A boost to valley’s medical reputation

When it comes to excellence in health care, no brand has better standing than the Cleveland Clinic. Las Vegas is privileged to be linked to the nonprofit through its operation of downtown’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

But the Cleveland Clinic clearly sees other opportunities in the valley, announcing this week that it’s expanding its tops-in-the-nation urology program into Las Vegas. The Ohio-based medical center acquired the local practice of Dr. Scott Slavis and Dr. Laurie Larsen, and will begin offering services in less than two months.

Dr. Eric Klein, chairman of the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, told the Review-Journal’s Paul Harasim that two more full-time urologists would be brought into the clinic’s office near Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, and that many of the institute’s 40 urologists will be licensed to practice in Nevada.

“I think the grand vision is to have another Cleveland Clinic hospital next to the Ruvo Center downtown,” Dr. Slavis said.

It’s extraordinary news on the health care front, considering the Nevada Cancer Institute recently closed its doors. With its sizable retiree population and pending Medicaid expansion, to say nothing of ObamaCare taking full effect in just 10 months, Nevada needs more doctors and more choices for patients. Most Southern Nevada specialists already have months-long waiting lists.

“Believe me, the reason this came about is to improve the quality of urologic care in Las Vegas,” said Dr. Slavis, who trained at the Cleveland Clinic. “We’ll have new subspecialists here and the most up-to-date equipment. We can consult with the best in the world on complex cases.”

That’s not a knock on urologists and other specialists who already practice in Clark County and provide great care. There simply aren’t enough of them. And the more medical expertise the valley has, the better its overall health care reputation. That will not only prevent Nevadans from leaving the state for high-level care, but attract residents from other states seeking specialized treatment. That boosts our economy and our quality of life.

Here’s hoping the Cleveland Clinic’s latest commitment to Las Vegas is just the beginning.