braiteh, MD, is a medical oncologist and Roy Lamey is radiology supervisor for Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.

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a brutal summer for homEless youth — how nevada partnership provides relief and help

By Lanette Rivera

I

t’s almost the beginning of summer and days where the scorching sun brings scalding afternoons and overheated nights. Still, Las Vegas continues to thrive with tourists rolling in, poolside parties, and the hustle and bustle of residents’ everyday lives going on as they’ve learned to adapt to the impending harsh elements. But not everyone can adapt. For the thousands of homeless youth in our community, the beginning of summer is just the start of a brutal fight to survive and battle against heat-related health and nourishment issues.

Although this may come as a surprise to many, Las Vegas currently has one of the largest homeless youth populations in the country. In 2017, we had the third highest total number of unaccompanied homeless children and youth residing

depend on school as a safe haven, where they can count not only on air conditioned classrooms, but also a place where they know they’ll have access to free breakfast and lunch.

However, during the summer, when most schools are closed, many homeless youth face harsher conditions, exposed to both the daytime’s dangerous heat and being forced to find alternative ways to access food.

Homeless youth on the streets become susceptible to many health complications, such as dehydration, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, fainting and dizziness, extensive sunburn, and hunger. Vulnerable and often already cautious of authority, homeless youth who may be experiencing symptoms of these complications will not usually seek medical atten tion, leading to more health risk and damage.

Not all is somber though because homeless youth do have a safe place to get help during the The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth needs donations of summer and throughout the entire year. The Nevada Partnership water, sunscreen, and volunteers to assist with putting together for Homeless Youth is Southern Nevada’s most comprehensive and distributing Summer Survival Kits. service provider for homeless youth. Programs encompass preTo learn how you can get involved, visit www.nphy.org. ventative and street outreach, Safe Place 24-7-365 mobile crisis intervention, drop-in center, emerin our community of all major metro areas in the United gency shelters, family reunification, and transitional housing.

States. Even worse, we currently lead the nation with the NPHY’s programs help homeless youth get off the streets highest rate of unaccompanied homeless children and both immediately and long-term, preventing further negayouth living unsheltered on our streets — including during tive health outcomes from occurring. our merciless summer.

In particular, NPHY’s outreach program sends staff and Last year, just as school was letting out in June, Las Ve- volunteers out to the streets to connect homeless youth with gas hit an all-time record high at 117 degrees. Although not the resources they need to seek refuge. In addition to buildthe norm, the average summer temperature usually sits ing rapport and providing youth with information on available around 104 degrees, making anywhere without the refuge services, the outreach team provides youth with summer of air conditioning unbearable. Many homeless youth also survival kits, including food, water, sunscreen, chapstick,

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hygiene products, and more. The survival kits are donated and assembled throughout the year by NPHY donors and volunteers, and thousands are given out to vulnerable youth on the streets every summer.

The NPHY Drop-In Center, which is centrally located near UNLV, also provides a critical lifeline during the summer, as it provides homeless youth a safe place to get respite from the elements and meet their immediate and long-term needs. The DropIn Center offers homeless youth water, food, shower and laundry facilities, hygiene supplies, clothing, and more, while connecting them to higher-level assistance, including

NPHY’s Emergency Shelters, Operation Go Home Family Reunification Program, and Independent Living Program.

While beating the heat in the more than 4,000-square-foot Drop-In Center, youth also have access to case management by licensed social workers, education and employment assistance, life skills classes, crisis counseling, tutoring, legal services, gym, music and art therapy room, computer lab, and more, to help youth move toward selfsufficiency and long-term health. NPHY’s case managers work with youth to ensure their safety from the heat and connect them both to shelter and to medical resources, if

needed. Last year, NPHY served 468 individual homeless youth at the Drop-In Center during the course of more than 7,500 visits, meeting these young people’s immediate needs, providing them with respite from the streets, and connecting them to further supportive services.

During these hot summer months, NPHY needs donations of water, sunscreen, and volunteers to assist with putting together and distributing survival kits. To learn how you can get involved, visit www.nphy.org.

Youth can also access NPHY’s full range of services by calling the Safe Place hotline at 1-866-U-ARE-SAFE.

Lanette Rivera is responsible for communications and development at Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

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I N T I M AT E P R O B L E M S

UROLOGICAL ISSUES CAN OFTEN BE EASY TO TREAT — IF YOU LET YOUR DOCTOR KNOW

By Sarah Ryan, MD

F

or various reasons, some women fear going to the doctor. Now imagine the stress of seeking help for a highly personal or socially awkward condition like urinary incontinence or sexual dysfunction.

Each day, urologists deal with numerous and different health conditions that are rarely discussed in public. Don’t let fear, anxiety or a feeling of awkwardness prevent you from taking care of an issue early on.

Bladder leakage (or “urinary incontinence”) is one of the most common such issues. It is the loss of bladder control or involuntary loss of urine. One in three adult women in the U.S. have urinary incontinence, yet less than 50 percent of them discuss their symptoms with their healthcare provider. In addition to feeling embarrassed, they may be unaware that their condition might be treatable or think that their symptoms are due to aging.

There are three types of bladder leakage: Urge incontinence is the strong, sudden need to urinate due to bladder spasms or contractions.

Stress incontinence is an involuntary loss of urine that occurs during physical activity, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise.

Mixed incontinence is the combination of both urge and stress incontinence.

Of the 1 in 3 adult women who have urinary incontinence, about 50 percent are stress incontinence, 36 percent mixed incontinence and 11 percent urge incontinence.

Treatment options Treatments for urinary incontinence vary, depending on the type of incontinence, the severity and the underlying cause. If an underlying condition is causing your symptoms, your doctor will first treat that condition.

Behavioral techniques are the first line of defense. These techniques include: Bladder training, which is essentially delaying urination after you first get the urge to go. The goal is to lengthen the time between trips to the toilet.

Double voiding, which means urinating, then waiting a few minutes and trying again, to help you learn to empty your bladder more completely.

Scheduled toilet trips, to urinate every two to four hours rather than waiting for the need to go.

Fluid and diet management, to regain control of your bladder (such as cutting back on or avoiding alcohol, caffeine or acidic foods). Reducing liquid intake, losing weight or increasing physical activity also can ease the problem.

Pelvic floor muscle exercises are another possible option.

Also known as Kegel exercises, these exercises are especially effective for stress incontinence, but may also help reduce urge incontinence. These exercises strengthen the muscles that help control urination.

While not applicable in every case, medications are commonly used to treat incontinence. These include “anticholinergics,” which can calm an overactive bladder, Mirabegron, which relaxes the bladder muscle and can increase the amount of urine your bladder can hold, and topical estrogen.

Applied in the form of a vaginal cream, ring or patch, topical estrogen may help tone and rejuvenate tissues in the urethra and vaginal areas.

Minimally invasive therapies that may help with incontinence include bulking material injections, Botox and nerve stimulators.

Bulking material injections are a synthetic material that is injected into tissue surrounding the urethra, helping to keep it closed and reducing leakage. It usually needs to be repeated regularly. Botox (“botulinum toxin type A”) injections into the bladder muscle may benefit people who have an overactive bladder. Nerve stimulators are devices resembling a pacemaker. It is implanted under your skin to deliver painless electrical pulses to the nerves involved in bladder control (the sacral nerves). Stimulating the sacral nerves can control urge incontinence if other therapies haven’t worked.

Lastly, there are surgical interventions that may be an option, depending the type and severity of your incontinence.

What you can do A few isolated incidents of incontinence don’t necessarily require medical attention. And as they age, most people do have to get up to urinate at night. But if the problem affects your quality of life, don’t hesitate to have your symptoms evaluated.

Sarah Ryan, MD, is a urologist with Urology Specialists of Nevada.

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Dr. Ryan photo by Sampsel & Preston Photography.

Fighting THE GOOD FIGHT

D

on’t let the lab coats and scrubs fool you.

Those trappings might be functional, but they camouflage one of the greatest secret weapons a medical professional can possess

— the heart of a warrior.

Health Care Quarterly asked the folks on the frontlines of health

care to think about their work like its a battle — because it often is.

What is their biggest foe, and — most important — what are the tools in their arsenal to help stay ahead?

The ways they approach health care can stand as lessons to be remembered in our own fight for healthier lives.

Continued on page 22

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Adit Shetty MD

Medical Oncologist, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

I

like a challenge.

Cancer is an incredibly complex group of diseases. In terms of practicing medicine, the variety that treating cancer offers me is like no other. Managing and treating patients with cancer can be a very gratifying experience, even if you can’t fully cure a patient of their disease.

You can make a big impact on a patient’s life and help them in his/her most dire time of need.

For me, it’s a balance of empathy and determination that drives me each and every day.

In terms of my biggest foe — the biggest challenge is when we have to tell patients that there is no subsequent treatment option for their particular form of cancer.

We see this in a variety of cancers and tumors, particularly pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer and with brain tumors like Glioblastoma. While there is a lot of intense research into those cancers and tumors, we — as a profession — haven’t found an acrossthe-board fix. We don’t have a magic bullet for some patients unfortunately. But, I can tell you — and especially seeing the passion poured in to research here at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada — we are working on finding that next treatment for patients.

As for my “secret weapon”: While we certainly face unique scenarios with each patient, when our backs are against the wall, we typically do have options to turn to.

Whether it’s identifying a clinical trial, doing genetic analysis and sequencing of tumor, or immunotherapy, now more than ever before, more options are becoming available.

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For me, it’s a balance of empathy and determination that drives me each and every day.

Photo by Wade Vandervort.

