2 Las Vegas hospitals announce improvements

By Steve Green

Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010 | 6:04 p.m.

Two Las Vegas hospital operators announced emergency room and urgent care enhancements Thursday.

Valley Hospital said it this week debuted a "senior-specific" urgent care unit. Located within the full-service emergency department, the area is especially for adults ages 65 and older who need urgent care.

"We wanted to create a quieter environment for older patients who might have urgent, but not emergent, medical needs," Jim Holtz, RN, administrative director of critical care services for Valley Hospital, said in a statement. "In many cases, their visit may be related to a chronic condition rather than an emergency like stroke or heart attack. Our staff can spend a little extra time with those who need it, especially discussing their health history and medications, their treatment and what to do after they leave the hospital."

The hospital said an example is a patient with diabetes who might not realize the cut on her foot can lead to greater problems. The physician and nursing staff can talk with this patient about the importance of foot care and refer her for diabetes counseling and specialty care for wound healing.

Separately, St. Rose Dominican Hospitals announced a collaboration with the six MinuteClinic walk-in clinics at CVS pharmacy stores in Southern Nevada.

Under the arrangement, family physicians affiliated with St. Rose Dominican Hospitals and its three Southern Nevada campuses may serve as medical directors for local MinuteClinic locations.

MinuteClinic and St. Rose will also collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives, as well as inform patients of the services each offers.

Signage at MinuteClinic locations will inform patients that each site has a clinical collaboration with St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, which accepts patients who need a level of care not provided at MinuteClinic.

"This collaboration will enhance the ability of patients to access health care in a timely manner and is consistent with St. Rose’s focus of helping to create a clinical care network that will benefit our patients and physicians," Rod Davis, president and CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, said in a statement.