Las Vegas medical services get a bad rap — and in this case, it’s somewhat deserved. According to Numbeo, Las Vegas ranks dead last in their index of health care in 51 cities in North America, while US News and World Report ranks Nevada 42 out of 50 for health-care access.
In preparing this post, I chatted with several health professionals, as well as a few long-time residents (including Jean Scott) regarding Las Vegas medical care, and got some interesting results. The professionals had a more negative opinion regarding Las Vegas health care than the residents (including myself.)
According to the pros, several factors contribute to Las Vegas “poor medical access.”
- The medical community is still catching up with the expanding Las Vegas population. The city’s first and only medical school opened at UNLV two years ago and unlike Minneapolis, Cleveland, and Boston, Las Vegas doesn’t attract doctors nationally. A high percentage of Las Vegas doctors weren’t born in America and English is a second language.
- Las Vegas has a high “unhealthy lifestyle” ratio caused by increased levels of smoking and obesity.
- Las Vegas has lots of seniors in the general population, some of whom have chronic conditions that were being relatively well-treated in their former city of residence for no other reason than their doctors were extremely familiar with the patients and their conditions.
The three factors above mean fewer Las Vegans have a “quality” doctor-patient relationship and are thus frequently unwilling (or unable) to follow their advice.
A few days ago, I was chatting with my stepmother Donna Compton and she said that she “finally found a doctor I like.” Now, my stepmother lives in Cleveland (home of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic) and the “doctor” she found wasn’t a doctor at all; it was a physician assistant (a.k.a. PA).
I had a similar discussion with Jean Scott. Jean and Brad have lived in Las Vegas for more than 20 years and have had their share of “elderly health issues,” but they’ve found health care in Las Vegas to be more than adequate. “You have to be proactive in finding someone you can work with and in many cases, you’ll find that the best relationships aren’t patient-doctor, but patient-PA.”
My own experience? When I moved back to Las Vegas in 2015, I weighed 360 pounds and had very high blood pressure and a serious sleep apnea problem. My insurance was Health Care of Nevada, primarily using Southwest Hospitals. My doctor (and his PA) signed me up for a sleep assessment that led to my obtaining (for relatively low cost and little hassle) a CPAP machine. They also signed me up for the 180-day pre-counseling process to consider stomach surgery for weight loss. After two sessions of pre-consulting (which were excellent), I realized that weight-loss surgery wasn’t for me, but based on the information from those sessions, I was able to reconstruct my lifestyle. Through decreased diet and increased exercise, I now weight 255 pounds and take a fraction of the BP medicine.
Jean and I both agree that Las Vegas medical care is improving, with several new hospitals and stand-alone ERs, as well as low-cost alternatives like urgent care and small nurse-run clinics in drug stores. Also, the drug chains (including those found in supermarkets) are quite aggressive in offering prescription-drug discounts and other related promotions. Las Vegas EMT services are well-trained and especially well-equipped.
Most of the concerns that we (as well as others) had regarding medical care in Las Vegas are not location specific, but reflect the overall health care found in any other large U.S. city.
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To a large part, I believe health care is the responsibility of the individual. Live a healthy life and your health problems will, for most, be minimal. So many who complain about health care really have no one to blame but themselves for their health. End of my preaching.
Thanks David. I am responsible for my conditions.
High BP, high cholesterol and a not enough exercise lifestyle.
I make foolish choices.
I need to get away from my computer a lot more.
I got lazy when I retired. Shame on me.
True, perhaps, but some places are inherently healthier than others. I think that Vegas is a high-stress environment, with the traffic and crowding. The weather doesn’t help (apparently, the healthiest places in the US are the icebox states in the upper Midwest!). Smoking is a big problem—LOTS of people smoke in Vegas and probably wouldn’t at home, because of its tacit acceptance and even encouragement.
It’s also very true that healthcare facilities, like parks, schools, and sidewalks, have always been secondary considerations in Vegas. For decades, Vegas wasn’t an actual city, but rather, a bunch of casinos surrounded by cheap, minimal housing for the employees who worked there. It’s now only just beginning to catch up, but that effort is being outpaced by growth. It’s still a very immature city, in terms of community, culture, and facilities.
