[HarryLLL62]

Good morning. I am retired and considering moving to Las Vegas. I would probably live in either the Northwest or Southwest area. My major concern is the quality of health care.

For those of you who live in Vegas and actually use the medical system, would you share your knowledge of and experience with doctors and medical facilities?

I have Medicare and a private co-payer insurance. I also lived in Vegas for six month in 2005 but did not use any doctors or hospitals.
Thanks
Harry

[NLVgal]

Best hospital? I'd say Valley. Centennial Hills is nice, especially if you need an ER. Avoid Summerlin hospital. UMC is a good hospital, except for the regular ER. The trauma center is excellent.

Good primary care doctors? Roehl Pena (lousy bedside manner, but really a great doctor), John Rhodes, Ernesto McCombs. There are other good ones that I'm familiar with, but their names escape me right now.

Same day care? The Phillips Clinic, or SMA's Urgent Care on Rancho and Charleston. Ask for Dr. Somphone.

Diagnostic facilities? Quest for blood work, Steinberg Diagnostic (SDMI) for radiology (the place is so clean you could eat off the restroom floors).

Need a dentist? Joe Wenzinger.

Don't give up your traditional Medicare. The "Medicare Advantage" HMO's pin you in to their providers only.

Best of luck, and welcome.

[Sheriff1]

I can't tell you about Medicare-- but my internal medicine MD is in jail for murder; Depak Desai, and my hip replacement MD is surgeon of the year; Dr Michael Bradford.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Sheriff1

I can't tell you about Medicare-- but my internal medicine MD is in jail for murder; Depak Desai, and my hip replacement MD is surgeon of the year; Dr Michael Bradford.

Don't say the name of the beast "Desai" in any medical circles. He's caused enormous pain for his patients and the rest of the medical community as well. I hope he rots.

[Kay Effzee]

Dr. Kevin Dunsmoor for primary care. Dr. Michael wendelboe for dentistry

[Buzz123]

I'm into my 50th year in Las Vegas. I've had doctors I wish I had sued, and I have doctors that have literally saved my life. I have had bypass surgery and I am almost ready for my third AICD, and recently went through radiation treatments for tonsil cancer.

My cardiologist is Dr. Navid Kasemi, who is excellent.

My electro physiologist is Dr. Robt. Baker who is tops in his field.

My GP is Dr. Danka Michaels, one of the best doctors I've ever had.

I would probably have to say that Comprehensive Cancer Centers of NV may have saved my life, but they need to start thinking about the whole patient. They allowed my skin to get too burned before stopping treatments for it to heal, and there is no help available after your treatments are over for the damage radiation does to you. I think they are a national chain. My primary radiation oncologist there is Dr. Sinopoli. He's a good doctor but no one there is very observant of the patients' needs that I can see. If I didn't advocate for myself I don't know what would have happened. And we aren't done yet.

My dentist is excellent, Dr. Martin Thompson.

My eye doctor that did my eye surgery in about two minutes each eye is one of the best, Dr. Tapan Shah.

Best hospital for cardiac problems is Sunrise. Best ER is at Sunrise Mountain Vista. (Different hospitals-same owner)

Worst hospitals are any of the Desert Springs group which includes Valley, but I don't remember the others. I think there are four or five.

Best hospital over all is probably University Medical Center - UMC.

In Henderson, Dr. Joe Johnson is one of the best.

[airics]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

Best hospital? I'd say Valley. Centennial Hills is nice, especially if you need an ER. Avoid Summerlin hospital.

Disagree 100%. 1 Centennial doesn't have a cardiac center. 2 I'm still here thanks to Dr. Nancy Donahue and Summerlin Hospital. For me, they were phenomenal.

[HarryLLL62]

Thanks for the information. It is very helpful. It appears that there are many good to excellent doctors, and medical facilities in the Vegas area.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by airics

Disagree 100%. 1 Centennial doesn't have a cardiac center. 2 I'm still here thanks to Dr. Nancy Donahue and Summerlin Hospital. For me, they were phenomenal.

The doctor is very good. You got lucky with the facility. (Which I'm thankful for)

First hand experience.

1. I should not have to tell the nurse to wash his hands before he adjusted my uncle's IV line. No gloves.
2. My friend, a 37 year old in for a routine procedure should not have gotten a blood clot that went to her lungs because no one came to help her walk around for three days post-sugery. (She was on coumadin for a year after that).
3. I should not have to tell the nursing staff that my uncle was there for respiratory issues, and that the cardiac telementry monitoring was one thing, but it was his breathing and O2 sats that needed to be hooked up. I got "oh yeah, I thought the second floor had done that."
4. My co-worker should not have had to remind the nurse to wash her hands before touching her catheter after picking up debris on the floor.

[Clarkcty]

Summerlin Hospital being sued by patients for fear of exposure to Tuberculosis.



Fox5 - Growing List of People Joining the TB Lawsuit against Summerlin Hospital