Northern Nevada Healthcare Heroes

4th Annual Awards Event

Administrator • Northern Nevada

James Parrish

Humbolt General Hospital

James Parrish, CEO of Humboldt General Hospital in Winnemucca is a good example of someone who has ascended through the ranks to get to where he is today.
While earning his bachelor’s degree, he progressed through various jobs in housekeeping at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington until he was promoted to the purchasing department of the 650 bed hospital.
He was fascinated with the healthcare industry and says he enjoyed the caliber of people he met along the way. “I feel I am working in an industry that really makes a difference,” he says. “And the people I encountered day-to-day were dedicated, compassionate, and intelligent people. I feel I’ve found my niche.”
Parrish was recruited by various hospitals to help them turn-around and by the time he moved on, each hospital was running smoothly.
“When I moved to Winnemucca, I was pleased to find the hospital in better shape than those I had encountered previously,” says Parrish. “Their primary obstacles were difficulties recruiting quality people and the fact that accounts receivables were taking over 160 days to collect.”
Five years later, Parrish can take pride in the smooth operations and strong community ties of this 29-bed critical access hospital. He’s brought change while respecting the unique “family-like atmosphere”.
“I think modernizing the management system is one of the things I feel most proud of,” he says. “We have an amazing team. We may be small but every one of our physicians, nurses and support staff are exceptional both professionally and as people.”
Respected by his staff and the community, Parrish has implemented changes that precipitated the hospital being ranked among the top ten critical access hospitals in Nevada.
“Through fiscal responsibility, cultural change and creating a cohesive team of health care professionals, Parrish has made Humboldt General a hospital that breaks the norm for rural hospitals in America,” says Humboldt General’s Director of Emergency Services Pat Songer. “He has empowered his supervisor’s with the ability to complete tasks without cumbersome policies that bog down processes. This has streamlined the process of procuring equipment and training.”
About a year ago Humboldt General implemented a new transport system resulting in a savings of nearly $3.5 million. “We invested in two large ambulances,” explains Parrish. “Prior to acquiring our own ground transport system, patients had to be flown by helicopter at a cost of $26,000 per flight. We can now transport patients to Reno for about $6,000, obviously a tremendous savings. We transport about 200 patients a year, and of those 200 roughly 180 can be moved using our ambulances. It makes sense on many levels.”
Named as one of the top hospitals last year, Humboldt General and James Parrish have demonstrated the ability to provide quality care in a comforting environment.
“But we’re also proud of the fact that for over 100 years, Humboldt General Hospital has provided a family environment for the residents of north-central Nevada,” Parrish adds.

Care Provider • Northern Nevada

Shannon Zamboni, M.D.

Ralston Family Physicians

A Reno native, Dr. Shannon Zamboni began her undergraduate studies at UNR with the intention of becoming a pediatrician, but while completing her rotations in San Diego she found she preferred the variety of a family practice.
“Family practice suits my personality,” she says. “I get to see babies and children, as well as adults. In fact, frequently I treat the entire family, which is really wonderful. We have a kind of walk-in clinic so it really breaks up the day. I’ll see my regular patients as well as a few new faces.”
In fact, it was one of her patients who nominated Dr. Zamboni for the Healthcare Heroes award. The patient who was dealing with breast cancer felt there was little to no communication between herself and her surgeon. Frightened not only by the disease but the fact that she hadn’t been told the whole truth regarding her status, she turned to Dr. Zamboni for honesty and support as well as medical care.
She writes: “Dr. Zamboni was my God-sent angel when I learned in 2006 that I had breast cancer…she acted as my advocate, she interfaced with the oncologist, surgeons and after-care providers and ensured that I had a full and complete comfort level with the things we were facing. She didn’t let me walk the journey alone, she made sure that I knew the status, the options and challenges I was facing but through it all she offered guidance and support and went above and beyond to make sure that I was okay, physically and emotionally.”
Dr. Zamboni gives all the credit to her patients. “She was the one who went through it,” Zamboni says. “I try to be available. I tell all of my patients that I’m on call on Wednesday night so they know for sure they can at least reach me once a week. I also give my cell phone number to my special needs patients. But, as I said, ultimately they are the ones going through the tough times. Being available is important to me and I think it’s nice for them to know that they aren’t alone. And that particular patient was just so strong, I give all the credit to her.
“My philosophy is that I know medicine and they know their bodies. As a physician I listen and together we come up with a plan of attack. I try to sit down with each patient and take whatever amount of time is necessary to educate. They should know as much as I know about their disease, the risks and the possibilities. So I just offer as much information as I can and try to be available.”
She also makes a point of saying, “I don’t know everything” and is quick to refer her patients to the proper specialist when the need arises. Dr. Zamboni maintains an excellent rapport with other doctors.
“We have a wonderful network of physicians here in Northern Nevada,” she says, “I feel very comfortable calling upon any of them to consult on a case or refer one of my patients.”