Really? How isolated & out of touch are you with reality? What about accidents, child birth, and hundreds of unforeseen situation where an individual gets hurt due to no fault of their own? Why don’t you crawl out of your cave & live with the rest of humanity for a while before you make asinine statements.
Bravo Bravo.
Typical repbulican. Republicans advice “You’re on your own man, and if you die it was your fault’.
We lived in Las Vegas for 14 years. One of the greatest negatives is the quality and availability of
medical care. Being a senior, it has been increasingly important with more frequent visits are needed.
I had two serious, life threatening medical emergencies while we lived there. Each involved unnecessary complications, and prolonged recovery. Waiting rooms were crowded, many doctors from other countries were there, which often seemed to be a negative. One of my “best” doctors was a PA and another was an osteopath.
Yes I’m 64 have had the worst are in the world. I can’t believe how understaffed they are 12 hours a day and patient ratio is sickening I feel sorry for these kids. They are for the most part awesome but no one listens. And they are so under paid along with ER ambulances ect ect they need help.
‘Doctor from other countries’
What does that mean? I am one of them and if you think we were just parachuted here from third world places and didn’t have to go tru hell more so than US born and trained docs to get our US qualifications you are dead wrong. And maybe even racist, but were used to that ignorance, it’s very common in the midwest.
Look at the gorgeous outcomes of covid in places with world class medical centers like NY, for example. Not sure Vegas is faring that bad. But stick with your PAs , so maybe next time you have chest pain -hope never- you’re sent home with a heartburn med (comparing my family personal experience to yours, sounds fair?)
Seriously? Don’t infer all PA’s give inferior care . There are bad and good in both professions. I don’t care what country you come from
Why why do people always have to bring up the democrat or republican issue????!
Politics on this page? Really?🙄
I am very healthy and have always taken care of myself. However, as I get older, things happen. In Las Vegas you cannot find an MD to be your doctor, you have to accept DA’s, RN’s, PA’s, etc. I pay almost $800 on insurance and they can only offer one MD that is accepting new patients..Are you kidding me!!!
Totally agree with you. But I am going back to Cleveland only for the world renowned Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. Univ of Miami Hospital Medical Ctr in Miami, FL is my 1st pick. LV NV has low quality health care. Back to east coast for me. This is just my opinion.
For me Vegas gets hyped up for what? Go live on Miami Beach, select Cedar Sinai for a hospital and all the doctors are private by patient’s selection.
While it’s true that lifestyle is probably the most important factor in determining one’s health, we shouldn’t rush to judgement of others whose health my be affected by things which are beyond their control, such as hereditary conditions.
No. It’s true. Health care in Vegas is terrible. Most of it is driven by money and performing as many tests and procedures as possible to pad up a bill. There are no good medical schools here as of yet, and UNLV has a long way to go. The docs that come here do not come to be in a stimulating health care environment. They come for the money. The best thing you can do when you get sick in Vegas is to buy a plane ticket.
My wife just had a knee replacement and I can say that the health care has been so much better here than in Seattle with Medicare and I am very pleased with the care that I get from the VA, not withstanding the wait that Covid is causing.
Also Keiser HealthCare is available through Urgent Care through Concentra Urgent Care Centers and Walgreens Healthcare Clinics. If there is anything really serious you can always go to Victorville, that is the nearest Keiser P. to us.
GREAT LINE. WHEN UR FEELING SICK. BUY A PLANE TICKET!!!!!!!
Preach the truth! LOL Love the honesty. At this moment, I am buying a plane ticket to get out of the desert ASAP. Back to east coast. I truly do not like this place.
Just my opinion!
Get out of Vegas is a long standing rule going back to early years. Big gamblers, Rich, famous and entertainers all know this. Almost every doctor I have had met said they know of this. Get out of Vegas!!
