Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Our state is in a bad state

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, April 11, 2002 | 8:16 a.m.

The medical crisis facing Nevada is serious and will get worse before it gets better.

For some time we have acknow-ledged the severe shortage of nurses, the overcrowding of emergency rooms and the high cost of health care.

Now it's possible we will be losing some of the area's best doctors, who have been practicing in Las Vegas for many years.

I became emotionally involved with the problem when a cardiac surgeon, who had been part of a team working on my tired heart, appeared on television and announced his home was for sale and he was looking at areas outside Nevada to set up a practice.

This man is outstanding in his field.

A young friend reported that her obstetrician had closed his practice and her baby would be delivered by a doctor with whom she had no history.

There is a special bond that exists between a good doctor and the patient.

It is based on mutual respect. A major contribution to the healing process is for a patient to have confidence in his or her doctor's skills.

Once that confidence is established, it is very difficult for a doctor to tell a patient his or her services will no longer be available.

Yet that is happening almost daily in Las Vegas.

The reason? Unrealistic costs for malpractice insurance.

The medical crisis became a major issue when St. Paul Companies stopped offering malpractice insurance. The company allegedly blamed the increasingly high monetary awards by juries.

Everyone has an opinion as to the causes for the present dire situation.

So far, no one has a solution, though Gov. Kenny Guinn is making an effort with his program, Nevada Essential Insurance Association.

Most doctors say tort reform is the only solution. That would require action by the state Legislature, which would come too late for many Nevada doctors.

To err is human, but how can budgeteers make a mistake of $7.6 million?

That's the amount university officials say was incorrect on a funding request from Community College of Southern Nevada.

Not to worry. Officials say "the error will be rectified."

There was a time, some years back, when local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce decided to stress courtesy. A campaign was mounted to encourage everyone serving the public to be considerate and kind.

It was a great idea, and did help establish a friendly reputation for Las Vegas.

I am reminded of that campaign every time I visit the American Medical Laboratories outlet on South Rainbow Boulevard, south of Home Depot. Everyone on staff is considerate and friendly. No matter how many patients are waiting, the system of getting them through in the shortest possible time works fine.

Maybe the Department of Motor Vehicles could take a lesson.

How crass can our city officials be when they deny the homeless such niceties as a Porta-Potty?