Educator • Northern Nevada

Kenneth Maehara, PhD

University of Nevada, School of Medicine

Teaching for me is one of those fields that don’t benefit you monetarily, but certainly has multiple benefits in other ways,” notes Dr. Kenneth Maehara, associate professor of pathology as well as a course coordinator at the University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine. “I feel I’ve gained so much from the relationships forged over the years with my students and faculty, and in the satisfaction of playing a role in the education of these young minds. I especially love teaching medical students they are so bright and very motivated.”
Dr. Maehara had a rather inauspicious beginning to his life. As the first infant born in the Portland, Oregon Japanese Relocation Camp during the beginning months of World War II, Maehara, along with his family faced many hardships in the years to come.
“My parents owned a modest grocery store prior to the war,” he explains. “Of course all that was confiscated and when the war was over, we had nothing. When we left the camp we had to find a way to survive. My parents joined other internees and found a farm where we share cropped for several years. Later, we moved to California where we worked picking strawberries. It was hard work and I decided then and there that I would get an education. I knew for certain, I didn’t want to do manual labor my whole life. To this day, I still hate strawberries.”
Dr. Maehara says that this era in America’s history is of particular interest to him. In fact, a few years ago he took a sabbatical to research and write about healthcare conditions in the relocation camps.
“Surprisingly, they were not that bad,” he says. “They were not very good in the beginning primarily because they just were not prepared. One of the major problems affecting the interment centers was the lack of sufficient medical personnel. But by the end they had begun utilizing Japanese physicians and tried to put several at each camp.”
Dr. Maehara consistently ranks among the most popular faculty member and receives high marks from his students.
Carrisa Sparrow, class of 1010 calls him “my all-time favorite professor.” She says she greatly respects his knowledge and values his teaching methods. “I have never come out of a classroom learning so much,” she says. “He keeps your attention and truly cares about his students.”
Another indication of his popularity, Dr. Maehara recalls when he casually mentioned in class that he was moving across town in a few days. “About 10 of them showed up to help me move that morning and it was the smoothest move I’ve ever done,” he said.
For his part Dr. Maehara says, “I’ve been lucky in my career. I guess I’ve just always been in the right place at the right time. I feel very privileged to be teaching such motivated young people. This class is one where everyone passed their Step 1 national exam, which is necessary to get into the third year of medical school.”