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Photo Credit

Souzan El-Eid MD, FACS

Breast Surgeon Touro University Adjunct Professor Director, the Breast Center at Summerlin Hospital

I

grew up in Beirut, Lebanon during a time of war. After high school, I came to the United States. I attended college and then medical school in Nebraska. It was in medical school that I fell in love with general surgery, primarily for one key reason: I was able to fix things. My subsequent fellowship was in critical care trauma, taking care of severely injured patients and managing complex trauma cases.

Eventually, I went into private practice in Upstate New York — I was the only female surgeon between Albany and Westchester.

Women came in, quite often, with abnormal mammogram results and/or lumps in the breasts. Thus, I obtained additional training in ultrasound, mammography and stereotactic biopsy and became a breast surgeon.

These experiences — what I experienced firsthand growing up, in school and out in the field — have made me who I am to day.

My secret weapons are my ears. Among many things that treating patients with breast cancer has taught me it is this: To listen to each and every woman. A breast cancer diagnosis is life changing and has lifelong impacts. I used to get upset at women who waited much longer than they should have to seek help with a lump or pre-cancerous symptom. “Why wouldn’t they seek help?” I often asked myself.

Then, I would listen why. She has a sick child with terminal cancer. She has a husband that she takes care of with lymphoma.

Or, she didn’t have the heart to tell her children that Mom had cancer, too.

Although the reasoning can be difficult to grasp, I have learned to listen and understand.

That’s why I am here: To listen and to help.

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ere thin , h at wh edicine so muc ancer m c f o e s y e . it h be ft xic should heer to esults o nophic r ly, the s r r t a s f us in o il a t o a im ll c S A y . ll r a e n h t ines k fur occasio ic medic e to loo x o m and the t d f e o h use enefit s, pus routine ingful b e n h therapie a t e n m e ny have se ieving a cology e of ach p o h le t eutic with lit f therap o t . s n t tients. o n r f with pa e fore t h s for patie t e t n a o e h to b ns that o be I strive versatio t of all t s n o o c m l d u n ofainf es, an focus o often-p I advanc e , s g o in h t h new avoid have wn for ther wit o e When I g n o k t e d r r rwa ssible. gists a ever po oving fo oncolo n m e ill h d n w a ope re we w apies ut whe fering h ew ther b n , t d l n n a il a t w r ents is impo r future treatm the nea are now e alities, in d w a o e d r a m e v Wh rn Ne s, new e ie h p t a u r o e in S ers, and w th MD cialists be here sing ne actition e r u p p : S g f r o n an in e g n ll e te Canc ratio attlin l, but o be mor xt gene l mode ted in b e Nevada s ia n e r r t e s e h t u t e in ind ing educat d on an I becom ies, ot base ow did n n e o h hnolog s g W doin ent. sis. and tec a m s b t o d n m e e it z e a n m cancer? n uali ma y die reat int to o individ ared hu ssmate e new t t h la s a c s r r g a I can po u e o t w . sa mia s on munitie As we in out 11, I se focu d leuke nd com o lo a o r s er. h e c d ie v n il e il I was ab a s of c le, fam rom ch must n e would ie f r p e d o u h e t w t e g a u p a f e r r t my ul d cern fo ges and I knew archer d painf and con challen rward, s a rese e slow an o a h f r t t e h h in it o it s w r, e hat p itially a dealing h cance From t und — in ok not o ling wit r a g e k d c e a o lo involv y own b ed me t ician. M compell — r e or a clin it r er and w a teach

llard

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Photo Credit

John Rhodes MD

Senior Medical Director, Mountain West Region Southwest Medical Associates

“I

f I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”

Obesity, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, smoking and excessive alcohol and the diseases they bring are some of the obvious threats to wellness we deal with every day in our primary care office. The best treatment for many diseases is to prevent them.

Studies confirm that much of the disease seen in a physician’s office could be prevented or delayed by a commitment to healthy lifestyle earlier in life (National Center for Health Statistics — Healthy People 2010 Final Review). It is sobering to see a patient regret previous life choices when faced with a serious health diagnosis such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), diabetes or heart disease.

But lecturing doesn’t work, so here’s how I work alongside my patients — I explain that I care about them and want them to live a long and healthy life.

I do what I can to make sure they understand the path they’re on and where it could lead.

I ask them about their life, their family, their health and their work to try to understand the barriers to healthier choices.

We discuss options and what can work for them both in the short and long term.

We stay in touch to discuss progress.

Helping a patient make changes that will impact their health for a lifetime is a great payoff in a family practice. The implementation is most likely to occur when presented through a trusting relationship between the patient and myself and when the recommendation is presented in a caring and companionate way.

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Shaina Meyer OTR/L, MSCS

Clinical Rehab Manager, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

T

he biggest challenge we face in working with patients with progressive neurological diseases that have no cure (such as Parkinson’s disease) is keeping the person who is battling the disease motivated to fight. For any human, it is not a simple feat to continue to battle something that feels like it is always winning the war. One unwritten, but paramount task that’s not in the clinical rehab manager job description is to help keep people motivated and pushing them to be the best they can be, no matter what.

I am proud to be a part of a team at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health that achieves this by educating people and empowering them to become more educated themselves.

Additionally, it is just as crucial that their caregivers are informed, educated and trained in communication as it can be one of the most important tools in the fight against neurological conditions. People who do not have a good support system are the ones that I see suffer the most.

One unwritten, but paramount task that’s not in the clinical rehab manager job description is to help keep people motivated and pushing them to be the best they can be, no matter what.

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Photo by Steve Marcus.

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sher i F e l o r Ca CEO

e nt and Preside delson Hospic A s in the Nathan allenge h c t s e igg der-

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eb e misun ne of th ice is th p to s o h f provide field o hat we w here f T o . s g ie famil standin ir e ice h t of hosp s and antage patient v d l; a o r g t akin t con n that t and los io t p p u r e n c u e r o giv of y is a pe u have ontrol that yo aking c t is pact on e means ic im have t hosp c n a a f e c u in o re y Hospic when delson nd, whe A e e ing n a h it t h t t m e-li . Na life a ith a lif y of life w t li ls a a s u r u q e id giv your o indiv eir care npport t g for th in rofessio r a p gives su c l a o ic ls d a e e il m wh iders. ff of illness re prov ated sta a c ic l d a e u d irit ha throug s and sp worker l ia c o s als,

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Photo Credit

Aaron Ritter MD

Director of Clinical Research Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

I

n medicine, there is no bigger challenge than that of Alzheimer’s disease.

Everyone over the age of 60 (and anyone who plans to live beyond that age) is at risk for this neurologic disease.

Affecting more than 44 million people and the costing more than $500 billion, Alzheimer’s and dementia already represents an urgent public health emergency.

If better treatments are not found soon, the numbers of people affected will triple and health care systems will be stretched to a breaking point.

Some days work is hard: we still don’t have effective therapies and this disease continues to enact a huge toll on those affected. And while the recent spate of negative clinical trial has been discouraging (there have been no new FDA approved medications since 2003), I firmly believe we are making significant progress in our war against this disease. We now know that the pathological changes that cause Alzheimer’s disease start years to decades before the symptoms emerge. Armed with new diagnostic techniques that can tell us when these changes are starting to occur, a new generation of sophisticated drugs are being now tested. As leader of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s clinical trial program, my team and I work day in and day out to further the progress of Alzheimer’s disease research.

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tle rvisor t i L i l l e K es Supe y Servic nit Commu onor Network D a d Neva

k Networ Donor a d a : v 1 e N No. y basis, lth foe n a dail blic hea u p h it w n. is faced rmatio solving misinfo t n a e p t a d to ic ram d e d . More sion is nations o d ht Our mis n a g of or lives rig r their h crisis o lt f , a g e ly n h d li a c li nt. S e batt the pub ranspla dans ar e t a v iv n e e a c g N r e 0 go n’t r than 58 lifesavin they wo e a r e g s e u h in t a it c a be ause now aw die bec ie today l d l il il w e w v y a e le to s . Th 24 peop donors in time istered t of life g if e e this g r g ir h n e g a th to ch enou t ly o of s n s le ly e p e wake s tir are sim pe in th m work o a h e s t r r e u off them. O onation ans to Organ d . y t li a e Nevad e r . ir y p d s e in g ur oris to se tra onor. O sibility d immen n n o a p g s r e rr bout s an o (My) ou myths a ering a y t b is t d g e e g r ing tha allen es by erstand s are ch save liv t d r n o u ff e is e r ca cm ion’s level of e publi ganizat ect the ch as th ff u a s al. , it ld n p u io s or co a ho donat s a don nt or at a e g donor, id in n c r a c e g a an or regist in an e s r e a iv y e e c o save n re t if th trying t a perso eve tha in li e e . b il le m tra eop e truth Some p o the ex from th g r t e o h n t l r wil e fu doctor’s uldn’t b hich co w e f li your

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Photo Credit

Jeffrey Wilson MD

Urology Specialists of Nevada

T

he greatest challenge during my career as a physician and surgeon has been continually motivating patients to take part in their own health care and make wise lifestyle choices.

It’s vitally important that physicians encourage patients to actively participate in their care and promote beneficial lifestyle choices. Patients can make a substantial difference in their own health, from changes such as cutting down on smoking even a few cigarettes a day, to losing weight and improving their diet, or even simply walking more each day.

As physicians, we’re in a unique position with each patient en counter to both help and empower them. That difference can be through complex procedural interventions, but better yet with good communication and common sense advice on health and well-being. However, such a holistic approach can become lost in the shuffle of increased paperwork, time constraints and the repetition of the daily routine. An ongoing career demand has been staying at peak motivation to maximize the meaningful advice with every patient I treat.

