Marshall Allen

Reporter/ Health Care

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Call Marshall at 702-259-2330.

Recent Stories (view all stories)

State faults facility for care of seniors: It could take over the assisted-living, Alzheimer’s home where 139 elderly live, top inspector says; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009; All 139 elderly patients at an assisted-living and Alzheimer’s facility may have gone without their medications for weeks, according to a Nevada State Health Division report obtained by the Sun.
Health authorities reached this conclusion after randomly inspecting the case files of 23 residents at Chancellor Gardens of the Lakes. In every instance caregivers either did not have the drugs available, or did not have the time to administer them and threw away the medications, according to a report delivered to the facility Tuesday by inspectors from the state’s Bureau of Health Care Quality & Compliance.
Regulation in need of a checkup: Public missteps, sluggish response to complaints, crises continue to bring criticism on Nevada’s medical board; Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009; The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners is required by law to protect patients. But critics — doctors and lawmakers among them — say the board is hampered by conflicts of interest, lacks the will to discipline physicians and is accountable to no one.
Health care bill’s word count turns Gibbons off: He’s against it for his usual reasons, too, he tells execs; Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009; Gov. Jim Gibbons was both predictable and perplexing during a speech Tuesday to health care executives at the second annual Nevada Health Care Forum.
Widows: Doctor prescribed narcotics that led to addictions, deaths: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009; In the last year of his life, Robert Reynolds was prescribed narcotics by two local physicians who were supposed to be collaborating to improve his condition. Reynolds’ family physician, Dr. Kevin Buckwalter, referred him to specialist Dr. Albert Yun Yeh in 2007 for help with his lower back pain. But even after sending Reynolds to the pain specialist, Buckwalter didn’t stop prescribing him narcotics.
Fatigue disorder discovery a ‘milestone’: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been stigmatized as a yuppie disease, women's disease or psychological disorder — in part because its cause was unknown and its inconsistent symptoms made it difficult to diagnose. But a discovery by a medical research center based at the University of Nevada, Reno may change the world’s view of the disease.
Medical board won’t act in alleged fraud case: Friday, Oct. 9, 2009; The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners has closed its case and will not discipline two doctors accused of billing for a patient they did not treat, according to correspondence with the woman who filed the complaint.
Capt. Matthew Taranto, aerospace and operational physiologist: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009; Air Force jets soar faster than the speed of sound during training exercises above Southern Nevada, banking, accelerating and rolling to avoid simulated fire.
Chris Stones' story: A life defined by epilepsy: How a Las Vegas doctor has given him hope of living seizure-free.; Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009; Chris Stones accelerated his Mazda from a stoplight, faded to the right, bounced off a curb and sideswiped a car in the center lane, causing it to bump into another vehicle. And he didn’t know it. When his brain finally kicked in, he noticed that his car was swaying and the front fender was bent. He wondered if he had been the victim of a hit and run.
Brain institute’s linking with Cleveland Clinic revives some locals’ resentment: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009; Local medical providers who grouse about the Cleveland Clinic’s burgeoning presence in Las Vegas should remember: They had their chance.
The city's budding love affair with the Cleveland Clinic: Clinic’s chief talks health care overhaul and, along with mayor, plays it coy on expanding local operations; Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009; Discussions between the Cleveland Clinic and Las Vegas City Hall about developing a larger medical presence in town are moving forward — if the code spoken Wednesday is any indication. Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, president and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, said during a Sun interview while sitting next to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman that their two institutions are “holding hands.”

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Recent Blog Entries (view all entries)

Nurses surrender licenses: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The endoscopy clinic at the root of the hepatitis outbreak is fined $3,000: Tuesday, March 4, 2008; The state of Nevada assessed the maximum possible fine on a clinic that
engaged in dangerous injection practices that put 40,000 people at risk of
hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV -- $3,000.
Another endoscopy center closed, this one in Henderson: Tuesday, March 4, 2008; This morning Henderson city officials suspended the business license of Gastroenterology Center of Nevada at 2610 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, citing a public health emergency and failure to allow a business license officer access to the building.
AG weighs in on Sierra-UnitedHealth merger: Monday, Feb. 25, 2008; Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, in a complaint filed jointly with the U.S. Justice Department, will require a $15 million charitable contribution of UnitedHealth Group in order for the company to merge with Sierra Health Services, the state's largest health insurance company.
Former UMC boss indicted: Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008; Former University Medical Center boss Lacy Thomas today was indicted on 10 counts of theft and misconduct by a public official.
Patients can now book appointments, see test results and more, online: Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008
Flu got ya down, Bunky?: Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008
Edwards camp closing up shop: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008
Democrats try to sort it out from headquarters: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008
Edwards, wrapping it up: Friday, Jan. 18, 2008