Community Partner • Northern Nevada

Valerie Clark

Clark & Associates

Valerie Clark has always felt a strong affinity for healthcare. “I grew up in the prominent healthcare community of Loma Linda, California,” she says. “I have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Loma Linda University and I worked my way through college at the hospitals. After college I went into community health nursing. I just feel that my whole life has been connected somehow to healthcare in one way or another.”
Her marriage to a military man who was transferred frequently, added variety to Clark’s nursing experience. “We moved around a lot so I would just find whatever job was available in nursing wherever we wound up,” she explains. “I was medical case manager for a workman’s comp insurance company, medical supervisor for UPS, director for an employee’s assistance program, just a lot of different types of nursing and various healthcare exposure.”
She says eventually she felt burned-out and wanted to return to a place that she loved and felt like home. So, about 17 years ago Clark returned to Reno and joined her mother-in-law in the family business.
“Clark & Associates was just a good fit for me,” she explains. “Healthcare was something I’d always understood, it’s just that now I was on the insurance side of it. It’s not just insurance sales to me it’s really helping people access the healthcare that they desire. It’s about packaging benefits as creatively as possible to make it affordable, to do the most good for the best price.”
Soon Clark found a way to reach even more people and use her talent for finding affordable healthcare for those who had been without. Two years ago she was named chair-elect of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce and realized it was her chance to create something significant for her community.
“The chamber had never really been directly involved in healthcare,” she explains. “It’s a huge issue, especially as our community continues to grow and I felt it was time that we, as community leaders focused on it. So as Chairman of the Board I made the decision that it would be designated ‘Healthcare Year’. I was fortunate enough to get both Renown and St. Mary’s CEOs on the board and I created the healthcare committee. Then we put together a big healthcare forum called ‘The Chairman’s Agenda’ held in October with speakers from all over the country.”
Held in October of last year, this significant event featured a Healthcare Panel which included representatives from Nevadans for Affordable Heathcare; Nevada Hospital Association; Nevada State Medical Association; and the National Association of Health Underwriters.
“It was highly successful,” says Clark, “so much so that I’ve been asked to chair the committee on healthcare again this year. It’s not a formal committee, just so necessary with all the reforms. So we’re busy planning this year’s healthcare forum. I’ve discovered I really enjoy doing this and my background seems to offer a unique, unbiased perspective. Personally, I feel very gratified to have made a difference.”

Humanitarian • Northern Nevada

Sister Maureen McInerney

Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center

In her leadership role at Saint Mary’s, Sister Maureen McInerney has the opportunity to lead by example. As St. Mary’s vice president of sponsorship, Sister McInerney uses her daily interaction with front-line employees as well as those at the highest level of the organization, to demonstrate her philosophy of treating everyone the way you wish to be treated.
“Saint Mary’s Mission is to extend Christ’s healing presence to people of all faiths,” explains the Dominican Sister. “Each of us is the mission to our patients, to our visitors, to one another. At Saint Mary’s, the people don’t merely reflect the mission - they are the mission,” she adds.
Sister McInerney’s hand is readily visible in the myriad programs designed to help members of the community in need. Partnering with community leaders and other organizations, they are able to provide healthcare services as well as instruction in nutrition and hygiene.
“More important even than the services we offer is the way in which we approach every single person,” she emphasizes. “We go into high-risk, poverty-stricken neighborhoods and offer assistance. But what makes these programs successful is the fact that we truly have compassion for these people and treat them with dignity and respect.”
She explains how programs such as the Mobile Outreach and Knock and Talk reach out to people living in impoverished conditions. Rather than approaching these individuals with pity or prejudice, Sister McInerney teaches the importance of extending a hand like a friend and initiating conversation.
“We all want to make a difference,” she says, “and I don’t take any of the credit. I give all the credit to our staff, our volunteers, and our community partners who give unselfishly and who have compassion for the most vulnerable of our clients.”
One of the programs Sister McInerney is most proud of is the school-based dental program. “We visit students in the third grade and then the sixth,” she explains. “This program is made possible thanks to the generosity of 100 Northern Nevada dentists who offer their services pro-bono to low-income children and adults. It’s coordinated by St. Mary’s but the dentists do the work in their offices.”
“We’ve found that this is very important for pregnant women,” she adds, “because one of the leading causes of low birth weight is poor dental hygiene. This is just tremendous because many of these women have never been to a dentist in their lives.”
The Knock and Talk program is another of Sister McInerney’s favorites. The program works to link the community’s most vulnerable populations with health and social service resources. The approach, as the name implies, is to knock on doors, establish a rapport and then reach out to remove barriers and provide support.
“The most important way we can show we care about another human being is to listen and show interest,” she says. “I’m so proud of the people who work in this outreach program. They truly understand the concept of treating others the way you would like to be treated.”