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As for what I’ve learned over the years? No. 1: You

Matthew Schwartz MD

Radiation Oncologist Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

S

ome truly great minds inspired me to get into oncology. When I was younger, a loved one’s oncologist was Dr. Heather Allen, who is one of my partners now. The way she cared for her patients helped spark my interest in oncology.

When I was a medical student, I shadowed another doctor, Dr. Dan Curtis, who is also a partner of mine now. I had such positive interactions with oncologists and thought it was a field that I could give back, use my best attributes and maximize my talents.

It’s turned out to be a good fit for me, combining my passion for using high technology — working with computers and 3-D imaging — and having a close relationship with patients.

As for what I’ve learned over the years?

No. 1: You don’t know everything, no matter what you’ve learned in the textbooks or think that you know. I learn every single day from my patients. Every patient is different and I learn what works and what doesn’t.

My patients are a source of inspiration for me — I see what people are going through and their amazing determination and will to live. I see them showing up everyday. And, sometimes when times are tough, just showing up is 99 percent of the battle. It’s about putting your best foot forward and that’s how success is created.

As for tricks of the trade, it’s less about preparing for the day and more about decompressing. Fighting cancer can be stressful, hectic and emotional. I let those emotions go through a strict exercise program — I need some kind of physical activity to sweat and let all the stress out.

I don’t want to take that home with me and that’s my outlet.

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don’t know everything, no matter what you’ve learned in the textbooks or think that you know.

I learn every single day from my patients.

Photo by Christopher DeVargas.

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feldt d n i W Ty metown Health Ho CEO of ident ice Pres V r io n Se lth wn Hea of Reno

need panies m o c e c — uran urpose that ins imary p r p believe two ir e e v h a hey h ck to t t a r b e o h t g e to ers in . Wh ess own people g in s in u b lp , e h health ,000 ove the ees or 5 r y p lo p im o m e ant t offer af es, and evada w e N y k n lo r r p e ir em in Cla South wever, s of the s o e H n . ll e e c n and w insuran 2 millio health re than lly unfordable lace where mo ssentia e p e r a , a y e t arriers rk, w Coun ber of c and wo m e u v n li e le h t peop rms of . ed in te anies, se from o o h derserv c e comp o c t n s a r ie u n pa ins their this by for com aking it combat m , n h a c lt a e W needed n He nd into ometow a p H ely x s e a d h suc genuin ify an make a o ident o t t n e b io ll s we mis should lth and he goal the hea in unity. areas. T e c m n ur com differe o e in iv e it v s po who li f those being o

I

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Photo Credit

Stephanie Glover MA, CEAP

Director, Employee Assistance and WorkLife Programs Health Plan of Nevada

I

t seems like all my life, much to the consternation of my teachers and my parents, I have been asking questions: Why, when, who, where, how? (And, by the way, this is only charming for a little while in childhood, and does not endear you to your peers or elders as you age.) I wanted to find out what made things and people “tick.� I took apart things (that my parents did not appreciate, like the telephone, the toaster, etc.) and usually got them back together in good working order.

And that is how I came to be a mental health therapist myself. My goal is to help people learn more about themselves and learn skills that bring meaningful and positive change into their lives and the lives of those around them.

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Imagine walking into a business where you are the owner.

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Has modern technology made Braille obsolete?

By Cristobal Sotelo

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Braille

Y

THE BLIND PERSON’S REALITY ou have no doubt seen Braille’s raised dots at the ATM or while riding on elevators. I’ve even seen a Braille Rubik’s Cube. Braille is not technically a language, but society at large perceives it as

the unofficial language of the blind. Most people

I meet assume all blind folks learn Braille, that it’s part of the visually impaired learning curve.

But, it’s not that simple. Technology has changed the game. I am 32, old enough to remember the preinternet days, but young enough to embrace the ad-

vancements that have made life so much easier for my blind brothers and sisters.

Continued on page 42

Photos courtesy of the Blind Center of Nevada.

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Continued from page 41

Quick Facts About Braille • Braille began as a tool of espionage. Napolean Bonaparte commissioned Cap. Charles Barbier de la Serre to create a way for soldiers to communicate soundlessly. Barbier took his system to the Royal Institution for Blind Children where young Louis Braille was a student.

• In 1820, Braille was 11 years old when he began to modify the work started by Barbier.

France adopted Braille as the official communication system for blind individuals in 1854. Braille was adopted

by The Missouri School for the Blind in St. Louis in 1860.

• Don’t think of Braille as a language. Chinese, Spanish, Arabic and English are languages and all of them — as well as many others — can be written out in Braille.

• Want a Braille dictionary of your own? Clear a shelf — Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary is 72 volumes.

• The National Federation of the Blind released a report in 2009 that says that fewer than 10 percent of the 1.3 million people who are legally blind in the United States are Braille readers. The report, called “The Braille Literacy Crisis in America” attributes the decline to a number of factors including a shortage of teachers and advances in technology.

• There are Braille codes for math, music and computer programming.

Born and raised in Mexico, I came to the United States as a child and lost my vision after a cancerous tumor was removed from my left eye. Since 2002, I have been a member at the Blind Center of Nevada.

Despite being fully blind, I have adapted and thrived. I work in the Blind Center’s electronics recycling center, dismantling computers and erasing hard drives. I also serve as a tutor in the center’s computer lab, teaching my fellow members how to best utilize technology such as smartphones, laptops and the newest apps.

But I still love Braille, use it in my day-to-day life and am vocal in exclaiming its benefits to anyone who will listen.

Questions, however, remain about the current state of Braille and its seemingly foggy future.

Is Braille a dead language?

Braille was invented in the early 19th century by French educator Louis Braille and was established as our nation’s standard for tactile reading in 1918.

A century later, it is very much in a state of flux.

Braille is not necessarily dead, nor even dying, but statistics do not indicate a bright future.

According to the National Federation of the Blind, roughly 10 percent of blind children are learning Braille, down from approximately 50 percent in the 1960s.

Statistics like that are concerning for blind people who believe learning Braille is an unmatched form of intellectual stimulation. I get encouraged when I read about organizations like the Los Angeles-based Braille Institute and Tennessee School for the Blind, which have

hosted Braille reading compeNowadays, smartphones and titions. It represents a minor their seemingly space-age apps pushback to technology’s cul- have made it possible — with tural inundation. a little bit of training — to effiIn my personal experience ciently navigate daily life. One of at the Blind Center, I know my personal favorites is Money many people who prefer read- Reader, which instantly recoging Braille to listening to some nizes currency, allowing blind monotone, disembodied voice individuals to keep track of their on an iPhone. Braille is not easy finances. All you have to do is to learn, but it affords blind in- point the phone’s camera in the dividuals with a greater sense of general vicinity of the bills. independence and privacy than Money Reader is the first technology. I prefer Braille when smartphone app I teach my felI’m writing letters or reading a low Blind Center members to book. There is something com- use. More times than I care to forting about being detached remember, I handed over a $20 from 21st century comforts. bill instead of a $10 bill, or a $50 While Braille is less efficient bill instead of a $20 bill, only for than modern technology, and the cashier to pocket the extra transcribing a novel to the me- cash. Believe it or not, there are dium can be cost-prohibitive, I people out there who will take believe there are enough blind advantage of the blind. men and women who see its Another app — KNFB Reader value. And if our ATMs, hotel — converts printed text to speech rooms and a myriad of other instantly, reading aloud whatplaces still utilize Braille, is it ever is on the page. I use other really dead or dying? In another apps that can instantly tell you generation or two, we may be the color of anything in a photo having a different discussion. or identify whatever image is For now, we can hold off on writ- captured on a screen. It is proing Braille’s obituary. gressive technology in the coolest possible way.

At the Blind Center of Nevada, Braille’s place with many of the older members are modern technology tech-hesitant and cannot imagTechnology has made Braille more of a luxury. When I attend- ine life without Braille, while the ed high school in the early 2000s, younger members are smartBraille was a priority. I used phone wizards who surf the something called Braille2000, an web with surprising ease. Blind internet-savvy program that was people are no different than the ahead of its time. Essentially a rest of society. Many embrace personal Braille note taker, it al- technology; others are resistant. lowed me to do homework inde- I have noticed more members pendently and in the comfort of gravitating to the computer labs my home. I was 11 when I moved and smartphone training classto the U.S. and started learning es while our Braille library sees English and Braille simultane- a limited traffic flow.

I guess that is a sign of the ously. It was difficult — but necessary — in order to adapt to my times. What it all means for new country, excel academically Braille’s future remains to be discovered. and overcome my disability.

Cristobal Sotelo is a long-time member and employee at Blind Center of Nevada.

For information about the Blind Center, visit www.BlindCenter.org.

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SENIOR LIVING

AN AGE-OLD QUESTION: WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP OUR ELDERLY FAMILY MEMBERS

By Jonathan Boyar

H

ow do I care for an aging loved one in the best way possible? It’s a question facing tens of millions of Americans, but there is no cut-and-dried answer.

According to a 2015 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, approximately 34.2 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 and older over the preceding year.

In most instances, it’s an adult child caring for a parent or parents. While caretakers generally have the best intentions, it’s important to emphasize that senior care is not one-size-fits-all.

Continued on page 44

Photo Credit

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Continued from page 43

A major component of preparing for living independently at an older age is identifying risk factors and taking action to minimize them.

First and foremost, if a senior living community is a consideration, then there is usually a set of issues that needs to be addressed. Mobility and cognition loss are common issues, but there are a number of “triggers” that could indicate a further decline. Triggers include: • Difficulty using the bathroom • Inability to manage medications • A house that has become too large to maintain • Increased issues while driving These triggers are often subtle and do not show themselves overnight. In many cases, caregivers are faced with an independent parent who scoffs when the words “senior living community” are uttered. While most senior living homes offer independent living services that provide residents with autonomy, it’s understandable when seniors who have lived in their own home for decades prefer to stay put.

