Official explains trauma center decision

Dan Kulin

Friday, Aug. 13, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

In a letter received Thursday by the Clark County Health District, State Health Division Administrator Alex Haartz echoed his earlier explanations for deciding to allow Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center to open a trauma center on a trial basis if the hospital meets certain conditions.

Haartz also said the county Health Board's proposal that the county and state agree to give the local authorities power over trauma-care issues would probably require the law to be changed.

Some county Health Board members have said they think political pressure influenced Haartz, and they were upset Haartz made a decision on Sunrise's application before the county Health Board made a formal recommendation on the matter.

Haartz has said the decision was his, and in his letter reiterated that he was concerned about a mass casualty-causing event and Sunrise was the only hospital that had applied to become a trauma center.

St. Rose Dominican Hospital has offered to open a low-level trauma center at its Siena campus in Henderson, but had not formally applied for trauma center designation when Haartz made his decision.

Haartz also said in his most recent letter that his decision, relayed in a July 14 letter to Sunrise, does not guarantee the hospital will receive approval for a temporary or permanent trauma center.

Haartz's latest letter came in response to a letter from Health Board Chairman Gary Reese seeking clarification of Haartz's decision and other matters.

Reese, a Las Vegas councilman, said Thursday afternoon that he had not seen the letter yet, and so could not comment on it.

Sunrise is hoping to open a Level II trauma center on Jan. 1 for a 12-month trial period.

County and University Medical Center officials have opposed Sunrise's efforts, claiming a trauma center there would take too many patients from UMC's trauma center and cause financial problems at UMC.

Sunrise officials have said the continued growth of the area means there will be enough patients to keep both trauma centers busy.