Entrepreneur • Northern Nevada

Ruth Merriner

Carson Tahoe Merriner Cottages

Longtime Carson City resident Ruth Merriner understands only too well the anguish, sleepless nights and desolation experienced by those with a loved one battling a long and ultimately, fatal illness. Merriner remained resolutely by her husband Delbert’s bedside as he struggled through the final phases of heart disease at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (CTRMC).
Spending many nights on a foldout bed in his hospital room, Ruth witnessed first-hand the excellent care her husband received. When Delbert eventually succumbed to his disease, Merriner, who was almost a fixture by this time, decided to offer her support of the facility and its people by working with the Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare Foundation. “I cannot say enough about the high level of care that Del received,” she says. “Everyone, -the nurses, doctors, technicians-were just wonderful!”
She wanted to find an appropriate way to simultaneously honor her late husband and contribute to the hospital that had provided such nurturing care during his last days. Merriner sought out advice from various sources including her pastor, an attorney and her four children. Memories of long nights spent at her own husband’s bedside were still quite vivid in Merriner’s mind as well as a request Delbert had made.
“Before my husband died, he asked me to build a place where cancer patients could go to recover from their treatments,” she says. “He wanted to build a home away from home, a place that even those who couldn’t afford it could go.”
Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare’s Merriner Cottages were completed in December 2006. The first hospitality housing of its kind in Nevada, the 15 cottages are adjacent to the hospital and available to patients undergoing cancer treatment and their families. Made possible by a generous $2 million donation by the Merriner Family Trust, the cottages were built with just one stipulation by Merriner: that they are offered at no set charge but rather in exchange for donations based on the ability to pay. When available and at the hospital’s discretion, the cottages are also offered to patients with other debilitating illnesses such as Delbert experienced.
During the 18-month construction Merriner was busy selecting lamps, books and other furnishings from her own home to donate. She even embroidered something special for each room. The cottages each accommodate up to four adults and offer many amenities including two flat-screen TV’s, a fireplace, washer and dryer and private patio.
Now in her late 80’s Merriner continues to stay actively involved in the community. She has been a member of the Soroptimists International since 1972, supporting this world wide organization’s mission to advance human rights and the status of women.
In referring to what she has helped accomplish at Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare, she says, “This is beyond my imagination.”

Innovator • Northern Nevada

Sherri Rice

Access to Healthcare Network

For the uninsured working poor in Nevada, 2007 was a banner year. Hope arrived in the form of an energetic redhead with a quick smile and a no-nonsense attitude. Sherri Rice has been a champion for the underdog, tackling the financial and organizational tribulations of non-profit groups and helping them restructure into stronger, viable entities.
When community leaders decided they needed to create a program that would offer assistance to the impoverished uninsured of Northern Nevada, they called Rice for help and the Access to Healthcare (AHN) network got underway.
“I always take full ownership of whatever project I’m working on,” she says. “I had just finished up a project with Head Start so the timing was right. Healthcare is a very important issue to me so that made it even more appealing.”
“AHN is the first, non-profit medical discount plan in the state of Nevada and, according to the IRS, the only one in the United States,” says Rice. “We have charted new territory here. What we’ve done is enroll the physicians, hospitals, the community, the employers and the uninsured themselves into a shared responsibility model that asks something of each one but tries not to overburden anyone, to get access to care for our working poor and uninsured.”
Today, as CEO of AHN Rice looks back with pride and satisfaction at all they have accomplished. She also looks ahead to a future that will hopefully broaden the circle to include more Nevada families desperately in need of affordable healthcare. When asked what has been the most satisfying aspect of this ambitious project, her answer was quick and succinct. “That it works!”
“Relationships are what make non-profits work,” she explains. “So I figured if I didn’t make this work, after all the shoulders I’d tapped, I’d either have to retire or leave town. With this project I called on a lot of relationships to make it happen, some of them 20 or 30 years old.
“Our concept and design sounded like it had a lot of merit so we were anxious to move forward,” she continues. “But to be honest, I think we’re a little surprised. Not that it works, but that it works at such a tremendous level. I really believe that the shared responsibility model is at the heart of its success.”
AHN offers affordable health care with access to over 500 local primary care and specialty doctors, health care services and dental and vision services, all at greatly reduced rates.
“We have put more than 3,000 people through the program,” notes Rice. “We’re very proud to say that 99.5 percent of our members have always paid cash at the time of service. If our members have two no-call, no-shows to one of our providers or any non-payment, I will ask them to leave the network and they can never come back. It’s a shared responsibility. But I have never had an uninsured person ask for this for free, they pay what they are able. When asked what she sees for the future of Access to Healthcare Network Rice responded, “We are only limited by our imaginations.”