Barring health issues like dementia or Alzheimer’s that require specialized, around-the-clock care, caretakers can recommend senior-centric modifications designed to ease issues caused by aging.

If stairs are a problem, you can investigate the feasibility of an automatic lift system, although the best lifts cost several thousand dollars. On a more costefficient note, shifting the bedroom from the upstairs to the ground floor is prudent. The most important question to ask is if everything they need on a dayto-day basis is readily accessible. The bathroom, shower, kitchen and bedroom should be in close proximity to one another. And if balance is an issue, a handrail or ramp located at the home’s entrance can prevent a damaging accident.

Continued on page 46

If stairs are a problem, you can investigate the feasibility of an automatic lift system or shifting the bedroom from upstairs to the ground floor.

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THE DAY’S

BIGGEST NEWS

STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Sign-up Now at LVSun.com/Optin

Continued from page 44

Most falls happen in the bathroom, especially at night. Motion sensor nightlights in the bathroom and near the bed can stop pesky middle of the night tumbles, which often result in serious injuries such as broken hips. For roughly $20, it is a low-cost, low-maintenance safety measure.

A major component of preparing for living independently at an older age is identifying risk factors and taking action to minimize them. For the caretaker, that means “seniorproofing” your loved one’s home, including clearing the living space to minimize the risk of slips and falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.8 million older individuals age 65 and older are treated in an emergency room as the result of a fall.

So, what else can be done to prevent falls?

Installing handrails in the shower and near the toilet is a good place to start. As a caretaker, it’s important to take an all-encompassing view of the home and clear anything that could possibly cause an unfortunate spill, such as rugs, lamps and extension cords. Even twosided carpet tape (less than $20 in stores) can be the difference between safety and a catastrophic injury.

Lighting is a standard issue in many seniors’ homes, and something as simple as adding overhead lights near the top and bottom of the staircase is an effective preventative measure.

Lighting the staircase is only the starting point.

If the staircase is painted or made of wood, it is advisable to install anti-slip tape or rubber non-slip stair treads, as well as handrails on both sides of the staircase.

Successful aging occurs outside of the home as well. There are community resources designed to assist seniors in navigating the aging process. Many universities and community organizations across the country offer fall prevention classes, and in Southern Nevada, Clark County sponsors a fall prevention class, which offers free risk assessments. It’s a no-cost option that all caretakers should present to their loved ones.

Eventually, a senior living community may be the best option, especially if triggers become more pronounced. At that point, it’s crucial to have financial and personal issues sorted out, such as power of attorney, living wills, trusts, and insurance? Would you have to sell property in order to afford the senior living care you desire?

Senior living communities aren’t for everybody, and all family dynamics are unique.

Ultimately, caretakers must take an active role in their loved one’s health and assess the situation honestly. There is no magic elixir for successful aging, but with proper foresight and commitment to limiting potential hazards, caretakers can be adequately prepared.

Jonathan Boyar is executive director of Las Ventanas at Summerlin.

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Successful aging occurs outside of the home as well.

There are community resources designed to assist seniors in navigating the aging process.

FA L L P R E V E N T I O N

AVOIDING THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME: FALLS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE, BUT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR THE OLDER POPULATION

A

By Nancy Yu, MD

t first glance, preventing falls might seem to be more of a safety topic than a medical topic, but it’s an important health topic, especially for older adults.

As we age, physical changes and health conditions, and sometimes the medications we use, make falls more likely. Even for younger, more active people, falls can be a risk factor. Consider the potential for injury among people of all ages who engage in skiing, snowboarding, biking, rock climbing, running, dancing and more.

Continued on page 48

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Continued from page 47

The fact is, falls are a major threat to the health and independence of older adults. Each year, one in three older adults 65 and older experiences a fall, and people who fall once are two to three times more likely to fall again. These falls have the potential to be devastating: about one out of 10 falls among older adults result in a serious injury, such as a hip fracture or head injury, that requires hospitalization. Falls are also the leading cause of injury deaths among older adults. Even among those who sustain relatively minor injuries, fear of falling and the resulting inactivity can lead to social isolation and loss of muscle strength and balance.

Falls are preventable. And no, falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging. However, falls do occur more often among older adults because the risk factors increase with age.

Why Do People Fall?

What You Can Do There are important steps you can take right now to avoid falls and maintain strong, healthy bones: • Avoid smoking and excessive drinking. Tobacco and alcohol use can reduce bone density. Of course, drinking too much alcohol also can impair your balance and make you more likely to fall.

• Calcium and vitamin D. Are you getting enough? Generally, men and women age 50 and older should consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, and 600 international units of vitamin D a day. You may need more based on your medical history, so check with your doctor.

• Check your home for hazards. Remove throw rugs, keep electrical cords against the wall and clear excess furniture and anything else that could trip you. Make sure each room and hallway are well-lit.

• Check your eyes. Get an eye exam every other year, or more often if Most risk factors for falling are you have diabetes or an eye disease. physical impairments, medication-re• Exercise. Exercise will work to strengthen bones and improve your lated effects or environmental hazards. balance. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, help you mainSome of the physical issues that can tain peak bone density as you get older. Exercise also increases your be a root cause of falling include blood overall strength, making you less likely to fall. pressure or heartbeat changes, losing • Watch your medications. Weakness and dizziness, which can be side your balance to the point where it afeffects of certain medications, can increase your risk of falling. Talk to fects walking, general physical instayour doctor about side effects caused by your medications. bility (such as poor muscle strength or lack of sensation in the limbs), or poor • Stand up slowly. Getting up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop and make you feel wobbly. Avoid being dehydrated for vision. And certain diseases, such as prolonged periods of time without eating. osteoporosis (porous bones) can magnify the extent of injuries from a fall.

Medications can also be a factor, such as antianxiety drugs, some antidepressant drugs and opioid analgesics. Antihypertensive, diuretic and some heart drugs can also increase the risk of falling.

Hazards in the environment that increase the risk of falling include electrical cords or other objects that are in the way of walking, loose rugs or carpets, slippery floors, poor lighting, uneven sidewalks and curbs, or even just a lack of familiarity with one’s Talk to Your Doctor By working with your doctor, you can reduce your risk for falling. Be surroundings.

Most falls occur indoors, and usually two or more risk factors work prepared to discuss the medications you are taking, any previous falls or together to cause a fall. It can happen while people are standing still. But “near misses” you may have had and how your current health conditions most falls occur while people are moving — getting in or out of bed or a might put you at risk.

If necessary, your doctor can refer you to an occupational or physichair, using the toilet, using the stairs, or simply walking.

One of the most serious fall-related injuries is a broken hip. It is hard cal therapist. He or she can help you brainstorm other fall-prevention to recover from a hip fracture, and the chances of breaking your hip go up strategies and solutions. Some solutions are easy and relatively inexpenas you get older. According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year sive, such as using a walking stick or walker. Other solutions may require more than 300,000 older people — those 65 and older — are hospital- professional help or a larger investment. If you’re concerned about costs, ized for hip fractures. More than 95 percent of hip fractures are caused remember that an investment in fall prevention is an investment in your health and independence. by falling.

Most risk factors for falling are physical

impairments,

medication-related effects or

environmental hazards.

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Nancy Yu, MD, is the chief clinical transformation officer for the OptumCare Mountain West Region.

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E D U C AT I O N

EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOUTHERN NEVADA’S HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

By Linda Johnson, MD

I

t’s no secret to anyone who has researched the topic

— the number of available health care professionals in Nevada hasn’t kept up with increased need.

The new UNLV School of Medicine will help in years to

come, however, in the meantime, demands on the system continue to grow. Southwest Medical is working together with all our community’s medical schools, including Roseman University and Touro University, to improve the local health care system for everyone involved.

Continued on page 52

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Continued from page 51

We are also working with Universal Health Systems hospitals to be the clinical site for their approved Family Practice and Internal Medicine residency longitudinal ambulatory care clinics. When it is up to full capacity in five to six years, this will mean 60 family practice and 120 internal medicine interns and residents.

We also started a program to help nurses, APRNs (advanced practice registered nurses) and PAs (physician assistants) make the transition from an academic to the medical practice environment, providing much-needed support for new graduates in the transitory phase known as an onboarding program.

Last year, we launched a new medical education department, expanding our clinical education partnerships for physicians, APRNs and others. Students log hundreds of hours, reviewing case studies, discussing symptoms, reviewing the medical charts of incoming patients, and gathering information on their symptoms and concerns. They learn by obtaining the patient’s health history, taking readings and making determinations, and then they learn by observing the doctors.

Our pilot clinical education partnership program began last year with the Touro University PA program. We welcomed six students who

spent much of their clinical year of training in our facilities. They will begin working with us when they graduate, fully trained in our systems and ready to be productive from day one.

Their rotations began in November. In preparation, we held interest group meetings to pull together a core of engaged clinical faculty – especially our experienced PAs — for a formal mentoring process. These core providers are able to aid in developing the curriculum. We also contributed a gift of $145,000 last year to the Touro University Nevada Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program, which funds new equipment and curriculum, enhancing training materials.

I had the opportunity in my position overseeing this medial education program to speak with Kellie Hawthorne, who is one of nine Touro students now enrolled in our clinical training program. Hawthorne grew up in Southern Nevada, raised by her father, grandmother and aunt in what she describes as an underserved neighborhood. She attended several different schools and ultimately graduated from Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas, where she enjoyed theatre and volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club. Kellie then attended UNR. Here are highlights of our conversation:

Linda Johnson, MD, is the Senior Medical Director, Provider Clinical Education at Southwest Medical Associates.