I’ve got news for you
There appears to be FREE private health care in this country, and I offer it along with several other colleagues in Vegas
I take mostly medicare and medicaid patients which is almost like working for peanuts if nit, often, making a loss
I try to take take the best care of them as they typically are in greater need, and i would not dare to treat them any different than patients with a higher paying insurance.
Yet their expectations (seems like yours) are often out of proportion, possibly driven by the innumerable frustrations of life, illness, aging, low socioeconomic status. Regrettably, they have the highest non-adherence and no show rate, and it takes a lot of goodwill and handholding to continue to see them as the amount of underpaid time and services provided could bankrupt any private practice
Now try to go to Mayo or Cleveland Clinic or other great east coast places with those insurances and let me know
As a part time resident I have never had to use the health care options while here. We would love to spend longer stays at our Vegas condo but we are reliant on Kaiser Plan in CA. I keep checking to see if they will be expanding to NV but nothing yet. Are there any health care plans in LV that mirror Kaiser?
Thanks!
Marty
Keiser HealthCare is available through Urgent Care through Concentra Urgent Care Centers and Walgreens Healthcare Clinics. If there is anything really serious you can always go to Victorville, that is the nearest Keiser P. to us.
David,
To add some other statistics, in Clark County alone we are 2300 physicians short just to be average compared with the rest of the US in terms of 100,000 population.
Don’t forget that Touro University has been graduating great DO physicians in our community. Roseman University of Health Sciences in Henderson has been making a huge difference in the fields of pharmacy, nursing and dentistry. These great private university’s are a big part of the solution. The public and private collaborations in health care is necessary for long term success.
Also, Graduate Medical Education or residency training is another big factor in retaining more doctors. We need more residency programs to keep our physician graduates here in our community.
Remember we have great physicians and health care professions all over our community. We just don’t have enough to serve our growing population.
Where? I was told the health care in LV is inferior.
Where are they??
Ive leaves here for 35 years, South Carolina for 2 years, and Virgina for 6 months. I have a chronic illness/autoimmune
Nevada 100% has terrible health care. Just terrible. The worst. I hate it. It’s exhausting. Takes forever to get an appointment, hard to get a specialist, and the time with the doctor is so short how could they figure anything out?
It’s bullhonkey. It’s dead last in health care for a reason.
hello jennifer,I have to agree with you that health care in las vegas STINKS!!!!I had a back surgery done in Feb.2019 and here it is Jan.2020 and still cannot walk on my own and have to use a walker.Before operation I was able to walk on my own yet painful after 40 ft. or so.Appt. times are very long and I had one appt. i had to wait 3 hrs.Bottom line it’s the worst of the worst.i’ll take a east coast doctor over one from here anytime
Hello. I agree with u both. Terrible health care.
I don’t think poor rating of Medical Care in Las Vegas was due to patient-doctor relationship. Review the US News hospital ranking and score. I was a healthcare worker before I moved to Las Vegas. The best hospital in Las Vegas had score so embarrassing. Community needs to voice our concern to politician.
The politicians are probably corrupt as the lousy health care they promote.
Being a Good Listener is Critical to being a Good Doctor!!!!
i Strongly Recommend Dr Navneet sharda.
No!
This is truly the bottom of the barrel for medical care. You cannot get appointments and when you do, they call and cancel. Forget getting to specialists. They must think they are very special people who must be applauded and groveled before. We have lived in several states but this is the worst for any medical care. Maybe we need a ‘patient lives matter’ rant . Sorry we moved here. It might be the death of us.
After reading these posts/comments l am beginning to rethink my decision of relocating to Vegas. Perhaps Reno is a better choice??? Dunno.
Don’t go to Vegas for health care, my brother has been in the hospital for 3 months after having the same back fusion that I walked out of University of Nebraska in Omaha in 2 days! First the surgeon got a leak in spinal cord, then damned it up?? Sewed it up. Then developed air or gas bubble in brain, then spinal cord still leaking body over made spinal fluid so his brain had to much fluid totally confused,incontient, unable to even sit up laying on back bed head up 24/7. Had to put blood clot filter in IVC, now found out he has blood clot lodged in brain needs brain surgery, surgeon that is in charge will not speak to anybody not even other Doctors in charge of other systems he says they can read his notes! I don’t know his name or I would put it out.
