Health

Smoke from California wildfire could drift to Las Vegas: Friday, May 24, 2013; By Tovin Lapan; An air quality advisory has been issued for this weekend because of concerns about smoke from a Southern California wildfire making its way into the Las Vegas Valley.

Report: More staff needed at Las Vegas psychiatric hospital: Friday, May 24, 2013; By Cy Ryan; Gov. Brian Sandoval has asked the Legislature to set aside $4 million in a contingency fund to hire more staff at the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital, as recommended by a consultant’s report.

As summer approaches, painful reminders abound about deadly heatstroke: Friday, May 24, 2013; By Riley Snyder; It took 15 minutes for the trunk of Jody Esposito’s car to turn from a good spot for hide-and-seek to an overheated deathtrap on May 6, 2001. Fifteen minutes is all it took for Jody Esposito to realize that Michael Esposito, her 5-year-old son, was missing from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. By the time she checked her car, she found Michael unconscious, on his side with orange vomit dripping out of his mouth. Four days later, Jody Esposito made the decision to cut off Michael’s life support.

Five years after needling medical staff, acupuncture now a staple at Nellis hospital: Friday, May 24, 2013; Health Care:; By Brian Nordli; Sandra Moncayo sits in a patient’s room awaiting her regular acupuncture treatment at Mike O’Callaghan Federal Medical Center situated on Nellis Air Force Base on a mid-May morning. The military hospital has become an unlikely center where Eastern and Western medicine collide. It’s a place where military doctors combine the holistic practice of acupuncture with their medical expertise to treat pain for countless airmen and veterans.

Independent review finds nothing 'inappropriate' at Rawson-Neal but details needed improvements: Thursday, May 23, 2013; By Conor Shine; An outside review of Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital, which has been scrutinized in past months for its practice of busing mentally ill patients out of state, found room for improvement and flaws in the facility’s discharge procedures, but didn’t uncover any wrongdoing or negligence by hospital staff.

Committee sends bill for medical marijuana clinics to Nevada Senate: Thursday, May 23, 2013; By Cy Ryan; A plan to create a network of medical marijuana clinics — with the owners paying hefty licensing fees — was approved by the Nevada Senate Finance Committee today.

Recent events raise the question: Is Las Vegas prepared for a major medical emergency?: Thursday, May 23, 2013; By Tovin Lapan; In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, approximately 300 injured people were treated at 26 Boston-area hospitals. That same week, a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, exploded, sending more than 200 inured people to area hospitals. Monday, after a devastatingly large and powerful tornado ripped through Oklahoma, 200 people, including 50 children, were treated for injuries. So, how is Southern Nevada prepared for a large-scale medical emergency? After all, Clark County has one of the largest tourist corridors in the world in the Las Vegas Strip.

Strong winds expected through evening; air-quality advisory issued: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; By Riley Snyder; Because of expected strong winds, Clark County officials are warning of the possibility of blowing dust this afternoon and evening.

Sausage at Firefly tests positive for salmonella; number of sick now at 294: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; By Ed Komenda; Health officials say cooked chorizo collected from the Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar on Paradise Road has tested positive for salmonella. The discovery comes after a salmonella outbreak last month that sickened at least 294 people from 27 states and two foreign countries who ate at the popular off-Strip restaurant, according to a report released by the Southern Nevada Health District today.

Firefly owner enlists new PR firm after salmonella outbreak: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; By Ed Komenda; John Simmons, the embattled owner of Firefly Tapas Restaurant & Bar, has hired a new public relations firm to represent his restaurant. The Ferraro Group on Wednesday announced it would replace Purdue Marion & Associates.

Narrow definitions in new health care law could penalize some Nevada Indians: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; Culture:; Michelle Rindels, Associated Press; On one hand, Angie Wilson said she’s looking forward to when the health care overhaul takes full effect in 2014 — it’ll allow the Northern Nevada tribal health clinic she directs to maximize its limited resources. But on the other hand, the director of the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center is worried about the federal government’s plans to use a narrow definition of American Indian in the law — one that could mean an estimated one-third of her clinic’s 7,000 regular clients will be hit with a $695 annual fine for not carrying insurance.

Nevada Medical Board, just whom do you serve?: Monday, May 20, 2013; J. Patrick Coolican:; By J. Patrick Coolican; Earlier this year I wrote about Dr. Sean Steele, an internist who was accused of a brutal sexual assault after a night of drinking in Las Vegas. Here's the latest from California, which revoked his license, and what's happening (nothing) in Nevada.

IRS scandal reopens rift over Obamacare; Nevada lawmakers entangled: Sunday, May 19, 2013; Politics:; By Karoun Demirjian; Congress was supposed to be done arguing over repeals of the Affordable Care Act, but the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups has reopened a partisan rift.

Children find rabid bat in North Las Vegas: Friday, May 17, 2013; By Ed Komenda; At least two rabid bats have been found in the Las Vegas Valley this year, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

Nevada kindergartners' access to health care, insurance lacking, UNLV survey finds: Thursday, May 16, 2013; By Paul Takahashi; More Nevada children are entering kindergarten without health insurance and face greater barriers to health care access, according to an UNLV report released Thursday.