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Dr. Johnson photo by Sampsel & Preston Photography.

What were your thoughts in selecting an in-state university?

Kellie Hawthorne: “It was important for me to stay in-state. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t too far from my father, yet still benefit from the college experience.” (It was her experience with her father that inspired her to enter the medical field, she said). “I’ve always wanted to help people. My father is a veteran. We would visit the Veterans Administration hospital, and seeing the care that took place there, and the care provided for my father, that’s what prompted my interest.”

What captured your attention about Southwest Medical’s intern program?

KH: “I like the opportunity they are providing. I grew up here. I knew about Southwest Medical — they’re well known. I’ve really had the opportunity to learn how they practice medicine. They have the same goal I do: patient-centered care and helping the community. I’ve also really like the Medicine on the Move mobile medical center program. I’ve had a lot of exposure to Medicine on the Move, visiting different underserved communities, and addressing simple issues (i.e., non-emergency conditions) that we can treat them for Tell us about your PA studies — blood glucose testing, high blood at Touro University Nevada. pressure screening, pregnancy testKH: “Touro’s PA program is a ing, treating urinary tract infections 28-month program. For the first year and more. As a student not yet and a half, there are a lot of basic sci- through clinical, it solidified what I ence studies like any PA school, but learned in the classroom and helped with a very compressed timeframe me build a real rapport with patients.” (the breaks are a week long, not the typical spring or summer breaks).

Currently I’m in my second rotation — internal medicine — with Southwest Medical, and another rotation starts soon. We switch each month, for a total of 12 rotations. It really gives us the opportunity to learn what we are interested in.”

What are your plans for the future?

Kellie: “I plan to stay in the area, because I was raised here. I grew up in an area where not everyone had access to health care. In my generation, many thought that someone of my color was not able to get an education and give back to community. I want them to know that we can. And staying near my dad is important to me. Southwest Medical has given me opportunity. So far, I’ve had a great experience and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!”

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UNLV ANNUAL FUND

Flexible .

Per sonal.

Vital.

“It is our commitment to our patients, and our Nevada community, to promote whole body health. With a skilled, educated and experienced team utilizing the best technology available, we are saving lives one tooth at time! It is our honor to support UNLV as we continue to work together to improve the health of our community for years to come.”

ED DE ANDRADE, DDS with Executive Sous Chef Luis Flores. ANTHEM PERIODONTICS & DENTAL IMPLANTS PRESIDENT’S CORPORATE COUNCIL

These President’s Corporate Council members support UNLV through Annual Fund gifts of $5000 or more.

A Beautiful Perspective Allegiant Anthem Periodontics & Dental Implants Aqua BACK BAR USA Bank of America Nevada Barrick Gold of North America Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-Nevada Properties BNY Mellon Wealth Management Boyd Gaming

BY DZign Caesars Entertainment Cashman Equipment Company Casino Connection International LLC CBRE, Inc. CenturyLink Command Global CORE Construction Cox Communications Credit One Bank Desert Cab Dignity Health Eureka Casino Resort

Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Town Square Fogo de Chão Las Vegas Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas Gameworks Global Gaming Business Magazine Greenspun Media Group HEXX chocolates and confexxtions Higher Ground Creative Agency Holley, Driggs, Walch, Puzey & Thompson Jamba Juice Johnson Advisors Konami Gaming, Inc. Las Vegas Events Las Vegas Power Professionals IBEW/NECA/LMCC Las Vegas Real Estate Magazine Las Vegas Review-Journal Las Vegas Woman Magazine LEV Restaurant Group Maggiano’s Little Italy Manpower of Southern Nevada Martin-Harris Construction

Micatrotto Restaurant Group

Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging Centers National Security Technologies, Stovall & Associates LLC The Albrecht Group - Merrill Nevada Broadcasters Association Lynch Financial Advisory Team Nevada State Bank The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf NV Energy The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Olympia Companies & American The Howard Hughes Corporation West Homes The HRL Group, LLC Palm Mortuary and Cemetery The Korte Company Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters The Siegel Group Nevada Inc. PepsiCo Inc. The Vista Group Plantone’s Italian Market Thomas & Mack Company Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers UNLV Dining Reagan National Advertising Urban Seed Foundation Republic Services of Southern USAA Savings Bank Nevada Vintner Grill Resort Media Partners Wells Fargo Bank Nevada S3H, Inc. Wells Fargo Foundation SH Architecture Western States Contracting Shriner’s Hospital for Children Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group WVC Signature Real Estate Group Yellow-Checker-Star Silver State Schools Credit Union Transportation Smart City Networks Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits Yokel Local Internet Marketing Southwest Airlines Inc.

For more information, please contact the Annual Giving team at 702-895-2838 or visit us at unlv.edu/foundation

jobs

The rise of the Male nurse

By Jason Roth

B

eing a nurse represents not only an immeasurable achievement in my life, but also an opportunity to assume a greater responsibility helping others,” proclaims Brett Persinger, 26, a nursing student at Roseman University’s College of Nursing. “I am a very caring person and enjoy helping people. Becoming a nurse will allow me to be one step closer to reaching my full potential and ability.”

Persinger, who previously served in the Navy, is one of a growing number of men pursing careers in nursing. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly 12 percent of Nevada’s nurses are men, placing the state in the top five in the nation for the number of men in the profession. Nationally, the number of male nurses has grown slowly, with just two percent in the profession in 1975 to 11 percent today.

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Dr. Brian Oxhorn works with a male nursing student at Roseman University’s College of Nursing.

Continued from page 55

“The number of male nurses in the U.S. has remained steady at about 11 percent for the past five years,” said Dr. Brian Oxhorn, dean of Roseman University’s College of Nursing. “This shows that more recently their numbers have been growing proportional to that of the entire nursing workforce.”

Oxhorn notes, however, at Roseman University’s College of Nursing in Henderson, the percentage of male nursing students is significantly higher than the number registered nurses in the state, at 25 percent of the 218 students currently enrolled in the college’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. While over the past 10 years, 17 percent of the university’s nursing graduates have been male, the past few years have seen enrollment increases to 20 percent or higher.

“We’re definitely seeing an increase of men entering the profession,” said Oxhorn. “Men add to the diversity within the profession. They bring a unique quality of compassion to their patients that differ in nature from women, not better or worse, just different.”

Kyle Millet, 29, is currently an assistant manager of a bank branch and originally wanted to pursue a career in dentistry and switched to nursing after taking an anatomy and physiology class. “I fought the idea of nursing at first just because it wasn›t my career intention, but the more people talked to me about it the more I realized that it fit nicely into my personality,” said Millet. “I enjoy being hands-on and taking care of other people and that›s what nursing is to me.”

Persinger and Millet are not alone in their motivation to become nurses. Oxhorn says, men today have the drive to express their caring, compassionate nature. Traditional gender roles do not apply to men in the current generations entering the workforce. Nursing is the perfect fit for the modern male. There is a balance between technological, scientific and humanistic functions that are necessary to be an effective nurse.

Yet, a stigma around male nurses still persists. Negative images of men in nursing continue in pop culture, such as in the movie “Meet the

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Parents” where the main character is mocked and devalued because of his chosen profession. Many male nurses are often looked at as choosing the profession because they couldn’t get admitted into or be successful in medical school to become a doctor. “These false ideas have the potential to dissuade men from considering nursing as a possible career,” said Oxhorn.

For Persinger, it was positive family influences that encouraged him to ignore the stigmas and choose nursing. “I have many members of my family in the medical field. Both my grandma and mom were nurses for over 30 years. My cousin is serving in the U.S. Navy as a corpsman, which is similar to a medic. My wife is an RN in Las Vegas,” said Persinger. “They have shown me the many qualities of a nurse, including leadership, patience, and empathy.”

After graduating from Roseman University later this year, Persinger plans on rejoining the Navy as an officer and furthering his education to become a nurse anesthetist. Millet eventually wants to become a nurse practitioner.

Regardless of where their nursing career paths take them, Oxhorn is confident that Persinger and Millet will be positive role models who will inspire other young men to pursue nursing.

Jason Roth is the vice president of communications for Roseman University of Health Sciences.

Dr. Oxhorn photo courtesy of Roseman University.

MEDICARE

DUAL SPECIAL NEEDS PLANS CAN BRING ADDED BENEFITS TO THE AGING, SIMPLIFY LIFE FOR CAREGIVERS

O

f the more than 40 million caregivers in the United States, about 90 percent are caring for an aging relative, often a parent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And their ranks are rapidly growing as the population ages.

Caregiving for an aging loved one can be incredibly challenging, encompassing a wide range of duties, from offering companionship and assisting with housework to providing medical care and serving as an overall advocate.

Much of the advocacy that caregivers do comes in the form of helping their loved ones with important health care decisions, including decisions about their Medicare coverage.

With the Medicare Open Enrollment Period closing on Dec. 7, caregivers might assume that their opportunity to help their loved ones switch to a health plan that better meets their needs in 2018 is over. But if their loved ones are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, it’s important for them to be aware of a health plan option that offers both a convenient approach to managing their health care and the flexibility of enrolling at any time throughout the year. This option is called a Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP), and it’s available to a growing number of people as new plans are being introduced across the country.

Coordinated coverage through a DSNP Most people have heard of Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare provides health benefits for people over 65 and those under 65 who qualify due to a disability. Medicaid provides health benefits for people with low income.