Non-Profit • Northern Nevada

Doreen Begley, MS, RN

UNR Orvis School of Nursing Clinic

Making a difference, one life at a time. That’s the philosophy of the Orvis School of Nursing Clinic in Reno and that of its director, Doreen Begley. It was just a struggling nurse-practitioner clinic with high hopes and ambitious aspirations when Doreen stepped in and took over the reins.
“I knew that the only way to make the clinic a success would be to collaborate closely with our community partners,” she explains. “I started developing relationships with the Washoe County School District and Health Department, the local emergency rooms and other organizations that provide care to this population. My goal was to let everyone know that there was another option in town.”
Though there was virtually no marketing or advertising budget, Begley launched her “awareness campaign” with enthusiasm and a one-page flyer she created herself. With just a few updates and revisions, this original promotional piece still serves the clinic today. Printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other, this was essentially the only marketing tool Begley carried with her as she made her sojourn into the community.
“There was no money for advertising so everything was face-to-face,” she explains. “I think what really made us successful however, was the fact that we were willing to take on programs that other people had declined. We’re the ‘yes we can’ people. When all else fails, they call us.”
One of the programs that was rejected by other providers was Head Start. There was a need for someone to visit daycare sites and provide healthcare services. Doreen and her team volunteered to visit four hours twice a month, providing child check-ups and physicals.
“We jumped right in. We gave immunizations and well-child checkups. Then we took it one step further,” Doreen explains. “We also offered our nurse practitioner services to the employees as well as the parents and siblings of the Head Start participants. This had an even bigger impact than we could have imagined. Many of the children at Head Start are from single-parent households. These women couldn’t afford immunizations for their children, so they certainly weren’t getting any healthcare services for themselves. I think when we began this it went a long way in developing trust.”
Trust, as Begley began to realize, was an important element. When reaching out to the senior community they discovered a similar situation. “They’re tired of being poked and prodded by doctors and nurses who seem indifferent to them or don’t see them as individuals,” she says. “I guess you might say that I subscribe more to the nursing model as opposed to the medical model,” Begley says. “The medical model tends to be more focused on diagnosis and treatment. The nursing model is focused on health and wellness.”
Through her diligent efforts the clinic patient base has grown from less than 1,000 and is now serving more than 6,500 a year. Their outreach programs include visiting long-term care facilities for the elderly and providing TB testing. “My philosophy is, sometimes you have to take healthcare to where the patients are, not simply sit behind the walls and wait for them to come to you,” Doreen adds.

Technology/Research • Northern Nevada

Phillip Goodman, M.D.