HELLO DAVE HERE MALE. 81 YEARS OF AGE. BEEN HERE SINCE 1965. AT THE SANDS UNTIL BLOWN UP. HERE IN THE GOBI DESERT WHEN UR HAIR TURNS WHITE U ARE PUT ON A LIST OF EXPENDABLES AND ALWAYS LAST SEEN AT ANY CLINIC OR DR. I HAVE THE GOLDEN GOOSE HUMANA AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY PLACE I HAVE BEEN HERE THEY FIGURE AWAY TO PAD THE BILL, I NEVER KNEW WHAT A P A WAS UNTIL HUMANA CALLED ME AND SAID WHAT DR ARE U SEEING. I ANSWERED AND THEY SAID HE IS A P A. IF U ARE A SENIOR. U KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING IS TRUE. 55. YEARS HERE QUALIFIES ME. LUCKILY I AM A HEALTHY SENIOR. MARATHONER AND WORKED FOR THE MAFIA FOR 30 YEARS. AND THEY HAD THEIR OWN MEDICAL FACILITIES , BUT NOW. .. I HAVE SPOKEN TO GUYS THAT WORKED IN SEVERAL HOSPITALS AND CLINICS. AND HAVE TOLD ME THE ROTTEN THINGS THEY DO AND LAUGH ABOUT IT.
We are thinking of moving to Vegas – Summerlin or Henderson. The only condition I have is psoriatic arthritis, but my mother in law has dementia and cardiology issues. She has medicare, I have private insurance through my employer. Thoughts?
Andrea, I don’t know where you are moving from and whether you currently have good medical treatment. Summerlin has closer access to more doctors and hospitals that the Henderson area, although Henderson (like Anthem area) has a more peaceful lifestyle. Ask your current doctors if they know of a good doctor taking new patients in the Las Vegas area. Make sure that you check out the availability to public transporttion in the area that you are interested in as many of the senior areas since the bus lines do not go into their areas and therefore paratransit options are also not available to those people. When you cannot drive due to a medical condition, it is impossible to get to doctors’ offices or therapies. I could not drive for three months and had a real hard time getting to my appointments because the public transportation lines did not extend to Henderson Anthem area. Also, because we do not have enough doctors per capita here, good luck getting an appointment and the offices are teaming with sick patients. I often feel like I am venturing into a “free clinic” with all the people squeezed into the waiting room.
Stay where u are!
Look, I was born here. Moved back in 2005 and I’m foaming to move away before someone kills me. I’m now in litigation for my FOURTH MVA. Whatever moved here, they love hitting me with their vehicles. I have 2 excellent General Surgeons, that’s it, who are partners, turns out. 1 saved my life, the other I returned to because the abdominal hernias a different surgeon caused in her operative attempt on me went ignored. Fast forward to spinal problems. 3rd Neurosurgeon consult “Perhaps your hands have gone numb due to Carpal Tunnel”. Really? Or perhaps it’s the tear in my neck or the 2 discs pressing on my spine. I could go on but it’s not my wish to give anyone nightmares. It’s true, to the person paying attention who said here if you get sick buy a plane ticket. New Vegas tag line? What’s sick in Vegas stays sick in Vegas?
they have great lawyers tho, the best for MVAs
Not trolling, just stating the truth
I’ve had amazing healthcare since I moved to Vegas almost 20 years ago. The problem here is that you need to have PPO insurance and a good concierge physician to have proper access to medical care. We have a severe shortage of primary care physicians so wait times for an appointments can be weeks to months. Not for me though – I literally get seen the same or next day and she has me into the best possible specialist’s office within a day or two. She literally picks her up cell phone, calls them and has me on the schedule right away.