About a third of people eligible for Medicare have opted to get their benefits through what’s known as a Medicare Advantage plan, which is offered by a private health insurance company approved by the federal government. Medicare Advantage combines a person’s Medicare benefits into one plan, including doctor and hospital coverage as well as Part D prescription drug coverage in most cases. The plans can also offer additional benefits above and beyond what’s available with Original Medicare, such as dental, vision and hearing coverage.

A DSNP is a special type of Medicare Advantage plan that provides health benefits for people who are “dually eligible,” meaning they qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Why should a person consider a DSNP? By coordinating Medicare and Medicaid benefits, DSNPs can make it simpler for caregivers and their loved ones to navigate the health care system. DSNPs encourage everyone involved in caring for a patient — including primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals and care managers — to work together, which can help improve people’s health as well as their experience with the health care system.

DSNPs usually offer additional benefits, which can include: • Dental care, such as exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, crowns and extractions • Access to a health products catalogue to order over-the-counter items such as vitamins and first-aid supplies at a discount • Hearing exams and access to hearing aids at a reduced cost • An annual eye exam and a credit for eyewear • Transportation to health care visits and the pharmacy People who are eligible for a DSNP can usually enroll for no monthly premium, making it an affordable option.

Who qualifies?

Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria for both Medicare and Medicaid is qualified to enroll in a DSNP. Those who are eligible often face unique health needs. They may have a disabling condition, suffer from a mental disorder, receive care from multiple doctors, or be in need of inhome care providers or other health and social services.

How can someone learn more about DSNPs? People who are eligible for a DSNP can enroll or switch to a new plan at any time during the year. To find out if a DSNP is available in your area, check out the Plan Finder on Medicare.gov. After entering some personal information, the secure online tool will show a list of private Medicare plans available in your zip code. Check to see if any of them include “Dual Special Needs Plan” in their name.

If you prefer to talk to someone about options, a trained insurance counselor through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can help, or you can talk to a licensed insurance agent in your area.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, including DSNPs, serving nearly 4.4 million people nationwide.

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THE NOTES

Nurse practitioner Nicoletta Campagna specializes in oncology and hematology at Nevada Cancer Specialists, 4750 W. Oakey Blvd.

Dr. Khadijeh “Homa” Anooshehpoor is the food and nutrition division administrator at the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

CAMPAGNA Alexandra Silver is executive director of the Clark County Medical Society.

Diane Fearon is vice president for philanthropy and strategic partnerships at Nathan Adelson Hospice.

The Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, in partnership with DC Building Group, Almany Architecture and Penta Building Group, opened the Britney Spears Campus at 3711 E. Sunset Road. The 16,000-square-foot facility combines more than 45 pediatric and adult services. The new building was made possible by Spears and her efforts to raise $1 million with donations from ticket sales to the “Piece of Me” show at Planet Hollywood, as well as major donors including Southwest Specialty Contractors, Zappos, Robert Earl, Live Nation, Fusch Commercial Interiors and Design, Caesars Entertainment, Elizabeth Arden and Ann White of Ultimate Fighting Championship.

HCA Healthcare acquired Weatherford Regional Medical Center outside Fort Worth, Texas, from subsidiaries of Community Health Systems Inc. The Southern Nevada Health District was honored with the Model Practice Award by the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The award celebrates local health departments for developing programs that demonstrate exemplary and replicable best practices in response to a critical local public health need. The Health District’s Instilling Food Safety Culture Prior to Permit Issuance program was one of 41 local health department programs to receive NACCHO’s prestigious Model Practice Award.

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Dignity Health and Select Medical are building a 60-bed medical rehabilitation hospital.

Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor.

A Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Neighborhood Hospital opened at 4855 Blue Diamond Road.

FEARON D r. Ta mm y Sa rl e s o f Desert Breeze Dental earned her fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry.

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Christina Vela is executive director of St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.

Ashley Johnson is chief financial officer of HCA’s American Group.

Lashunda Marshall is volunteer coordinator at Nevada Donor Network.

Dray Gardner joined the board of directors of Yoga Haven.

Touro University Nevada student Vanessa Halvorsen was elected as the student representative to the American OsHALVORSEN teopathic Association’s board of trustees. Of 28,000 osteopathic medical students nationwide, only one is elected to the AOA Board.

Dr. Karleen Adams is Nathan Adelson Hospice’s medical director.

The Advanced Wound ADAMS Care & Hyperbaric Center at Centennial Hill Hospital is open at 6850 N. Durango Drive, Suite 116, Las Vegas.

MountainView Hospital remodeled its labor and delivery unit, including eight private birthing suites, four-bed triage and four antepartum rooms.

U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of best hospitals for 2017-18 names MountainView Hospital, Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center, and Dignity Health-St. Rose Do-

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minican’s Siena Campus as “high-performing hospitals.” MountainView’s and Southern Hills’ statuses are based on scores for heart failure.

The Siena Campus’ status is based on scores for colon cancer surgery and hip replacements.

Dignity Health was awarded the top company spot in Glassdoor’s annual Best Places to Interview ranking.

The Southern Nevada Health District redesigned gethealthyclarkcounty.org.

Michael Gagnon is executive director of HealtHIE Nevada, the statewide health information exchange managed by HealthInsight.

GAGNON

Shriners Hospitals for Children, which has sponsored the PGA Tour event in Las Vegas since 2008, signed a three-year extension that carries its commitment to the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open through 2020.

The Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican-West Flamingo Campus, is open at 9880 W. Flamingo Road.

Renovations and upgrades to eight Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth Independent Living Program residences and two NPHY Emergency Shelters were made through the generosity of associates and business partners of Keller Williams Realty Las Vegas. More than 200 agents assisted in the service project.

Participating partners included European Bath Kitchen Tile and Stone, Bridge Home Inspections, New Gen Painting, Mr. Tile, Cabinet Medics, Castle and Cooke Mortgage, Richmond American Homes, Cross Country Mortgage, Raysco, Best Mattress, Movement Mortgage, Atlas Marble & Granite, National Home Warranty, MC Plumbing, Accent Cabinetry & Flooring, Home Service Inc, Chicago Title, Access Services Group, Women’s Council of Realtors, ACH Heating & Cooling, and Asian Real Estate Association of America.

Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center, part of the Sunrise Health System, broke ground on

the n o te s

the Behavioral Health Center at Southern Hills Hospital, an 80-bed psychiatric facility. 43,000-square-foot structure will feature patient tracking and safety systems, and is being built at a cost of about $26 million.

Pia Zadora donated $5,000 to Project FOCUS (Forming Occupational and Community Understanding for Success). Project FOCUS is a two- to four-year post-secondary education program for young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Zadora had won the money as the grand prize in Westgate Las Vegas’ March Madness “Hoops Central Celebrity Bracket Challenge.”

Safe Nest honored Anne Wayman of Kaercher Insurance with the “Woman of Distinction” award.

The Runnin’ for the House 5K Run and Family Fun Walk, presented by McDonald’s of Greater Las Vegas, raised more than $57,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas.

Southwest Gas donated $100,554 to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. The utility donated more than $50,000 to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

The Del E. Webb Foundation gave $35,000 to the College of Medicine at Roseman University of Health Sciences to support the development and delivery of its DiscoverMed program.

Clark County Medical Society honored Daniel LeCavalier of Touro University Nevada College of Medicine with its 2017 Student Rising Star Award.

The NV Energy Foundation donated $10,000 to assist Nathan Adelson Hospice’s Uncompensated Care Program, which provides comprehensive and compassionate hospice care for the uninsured and underinsured.

The foundation also awarded $94,000 in scholarships to Southern Nevada high school seniors.

The 2017 honorees of Las Vegas HEALS’ Inspired Excellence in Healthcare Awards include: Dr. Chowdhury Ahsan, UMC; Dr. Mary Ann K. Allison, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada; Shelley Berkley, Touro University Nevada; Dr. Aanshu Shah, Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging; Dr. Troy Watson, Desert Orthopaedic Center; and Carolyn Yucha, UNLV. The Nevada Hospital Association board of directors for 2017-18 is: chairman Robert Freymuller, Summerlin Hospital Medical Center CEO; vice chairman Jason Bleak, Grover C. Dils Medical Center CEO; immediate past chairman Alan Olive, Northern Nevada Medical Center CEO; treasurer Chris Bosse, Renown Health vice president of government affairs; secretary Bill M. Welch, Nevada Hospital Association president/CEO. Other NHA board members include Sam Billig, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Henderson CEO; Susan Davila, Desert View Hospital CEO; Leonard Freehof, Spring Valley

Hospital Medical Center CEO; Helen Lidholm, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center CEO; Tom Mangione, Southern Hills Hospital Medical Center; Erik Olson, Renown Regional Medical Center CEO; Melodie Osborn, Renown Health nurse executive; Adam Rudd, Southern Hills Hospital Medical Center CEO; Steve Shell, Desert Parkway Behavioral Healthcare Hospital CEO; Todd Sklamberg, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center CEO; and Mason VanHouweling, University Medical Center CEO. Rhonda Kobylecky joined the National Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsors Association board of directors through September 2020.

Kobylecky serves as the director of food services for Acelero, a multistate Head Start organization serving approximately 5,000 children.

Drs. Faegh Aderangi and Gregory Sholeff joined Southwest Medical’s Siena Health Care Center, 2845 Siena Heights Drive, Las Vegas. Both ADERANGI SHOLEFF specialize in adult medicine.