University of Nevada, School of Medicine

Delving into the mysteries of the human brain, Dr. Philip Goodman has been on what he describes as “the most exciting quest” since 1983. Dr. Goodman’s research has come far since then, but ultimately, he foresees a day when epilepsy, MS and Parkinson’s disease can be effectively treated by altering the biochemistry of the brain.
Dr. Goodman currently splits his time between practicing internal medicine at Renown Hospital in Reno and his ongoing research at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine.
“The bulk of my research has to do with understanding how the brain works or, in the case of certain diseases how it doesn’t work, as well as doing parallels on healthcare quality research along the lines of supplying modern statistical techniques to healthcare databases,” he explains.
By the time he served his residency in Internal Medicine at the UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California, Dr. Goodman was interested in finding a university where he could teach medicine and have a medical practice as well as conduct research. Add his love of skiing to the mix and Reno was the perfect choice.
“The most exciting work I have going right now are the results of our collaboration that I’ve put together between the University of Nevada, Reno and the EPFL, a technical institute in Switzerland,” he says. “Another institution that’s coming on board this fall is in Germany. Basically, this involves a linkage with our lab, which does a super computer modeling of the brain, especially the human brain, using actual measurements from brain cells. The collaborating group in Switzerland provides information on small mammals like rats and mice, recording the bio-chemical and gene measurements that we can then put into the computer simulation of the same parts of the brain. Then the center in Germany will be providing information on human brain cells because they have real recordings from deep inside the human brain from patients that are being prepared for surgery. These are patients who have epilepsy that hasn’t been successfully treated with drugs.
“With that data we’re able to further expand our super computer brain simulation,” he explains. “So even though it might take thousands of processors to even get close to the complexities of the human brain, we may be able to mimic decision-making, the emotional effects, day-to-day living and also diseases such as seizures, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s. By having a computer we’re able to create experiments where we change the biochemistry and we can study the affect of drugs without actually having to harm a real patient.”
This is just a brief glimpse into the innumerable studies Dr. Goodman’s research has made possible.
“We try to take advantage of the fact that our ‘biggest little university’ doesn’t have a large program in brain research,” Dr. Goodman adds. “We’ve been able to pull together the resources of our computer science and bio-medical engineering activities, which are very strong, and bring together collaboration with actual brain tissue researchers to build up this project.”

Lifetime Achievement • Northern Nevada

Thomas R. Kozel, PhD

University of Nevada, School of Medicine

Acharter faculty member at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine, Dr. Thomas Kozel has dedicated his life to teaching and research. He joined the microbiology and immunology faculty in 1971 to be part of the new medical school; Dr. Kozel has served as that department’s chair from 1978 through 2008. Additionally, he has served as the chair of several governance committees and currently serves as a member of the University of Nevada, Reno’s Faculty Senate and the School of Medicine’s medical education steering committee.
“I’ve taught every medical student who’s attended here,” he says with satisfaction. “I had other offers from other medical schools, but I saw this as a rare opportunity to get in at the very beginning. It’s been a lot of fun.”
During his first few years with UNR, Kozel’s duties primarily revolved around teaching, but during the mid-70’s as the faculty and the school began to grow, he was able to return to his passion for research.
“I wrote my first NIH [National Institutes of Health] grant in 1975,” he says. “I have the same grant still to this day. At 31 years it’s one of the longest running grants in NIH.”
While his research is varied, a significant portion is dedicated to studying bio threats such as anthrax.
“We’re also interested in developing diagnostic tools, specifically tools that can be used at a ‘point-of-care’ where patients are initially seen,” he elaborates. “For instance what would someone do who presents symptoms of Anthrax? That’s important, because currently that takes days to diagnose. We’re working on rapid diagnostics. Timely treatment can mean the difference between life or death.”
Studies in the Kozel Laboratory have examined fungal infections that are particularly dangerous to cancer or HIV infected patients who have compromised immune systems. His research team has identified an anti-fungal activity by existing drugs and hopes to further study the affects this summer when they travel to Africa.
In addition, to his varied research projects and his extensive teaching career, Dr. Kozel has shared his expertise as a reviewer of multiple medical and research journals as well as authoring or co-authoring over 135 research papers, book chapters and articles.
Over the years the students have expressed their appreciation and respect for Dr. Kozel by voting the Department of Microbiology & Immunology as an outstanding basic sciences department eight times. Currently, Dr. Kozel supervises ten graduate students and research assistants who assist with his research.
In reference to his work at the school, Dr. Kozel says, “If you can foster a sense of inquiry, teaching students to ask the right questions, well that’s timeless.”

