Category:

Governor Brian Sandoval says health insurance company Centene will expand coverage on Nevada's health exchange for 2018, meaning all the state's rural counties will continue to have health coverage...An a news conference in Silver Springs, Sandoval announced the Missouri-based Centene Corporation, also known as Silver Summit in Nevada, will offer health insurance coverage to all Nevada residents including those living in Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey and White Pine on the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange...Today’s announcement will ensure that more than 8,000 Nevadans will have the ability to exercise their option to utilize Nevada’s online marketplace and secure coverage for their families,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “This is a fantastic time to welcome SilverSummit to our healthcare market and express the state’s sincere gratitude for stepping up, partnering with Nevada’s own Hometown Health, and providing an insurance option for thousands of Nevadans.”...

When a student told Megan Swank, Au.D., CCC-A, about the medicine bag baring her last name on display outside Savitt Medical Library, she doubted there was any connection to her. Little did she know that this medicine bag actually belonged her great-grandfather..."I've been here for three years as an instructor and this was the first time I'd heard about it," Swank said. "Initially I thought there was no way it was connected to me, but then I went over and when I saw the full name on the bag, James L. Swank, I realized it was my great-grandfather's; it was a very emotional moment."...Swank had forgotten that her great-grandfather, James Levy Swank, M.D., had practiced medicine as a general physician in Las Vegas before his death in 1961..."I thought it was pretty amazing, because I don't know much about him. He died before I was born," said Swank.

UNLV’s inaugural class of medical students won’t be listening to heartbeats quite yet, but the stethoscopes they receive on their first day of studies Monday will be put to good use over the next four years...On a landmark day for the university’s long-planned School of Medicine, the first class of 60 students will be presented with the medical instruments that will be their constant companions while they receive their medical educations and beyond during an afternoon celebration at the UNLV Student Union..."It’s a new day for medical education in Nevada," Jason Geddes, vice chairman of the Nevada Board of Regents, said. "The first class looks terrific. I’m looking forward to them getting on campus and getting started on the program."...The students, who were selected partly for their ties to Nevada and are receiving full-ride scholarships as part of the school’s inaugural class, form a gifted group.

Praxsyn Corporation is pleased to announce that it has purchased through a newly formed subsidiary, Nevada Health Rx, Inc., the pharmacy license and all of the assets of Meds Direct Rx, a pharmacy located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new pharmacy is about 8,000+ square feet of pharmacy and warehouse space, and includes a large loading dock and a secured yard to hold delivery vehicles...The total purchase price for the acquisition of the pharmacy was $120,000...This acquisition will allow us to sell a broader mix of products from a much larger facility than we have had in the past. Our focus is on filling prescriptions that have a 30 day pay cycle...Our focus...is on customer service to our patients, their doctors, the surgery centers and hospitals that will serve our patients...Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, Praxsyn Corporation is a holding company that finds solutions to fit the needs and goals of medical professionals and their patients...

The University of Nevada, Reno, is collaborating with an international company who is in the business of cancer treatment. They will be investing millions of dollars in better equipment at the College of Science (Nevada Terawatt Facility in Stead)...a...new venture with Israeli company HIL Applied Medical who is pouring millions of dollars into bringing UNR's "cheetah laser" to its full potential. They hope to find new ways to deliver proton therapy for cancer patients that is smaller, more effective and less expensive...This might scale into small and medium size hospitals like the ones we have in our local community here...Less than 5 percent of patients around the world have access to proton-therapy cancer treatment because equipment can cost upwards of $100 million. With this collaboration, they think they could get costs down to $1 million so it's a feasible option for more hospitals...Researchers from HIL Applied Medical will visit Reno often to conduct tests alongside Terawatt Facility technicians. As they move forward, the company anticipates creating more jobs in Reno...

The Washoe County Health District says a North Valleys resident has tested positive for West Nile Virus. It is the first human case this year in Washoe County...Although this resident had traveled outside of Washoe County and may have been exposed elsewhere, the presence of positive mosquito pools locally means that a local exposure cannot be ruled out and residents should take appropriate precautions. The announcement coincides with the identification of three positive mosquito collections in Gerlach, although the incidents are not related..."We have been expecting this to be a very active season for both mosquitoes and West Nile Virus in Washoe County due to the heavy precipitation we got this year and because of the extremely warm weather in the area," said Washoe County District Health Officer Kevin Dick. "Although we are monitoring mosquito activity, conducting monthly larvicide treatments, and fogging areas of known activity, this is a reminder that people must be vigilant and take personal measures to keep mosquitoes at bay" said Dick.

• Our Newest Board Member - Melissa Shake
• Prescription Transfers
• National Pharmacy
• WHO Launches Global Patient Safety Challenge on Medication Safety
• Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Organizations
• NCPDP Releases Guide to Ensure Patients Get Their Medications During a Disaster
• FDA Warns of Illnesses and Deaths in Pets Exposed to Fluorouracil
• FDA Revises Final Guidance Documents on Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding
• APhA Resource Guide Applies JCPP Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process to Immunization Services
• CPE Training on Older Adult Fall Prevention Available Online
• New FDA Drug Info Rounds Training Video Addresses the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act
• FDA Presents Series of CE Webinars for Students and Clinicians
• E-Prescribed Faxed Prescriptions

The Division of Insurance has announced that Nevada’s insurance carriers that participate in the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange have decided to only offer coverage to Clark, Washoe, and Nye counties beginning in 2018...Currently these medical carriers offer plans on Nevada Health Link: Health Plan of Nevada, Prominence Health Plan, Anthem...But some changes are coming as of January 1, 2018.

• Health Plan of Nevada will only be offering coverage in Washoe, Clark, and Nye Counties.
• Prominence Health Plan announced this week that they will be pulling out of the Nevada Exchange market.
• Two new companies, Aetna and Centene will be joining the exchange market but according to the Division of Insurance at most they will only be offering plans in Washoe, Clark, and Nye counties

The Division of Insurance says this will leave about 8,000 Nevada residents without coverage across 14 counties. The largest group is about 5,000 people across Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey Counties...If you live outside of Washoe, Clark, or Nye counties and have concerns about your coverage, Silver State Health Exchanges suggests you call them at 855-768-5465...They say that they are working diligently with Governor Sandoval to come up with a plan for those that could be uninsured.

A $1.2 million allocation from the attorney general’s office to the University of Nevada, Reno Medical School should soon begin producing more pediatric doctors for the state...The funding from a settlement between the attorney general’s office and the drug manufacturer Pfizer is creating an OB/GYN department at the medical school...The new department will provide education for medical students in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as training for primary care residents and research...Having a department dedicated to research and the education of students and physicians in their understanding of women’s health ensures we are delivering the best care for patients...

A Las Vegas doctor who drugged and raped patients was ordered Monday to serve 50 years to life behind bars...District Judge Kathleen Delaney called the case against Binh “Ben” Chung “abhorrent and unfathomable” and “incredibly disturbing” as she handed down the sentence...Chung testified...he had an ongoing consensual affair with one of the women, and that she was awake in the videos jurors watched, playing a role in his “Sleeping Beauty” fantasy...He said he had somnophilia, a fetish for having sex with someone who is unconscious. He also testified that the teenager prosecutors said he molested in another video was actually the woman with whom he claimed he had an affair...Chung, found guilty of 11 counts, including use of a minor in the production of pornography, kidnapping, battery with intent to commit sexual assault, and four counts of sexual assault, thanked the judge and attorneys on both sides, along with his family, but did not apologize...