Dr. Itha Dalrymple specializes in adult medicine at Southwest Medical’s Oakey Health Care Center, 4750 W. Oakey Blvd. Dr. William Dalrymple I DALRYMPLE W DALRYMPLE specializes in adult medicine at Southwest Medical’s Lake Mead Health Care Center, 270 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson. Dr. John Kane specializes in urgent care and KANE SLADE Stacy Slade is a physician assistant-certified who specializes in adult medicine at Southwest Medical’s Eastern Health Care Center, 4475 S. Eastern Ave. Dr. David Renton RENTON SHIN specializes in urgent care at Southwest Medical’s Tenaya Health Care Center, 2704 N. Tenaya Way. Dr. Kwang Shin specializes in urgent care and nurse practitioner Michelle Trapp specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at Southwest Medical’s Rancho Health Care Center, 888 TRAPP S. Rancho Drive. MountainView Hospital received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for its Emergency Medicine residency program for 32 residents.

The Sunrise Health GME Consortium Emergency Medicine Residency Program at MountainView Hospital will have eight positions available the first year, with the first Emergency Medicine residents joining MountainView in July 2018. This accreditation brings the total number of residency positions available at the hospital, among its accredited graduate programs, to 141 positions.

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The Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation’s board of directors for the 20-2018 fiscal year includes: president Dr. Rudy Manthei, Nevada Eye Physicians; vice president Jacob Oberman, senior vice president of global gaming development, MGM Resorts International; secretary Franz Kallao, Mirage general manager; and treasurer Jason Goudie, chief financial officer, Clark County School District. Trustees are Lorena Acosta, United Healthcare; Dr. Chris Chiodo, the Vision Centers; Dr. Eva Littman, Red Rock Fertility; Cliff Miller, MJ Christensen Diamonds; Kevin Spilsbury, Flair Industries; and Elaine WengerRoesener, Roesener Family Fund.

Boys Town Nevada opened a Behavioral Health Clinic at 460 Medical Center St., Suite 140, Las Vegas.

BUSINESS EXCELLENCE — AWARDS — The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce presented the 2017 Business Excellence Awards. Honorees were recognized for their excellence in the following categories: Trailblazers Desert Radiology Fisher Phillips A Happy Nest Las Vegas Motor Speedway NV Blind Children’s Foundation Southwest Gas

Innovators

UNLV is one of 10 universities with a new orthopedic surgery simulator, the VirtaMed OrthoS simulator system. The system mimics the pressure a surgeon might feel upon encountering tendons, cartilage or bone.

Children’s Dentistry Classes.Vegas MDL Group Touro University Nevada United Way of Southern NV

Ronald McDonald House Charities, local McDonald’s owner/operators and community partners awarded $369,000 in scholarships to a record 269 students — 150 high schools seniors and 119 past alumni recipients.

Trendsetters

Nearly $40,000 was raised at the Take Steps Community Walk for the Las Vegas chapter of the nonprofit Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation at the Mountain’s Edge community‘s Exploration Park. In addition, Avery Link, 17, was recognized as the 2017 Take Steps Honored Hero for her efforts to generate awareness and educate others about inflammatory bowel diseases and where to get help.

The Foundation Assisting Seniors raised more than $8,500 at a benefit concert.

Dr. Jeffrey Wilson is a urologist at Urology Specialists of Nevada.

Nevada Women’s Philanthropy gave $405,000 to U.S Vets–Las Vegas to upgrade security and provide more assistance at its residential facility. The organization also gave $30,000 to The Shade Tree shelter.

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Barrick Howard & Howard Attorneys NetEffect Nevada HAND Smart City Networks

Groundbreakers America First Credit Union Assistance League of Las Vegas DC Building Group MJ Christensen Diamonds NV State Contractors Board

Cultivators Bank of America Boyd Gaming Holland & Hart Penta Building Group Pinot’s Palette

Visionaries Geotab LVConvention and Visitors Authority Smith Center for the Performing Arts Veterans Village Las Vegas

Impact Las Vegas gave $24,0000 to Future Smiles, a nonprofit group that helps children get dental care. The money will be used for Save Our Smiles, which offers dental sealant and follow-up care at Hollingworth, Martinez and Tate elementary schools.

Dr. Eric Gershman and Dr. Liawaty Ho specialize in oncology at Nevada Cancer Specialists, 6190 S. Fort Apache Road and 3150 N. Tenaya Way. Dr. Courtney Vito is director of breast care.

Genesis Galdamez is Las Vegas regional manager of Children’s Dentistry of Southern Nevada. Future Smiles and Cirque du Soleil donated funds to purchase 50 caps and gowns, as well as 50 yearbooks, for Ed W. Clark High School graduating seniors.

The Blue Man Group raised more than $12,500 for the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation.

Miracle Flights raised $50,000 at Swings for Wings, presented by Bank of Nevada. The funds help critically ill children in need of medical care far from home.

Dr. David Di John, associate professor of pediatrics and section chief for pediatric infectious diseases in the UNLV School of Medicine, is director of a grant-funded maternal-HIV program. Pamela Beal, associate dean of clinical affairs with the school of medicine, will oversee business operations for the program. The UNLV maternal-HIV program is funded by an HRSA Ryan White Part D grant. The grant covers primary and specialty medical care and treatment for uninsured or underinsured women, infants and children living with HIV/AIDS. Members of the Las Vegas Medical District Advisory Council include Angela Quinn, CEO and president of FirstMed Health and Wellness Center; Jon Bilstein, executive director of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada; and Dr. Robert McBeath, CEO of Southwest Medical Associates.

Sands Cares raised more than $500,000 for the Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children Foundation at a charity event.

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

CENTENNIAL HILLS Hospital For more, visit CentennialHillsHospital.com Stroke Support Group

Meets the second Tuesday of the month, 3–4 p.m.

Conference Room 1 and 2, 6900 N. Durango Drive Better Breathers

Meets the second Tuesday of the month, noon–1 p.m.

6900 N. Durango Drive

Cleveland Clinic Lou RUvo Center for Brain Health For more information please contact 702-483-6055 or louruvosocsrv@ccf.org Memory Loss For Caregivers Support Group

For adult family members or care partners of individuals with memory loss.

First-time attendees call 702-483-6035.

Wednesdays, 1:15–2:45 PM

Second Floor Conference Room

888 W. Bonneville Ave.

Spring into Health ‘Fare’

Health and wellness presentations; screenings; caregiver facilities and resources; and so much more.

March 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

888 W. Bonneville Ave. Parkinson’s Support Group

Separate groups for early-stage Parkinson’s Disease and adult family members/ care partners.

Second Tuesday of the month, 11:30 a.m.

888 W. Bonneville Ave.

mountainview Hospital Call 702-233-5300 to register at least 48 hours in advance. For more information, visit MountainView-Hospital.com Alzheimer’s Support Group

Representative from the Alzheimer’s Association lead this free support group that provides an opportunity for family, friends, caregivers and others to meet regularly.

Meets the third Tuesday of every month, 10–11 a.m.

H2U MountainView Office, Suite 114

3150 N. Tenaya Way

Dancing With Parkinson’s

With instructor Pamela Lappen. Exercises begin in a seated position and move to a standing position. Exclusive class for H2U members. Doctor’s release required for all exercise programs. $5.

Wednesdays in March and April, 10:30–11:30 a.m. (no class on March 28)

H2U MountainView Office, Suite 114 3150 N. Tenaya Way

Diabetes and Medication

Bring medications for review.

Feb. 21, March 21, April 18, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

1 South Classroom

3100 N. Tenaya Way H2U Movie Matinee: “American Made”

Tom Cruise stars in this thriller based on a true story. Rated R.

March 1, 1:30–3:35 p.m.

H2U MountainView Office, Suite 114

3150 N. Tenaya Way Lunch and Learn — Acid Reflux and You

Dr. Francis Teng will discuss treatments for acid reflux.

March 14, Noon–1:30 p.m.

H2U MountainView Office, Suite 114

3150 N. Tenaya Way MountainView Hospital Spring Fling Health Fair

With booths, lectures, demonstrations, raffles and more.

March 17, 9 a.m.–Noon

Hospital Lobby

3100 N. Tenaya Way

spring valley Hospital For more, visit SpringValleyHospital.com Stroke Support Group

Meets the third Friday of each month, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Lunch provided.

Conference Room B

5400 S. Rainbow Blvd.

Valley Hospital For more, visit ValleyHospital.net Heart and Stroke Health Fair

Seminars, yoga and exercise sessions, and more.

April 24, 10 a.m.-noon 620 Shadow Lane

Stroke Support Group

Meets the fourth Thursday of the month, 10-11 a.m.

Call 702-388-8441 or 702-388-4619.

Fourth Floor, Acute Rehabilitation Unit, 620 Shadow Lane

Southern Hills Hospital For more, visit SouthernHillsHospital.com Joint Replacement Education Class

Orthopedic experts help you know what to expect before, during and after surgery.

Fridays, 9–10:30 a.m.

Multipurpose Room, Fifth Floor

9300 W. Sunset Road Lunch and Learn — How Healthy Is Your Heart?

Care Assure Supervisor Amanda LoVecchio offers heart health tips. Cardiologist Dr. Zia Khan will provide a free peripheral artery disease screening. 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).

Feb. 22, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Education Room, First Floor

9300 W. Sunset Road Lunch And Learn — Healthy Living For Your Brain And Body – The Latest Research

Join a representative from the Alzheimer’s Association to learn the latest research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement.

March 14, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Education Room, First Floor

9300 W. Sunset Road

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Lunch And Learn — Healthy Meal Planning With Chef Toni

Chef Toni Young, general manager of Southern Hills’ Food and Nutrition Services, is responsible for all hospital menus for patients, guests and staff. She will discuss portion control, calories, proper diet and cooking tips and tricks.

March 28, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Education Room, First Floor

9300 W. Sunset Road

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 Support Groups

For dates, times, and locations visit StRoseHospitals.org/classes or call 702-616-4900.