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center

A Leader In Quality Healthcare

Based in Reno, Saint Mary’s is a fully integrated healthcare system that provides the highest-quality care and service to Nevada residents, a tradition that goes back more than 100 years. Saint Mary’s is a member of Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), the eighth largest hospital system in the nation and the largest non-for-profit hospital provider in the West.
Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center ranks first in the region for quality care, according to HealthInsight, a non-profit community organization in Nevada and Utah under contract to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to monitor and foster patient care quality improvement in Nevada’s hospitals. The ranking is based on 25 different federally mandated quality measures including responses and procedure for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention.
In the state of Nevada, Saint Mary’s is ranked second only to St. Rose Dominican Hospital – de Lima campus, also a member of CHW. The HealthInsight ranking is computed using voluntarily-reported, public data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
While providing quality patient care, Saint Mary’s is also working to continue to meet the needs of a growing community. The William N. Pennington Emergency Department opened in January 2009 and features 47 private rooms and a paperless patient tracking system designed to expedite a patient’s stay. Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer, Northern Nevada’s newest accredited center for cancer, is also the only facility in Nevada that features the CyberKnife, a revolutionary radiation delivery system that is able to treat tumors that before were considered untreatable.
In addition, Saint Mary’s offers a network of urgent care centers and primary care physician practices throughout the Reno/Sparks region.
Saint Mary’s mission of caring, and core values of Dignity, Collaboration, Justice, Stewardship and Excellence are also exemplified in the organization’s community based programs to benefit those who need care. Saint Mary’s outreach clinics, mobile health programs, prevention and wellness programs and community partnerships are helping to make healthcare available to more people than ever before.

St. Rose Dominican Hospitals

Three hospitals. One shared vision of quality care.

The legacy of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Southern Nevada dates back over six decades, when seven Adrian Dominican Sisters traveled from Michigan to Henderson to operate a fledgling government hospital. Since those humble beginnings in 1947, St. Rose has become a trusted and beloved institution in Southern Nevada – having delivered generations of babies and provided care and support to any and all who have needed it, regardless of ability to pay. Now with three hospitals across the valley, St. Rose holds true to the commitment that those original Sisters made in 1947 – that through hard work, faith and dedication, a hospital can be a source of compassionate care for an entire community.
As Southern Nevada’s only not-for-profit, religiously-sponsored hospital system, St. Rose focuses on healing not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well. The hospital’s not-for-profit status means that any operating margins are re-invested into expanding care at their facilities or to the community as a whole.
That original hospital, now the Rose de Lima Campus, has been expanded and renovated to provide the latest technology such as a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Nevada’s first – and only – Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center to receive UHMS certification. Rose de Lima has also been recognized by HealthInsight as the best in the state for quality measures.
St. Rose’s second acute-care facility in Henderson – the Siena Campus – provides much needed services such as an open heart surgery center, Level III Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a 24-hour pediatric emergency room. Siena was named one of the 125 best hospitals in America by Consumers’ Checkbook, a nonprofit watchdog group for its dedication to excellence, both in clinical care and patient and physician satisfaction.
In late 2006, St. Rose opened the San Martín Campus in southwest Las Vegas. San Martín offers a full array of services with a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Joint Replacement Center and new Wound Healing Center. The campus has already been recognized by Avatar as being in the top two percent in the nation for patient satisfaction.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

The State’s Premier Resource for Cancer Patients

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada (CCCN) began in May 2000 as a collaboration between the Southwest Cancer Clinic and Nevada Radiation Oncology Centers, which have helped Las Vegas residents fight cancer since 1974.
The oncology practice provides medical services such as chemotherapy, pediatric oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, nursing services by oncology certified nurses, hematology, diagnostic imaging, pharmacy, hydration, physicist, therapeutic phlebotomy, nuclear medicine and cancer prevention and screening.
CCCN initiates and conducts phase I, II and III clinical trials, which are key to advancing cancer care in the U.S. and around the globe. The trials provide patients with access to new treatment options overseen by local experts. In 2009, CCCN received the Clinical Trials Participation Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It is one of only two medical practices in the state to have earned the award.
Many of CCCN’s 26 physicians have practiced for more than 10 years in Las Vegas and, like Dr. Ron Kline, have donated time and expertise to a variety of community organizations and causes.
“Our physicians are very passionate about their patients and the organizations they support,” says Executive Director James Kilber. “Dr. Kline’s devotion to his pediatric patients and their families, as well as the foundations and outreach groups that assist those families, knows no boundaries. His shaved head is one example of the effort he puts forth to ensure those fighting cancer have the best means to defeat the disease.”
CCCN’s eight medical offices also provide supportive services including financial counseling, nutritional counseling and community support groups.
CCCN is the only medical group in Nevada affiliated with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as part of the Translational Oncology Research International (TORI) network. The medical group is also affiliated with the US Oncology physician network, the Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) established by the National Cancer Institute, and received in 2009, a three-year accreditation by the American College of Radiology.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield In Nevada