I understand that there’s a significant cost associated with concierge medicine but I pay more for my our car insurance than I do for our annual membership. Anyway, it’s the future of medicine so we all need to accept it and find a concierge doctor before all of the good doctors panels are full. I’ve heard every excuse from people online but I have zero pity for most of them. The average person has no problem dropping $1000’s on expensive cell phones, fancy cars, name brand clothing/accessories and other ridiculous items. It’s the only health you’ve got so take responsibility for it before it’s gone!
I agree and disagree with your post
I don’t think a concierge physician should be needed to get an earlier appointment
Rather there should be prioritization of what needs an earlier appointment and what can wait.
I work with countless concierge colleagues and I must say that they tend to order plenty if unnecessary tests, they tend to perform tests in house for which they charge cash that are typically nit needed, and ultimately demand way mire than 1000 dollars a year concierge fee, rather in the 5-10k
And still, if you’re really sick, on a weekend you get at best the answering service that advises you to go to the ER. Nothing wring with that but not worth the expense. Yet, you are right, health is mire important than a branded watch or car and should be prioritized as an expense
The issue remains, too often, that perception of good healthcare from the patient is linked more to cosmetics than to real outcomes. Most offices in town are ugly, lines are long, wait can be months for some specialties but that does not have to do with competence and professionalism of the doctors, but with the city’s booming population, generally low paying insurances (forcing providers to fill their schedule more) and with the lack of a real academic institution as someone else here said
I have stellar colleagues in las vegas who compare quite favorably to worldwide experts in their fields. They actually see more patients, more often than big Ivy League University Professors who spend most time on research (remember not everyone of us is a RARE case), and their clinical experience is understandably greater
Would love to find out where / who or how to find these health care providers that you speak of. We just moved here .
Thank you!
Hmmmm! Not sure how to answer that
Hi! Can you tell me please what “ concierge” clinic you go to? My husband and I just moved here a little over a year ago.
Thank you!
This article was written in 2019, so I’m curious about any improvements/updates. My son moved to Vegas recently, and he wants me to move there as well. My husband and are on Hawaii Island. It’s paradise, sure, but medical care is limited, although there are some fine doctors here. It’s just that the systems/processes/staffing issues suck. We have Medicare/Tricare for Life and would live in Sun City Summerlin area. Any advice you might provide would be welcome. My husband has complex health issues (heart). I’m fairly okay, just arthritic, but who isn’t at age 75? We cannot do Kaiser due to Tricare For Life coverage for meds. Not asking for insurance ideas, but updates on whether Vegas healthcare is improving.
WhatAWriter
Nothing much has changed and yes, the Vegas health care is not so great. I lived here for four years, and the quality is the same Trying to schedule an appointment is very difficult, and you will have to wait a long time. I got so frustrated I had to fly back to Boston, since I have family there. In Boston, I got to use Massachusetts General Hospital for an important surgery that was required even though I am a healthy person.
But to be honest, you can’t totally blame the medical professionals in Vegas, as they do care. The people in Las Vegas and the type of people the city that it attracts is the main problem. It is full of chain smokers, potheads and other drug addicts, and drunks. The next group is lots of fat people.
Not saying other cities don’t have such a problem but the casino gambling culture contributes to this problem as well and is the driver of the unhealthy lifestyle and trashy people. You might see someone fit at a gym, but they will be smoking a joint right after, especially young women right. Any woman that is attractive in Vegas is a drug addict and that is fact.
You can have the best medical care available, but if most of the city is unhealthy due to their lifestyle it will strain the medical system which explains the problems.
I came to Vegas only for work, but I will be sure to move back to Boston or anywhere in the Northeast for the top notch health system and to be around healthier people. I can deal with four seasons including blizzards as long as excellent healthcare is available.
As for you, well if you are moving for your son, it is different story. You will have to accept the risk, but maybe consider Utah or Arizona as options so at least you are closer to your son.
Do people ever read what they post?????? Same here I have probably called Humana at least 100 times because I didn’t see a Dr. I have paid dearly in my years for insurance. One Dr that I was sent to had a f—– little clicking timer behind his desk and at 7 min even in the middle of a sentence, handed me a prescription and abruptly walked out. What the hell does awaiting moderation mean?????