• AA Co-ed

• AA for Women

• ALS Support

• Alzheimer’s Support

• Arthritis Support

• Bereavement Support

• Better Breathers COPD

• Breast Cancer Support

• Compulsive Eaters

• Diabetes Support

• Divorce Support

• Fibromyalgia Friends

• Gamblers Anonymous

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• Leukemia and Lymphoma Support • Multiple Sclerosis Support • Narcotics Anonymous • Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 • Widows Support

Prenatal Classes

Baby Basics

$30

GV

Breastfeeding

$30

GV

Childbirth Express

$35

GV

Daddy Boot Camp

$20

GV

Gestational Diabetes Consultations

Call 702-616-4975.

Infant CPR

$20

GV, WEST

Prepared Childbirth

$50

GV

Smoking Cessation for Pregnancy

702-784-8669 Walking Clubs

For all ages and fitness levels.

Strollers welcome.

Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30–9:30 a.m.

Call 702-616-4902 for seasonal meeting locations.

Take It Easy Yoga

Pre-beginner class employing some chair work. No floor work. Appropriate for prenatal students.

Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

$5 per session or five sessions for $20

GV Gentle Yoga

Gain flexibility and balance.

GV: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10–11 a.m.

WEST: Mondays, Wednesday and

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Fridays, 9–10 a.m.

$5 per session or five sessions for $20 Yoga for Beginners

Learn alignment and foundational concepts.

Mondays, 5:30–6:30 p.m.

$5 per session or five sessions for $20 GV

Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Follow your breathing and move through different positions to build strength, balance and flexibility.

Tuesdays, 6–7 p.m.; Fridays, 10:20–11:20 a.m.; Saturdays, 9–10 a.m.

$5 per session or five sessions for $20 WEST

FLEX Fusion

Therapeutic stretching with flexibility for floor or chair exercise.

Tuesdays; 10–11 a.m.

Free

WEST Heartsaver CPR/AED Learn adult, child, and infant CPR, AED,

and choking first aid. Two-year American Heart Association certification for nonhealth care providers.

Feb. 28, March 28, 5–9 p.m.

$30 (includes AHA certification card)

GV Stroller Strides

Get a total body workout while engaging baby through songs and activities.

Register at lasvegas.fit4mom.com.

Fridays, 12:30–1:30 p.m.

10 classes for $110

GV Dancing with Miss Jenny

Enhance your child’s motor and cognitive skills and developmental milestones through dancing exercises, fun props and parent participation. For children 18 months to 5 years old.

WEST: Mondays or Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. or 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

HEND: Thursdays, 9:15–9:45 a.m.

GV: Thursdays, 11:15–11:45 a.m.

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or noon-12:30 p.m.

Free Toddler Play Group

Toddlers ages 3 and under join Family to Family for music and movement.

GV: Tuesdays, 12:30–1:15 p.m.

WEST: Tuesdays, 3–4 p.m.

Free Infant Development

A development playgroup for babies up to age 1.

Mondays, 2–3 p.m.

GV

Free Infant Nutrition

A registered dietitian leads a weekly mommy-baby group focused on homemade baby food, weaning, starting solids, and more.

Wednesdays, 2–3 p.m.

GV

Free Wee Can Sign: Baby Sign Language Level I

Three-week series for parents with babies from birth to 1 year old.

Visit weecansign.com.

March 17, 24 and 31, 10:30–11:30 a.m. $69 (includes “Sign with Your Baby”

DVD)

WEST Toddlers in the Kitchen

Get your toddler engaged in healthy eating through fun tips and activities.

Ages 1 to 5 years.

Thursdays, 2–3 p.m.

Free

HEND Sing and Sign: Baby Sign Language Level II

For parents with toddlers ages 1 to 3.

Visit weecansign.com.

March 1, 8 and 15;

also March 17, 24 and 31; times vary

$69 (Includes Pick Me Up kit) WEST

Summerlin Hospital For more, visit SummerlinHospital.com Stroke Support Group

Meets Feb. 22 and March 22, 3–4 p.m.

Conference Room B, 657 N. Town Center Drive

sunrise hospital Registration is required for all events.

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

For more, visit SunriseHospital.com Tai Chi Class

Terry Tichota has been practicing and teaching tai chi since 1995 and specializes in working with seniors.

Thursdays, 11 a.m.–noon.

Breast Center Multipurpose Room

3006 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 250 Genitourinary Cancer Case Conference

Open to health professionals involved in the management of cancer patients.

Feb. 21, 7–8 a.m.

Desert Sands Room

3186 S. Maryland Parkway FORCE — Facing Our Risk Of Cancer Empowered

Do you have a family history of breast, ovarian or related cancer? Are you considering genetic testing, waiting for results, or have already tested positive for a BRCA mutation or another gene mutation associated with increased cancer risk? Here is your chance to meet others who know what you’re going through, to ask questions and learn. Please RSVP to anna.victorine90@gmail.com.

Feb. 21, 7–8 p.m.

Breast Center

3006 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 250 Essential Facts on Colon Cancer

Dr. Ovunc Bardakcioglu, as he brings you the latest news on improved detection and treatment tools physicians have in their arsenal to help cancer patients survive and thrive.

March 22, 6–7 p.m.

Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center — First Floor Auditorium 3186 South Maryland Parkway

Desert Springs Hospital For more, visit DesertSpringsHospital.com Stroke Support Group

Meets the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.–noon. Lunch provided.

South Magna Conference Center,

2075 E. Flamingo Road

University Medical Center Register at 702-383-7353 or umcsn.com Those Happy Days Car Show

Featuring classic and performance cars, motorcycles, entertainment and refreshments. Proceeds from the car show will benefit Children’s Hospital of Nevada at UMC. Admission is free for spectators.

The entry fee for participants is a $25 donation per car. For more information and to register your vehicle for the car show, please visit https://www.umcsn. com/carshow.

April 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Children’s Hospital of Nevada at UMC

800 Hope Place UMC Cardiology Series: Pericardial Disease

For medical professionals.

Feb. 28, 7–8 a.m.

Delta Point Emerald Room

901 Rancho Lane Master Gardener: Tomato Tips

Kathie Slaughter, UNCE master gardener, will talk about how to create a fruitful tomato garden.

March 1, 10 a.m.–11 a.m.

The Healthy Living Institute at UMC

901 Rancho Lane, Suite 180

Design and Unwind

Paint a spring scene.

March 8, 4:30–6 p.m.

The Healthy Living Institute at UMC

901 Rancho Lane, Suite 180

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L o o k i n g B ac k

July 2000: ST. ROSE DOMINICAN’S SIENA CAMPUS opens

By Rebecca Clifford-Cruz

L

ocated on the southwest corner of St. Rose Parkway and Eastern Avenue, St. Rose Dominican’s Siena Campus opened in July 2000 to provided health care for Henderson’s growing population base. The $85 million, 141-bed facility was the second hospital built in Southern Nevada under the Dignity Health umbrella (formerly known as Catholic Healthcare West) — a nonprofit and only religiously affiliated hospital operator in the valley. Since opening, the campus has nearly doubled in square footage and now houses 326 beds.

Dignity Health currently operates seven facilities in the area — St. Rose de Lima campus in Henderson, Siena campus in Henderson, San Martin campus in southwest Las Vegas, as well as four other neighborhood hospitals in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas in partnership microhospital operator Emerus. It was announced last month the St. Rose de Lima Campus would become a micro-hospital.

A registered nurse straightens up a room in the trauma center at St. Rose Siena. The hospital is a certified Level III Trauma Center.

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Background: Workers for Performance Contracting Inc. use a crane to raise a 6-foot titanium cross to the bell tower of the St. Rose Dominican’s Siena Campus during a topping off ceremony Nov. 17, 1999.

Connie DeLong was the manager of the Barbara Greenspun Maternal Child Center, at the St. Rose Dominican’s Siena Campus for its inaugural year. Upon opening, the center featured 19 private birthing rooms that were styled to give a home-like atmosphere.

Photos courtesy of Las Vegas Sun.

MILESTONE

HOSPICE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS

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n 1978, Nathan Adelson Hospice began providing home care hospice service in Southern Nevada with the mission to offer patients and their loved ones comprehensive end-of-life care, and to influence better care for all in the community. In 1983, Nathan Adelson Hospice opened an in-patient hospice in Las Vegas, and today the hospice is recognized as a national model for superior hospice care. The mission of the hospice is to be the Hospice of Choice, the Employer of Preference and a Training Center of Excellence for comprehensive end of life care. Its vision is simple: no one should end the journey of life alone, afraid or in pain.

Photos courtesy of Nathan Adelson Hospice.

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Look for Vegas Inc’s 2018 Top Doctors Issue on stands May 20th!

For more information, visit VEGASINC.com or contact us at 702.990.2443.

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NEVADA STATE BANK HELPS OPHTHALMOLOGIST PURCHASE SURGERY CENTER

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– Dr. Brett Brimhall

When Las Vegas ophthalmologist Dr. Brett Brimhall wanted to purchase a practice and surgery center last year, his banker at the time told him, “Nobody in this valley can structure a loan the way you want it.” A year later, Dr. Brimhall is the new owner of an additional clinic location and a surgery center, thanks to financing from Nevada State Bank.

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Dr. Brimhall is a board-certified, award-winning physician and eye surgeon whose practice at Brimhall Eye Center now includes three offices in Las Vegas with three medical providers. An Air Force veteran and former flight surgeon with 13 years of experience, he said the motto of his practice is “a superior experience.” Spending more time with each patient and being thorough have paid off, and Dr. Brimhall said most of his new patients come from referrals from existing patients.

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