Consumer Driven Health Plans

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is Nevada’s second largest health benefits provider, and the only one licensed to sell insurance in every county. Among the oldest Nevada health insurers (established in 1969), Anthem’s Nevada operations are headquartered in Las Vegas and staffed with a friendly and knowledgeable local team – from a state president, to sales staff, to medical personnel. Located in two offices – one in Las Vegas and one in Reno – the company employs approximately 250 Nevadans.
Anthem offers a full spectrum of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability, pharmacy, behavioral health and an Employee Assistance Program. Not only do Anthem’s total benefit offerings meet the needs of a diverse workforce, they also eliminate the need for multiple carriers.
Anthem offers a broad variety of products for individuals, and small and large employers, that are innovative, simple to administer and affordable. For example, their Lumenos Consumer-Driven Health Plans put consumers in control of their health care dollars and offer incentives to spend wisely and demand better health care quality and value.
EmployeeElect, a portfolio of 14 health plans, puts control and flexibility in the hands of small group employers. Employers can choose to offer one, a mix-and-match, or all 14 plans to their employees. The Tonik health plans, which were designed to expand health care access to 19 to 29 year-olds – one of the fastest growing uninsured populations – are easy to use, all online and very affordable.
Anthem offers one of the largest provider networks in Nevada. Because Anthem is a member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, members also have access to the BlueCard provider network – nationwide and around the world – when they are away from home.
Anthem’s community efforts for 2008 were highlighted by a $19,000 contribution from its own 150 employees that will support over 40 community-based non-profit organizations throughout Nevada. Through its annual Associate Giving Campaign, Anthem associates can direct their giving to any 501(c)(3) organization. The funds pledged by Anthem associates will receive a 50 percent match from the parent company’s foundation, increasing the total to nearly $30,000. Each year, Anthem also partners with Nevada Business Magazine to host the Healthcare Heroes Awards.

Renown Regional Medical Center

Home of the da Vinci Surgical System

Renown Regional Medical Center, located in Reno, offers the da Vinci Surgical System for mitral valve repair. The da Vinci is the world’s most advanced physician-guided robotic surgery, allowing physicians to perform complex procedures through small incisions.
This innovative surgery relies on the expertise of board-certified surgeon Athan Roumanas, MD, FACS, director of cardiac surgery at Renown.

Benefits for patients include:
• improved heart function
• longer life expectancy
• significantly reduced blood loss with less need for transfusions
• small incisions, resulting in less scarring and faster recovery times
• no need to take blood thinners for life

In May 2008, Richard Stovall was one of the first patients to undergo a mitral valve repair with the da Vinci Surgical System. Four weeks later, Stovall walked four miles to his follow-up appointment— simply to see whether he could do it. Stovall says his physician, Dr. Roumanas, was astounded.
“He couldn’t believe that I walked that far,” Stovall says. “I felt great.”
Stovall, 65, elected to have the da Vinci procedure based on the benefits— namely a shorter recovery time, less pain and less time in the hospital than if he had open-heart surgery. Stovall had a hard time believing that there wasn’t going to be any pain. After the surgery, “there was absolutely no pain,” he says in amazement.
He spent only four days recovering at Renown before being cleared to go home. He was able to get back to his daily routine right away. Less than two weeks after surgery, he was walking one to two miles for exercise.
“There was no downtime,” Stovall says. “I recommend this for anyone.”