COMMENTARY: A pivotal moment for Las Vegas Medical District

Nevada’s health care infrastructure is lacking when compared to the national average. The 2019 scorecard by the Commonwealth Fund ranked Nevada at the bottom of the list at 48th in overall health care outcomes in the United States. When it comes to practicing medical doctors per capita, Southern Nevada is 32 percent below the national average per the 2014 Healthcare Workforce Report.

Since its inception in 1997, the goal of the Las Vegas Medical District — bounded by Alta Drive on the north, Martin Luther King Boulevard on the east and Rancho Drive on the west — has been to coalesce resources to address these issues and enhance local health care industry. Most recently we celebrated the founding of the UNLV School of Medicine and the recent announcement by Gov. Steve Sisolak that private funding had been secured to construct a state-of-the-art medical school building in Las Vegas. But we are now at a pivotal moment in the district’s development, one whose success hinges on an expansive reimagining of what the medical district should be and an aggressive push to get us there.

First, the medical district of today is not simply a place where health care professionals commute and work. Its core function has evolved to be the premier place in the valley for medical education, research and training. To keep those newly minted physicians, dentists, researchers, nurses and other health care talent in Southern Nevada, we also need to make the district a great place to live and relax. That starts with updating the name behind the district to better reflect this new reality by incorporating academic learning, research and training in its core functions.

We also must prioritize collaboration with our community partners and incentivize investment. As a city, we have a finite amount of resources and can only do so much without contributions from the state, Clark County and the business and university communities. The partnership forged between the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and its community — founded around the same time as Las Vegas Medical District — provides a good template. By aligning government and private resources, Aurora, Colorado, transformed what was once a decaying, decommissioned military base into one of the most desirable places to live and work in the Rocky Mountain West.

As a city and region, we need to create the conditions necessary for the district to thrive. This includes constructing move-in ready laboratory and research space to lure new health care-related businesses. It means investing in mixed-use developments that house students and employees and supportive local businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores, dry cleaners and coffee shops.

As a city, we are encouraging such development by pushing for the creation of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, useful public transit options, centralized parking structures and green space that incorporates public art. Such synergy creates a college town feel while boosting the local economy and strengthening existing neighborhoods. We should also strengthen our ties with the school district by fostering partnerships between the district and grades K-12 in designing curriculum for students interested in STEM-related careers.

The Las Vegas Medical District is steadily moving in a positive direction. But we must build on our momentum if we want to complete its transformation into a world-class teaching, practicing and research campus. University Medical Center, Valley Hospital, the Southern Nevada Health District and the numerous partners who work and live in the medical district should be celebrated as we propel forward the vision for the the district and Southern Nevada’s health care system. And it cannot be understated: We must recognize the leadership of Gov. Sisolak, County Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, UNLV interim President Marta Meana and the numerous philanthropic individuals who have jump-started a level of commitment that will truly transform our community for generations to come.

— Brian Knudsen represents Ward 1, the home of the Las Vegas Medical District, on the Las Vegas City Council.