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Two days ahead of a key signup deadline, the federal government released new enrollment numbers for Nevada's health insurance exchange...Nevada Health Link had 77,411 enrollees on Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services reported...That means the exchange has already bested the 72,000 enrollees that bought coverage through the marketplace in all of 2015's open-enrollment period...The department said the latest numbers include existing customers who were automatically re-enrolled, though officials didn't break down how many enrollees were new versus returning...Consumers who haven't bought coverage by Jan. 31 face a federal tax of 2.5 percent of household income, or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child up to a household maximum of $2,085 — whichever is higher.

The School of Medicine celebrated Nevada Rural Health Day with the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the new residents' clinic at Humboldt General Hospital in Winnemucca, Nevada on Nov. 20, 2015…The event was marked by the reading of a proclamation from the Governor's Office, the showing of a video produced by PBS Las Vegas entitled "A Day in the Life of a Resident," and remarks by leaders of the School of Medicine, Humboldt General Hospital and the Mayor of Winnemucca before the ribbon was cut on the new clinical spaces and tours were offered…The School of Medicine Las Vegas Family Medicine Residency Program offers physicians the chance to complete the last two years of their residency training at Humboldt General Hospital while offering them the opportunity to provide primary care to underserved communities.

A Clark County child died from the flu, being the first pediatric flu-related death in Clark County for the 2015-16 season, the Southern Nevada Health District said Wednesday...The health district said the child was younger than 5 and that no other information about the death will be released...Clark County reported 26 deaths, 318 hospitalizations and 583 cases of the flu from Oct. 1, 2014, to May 31, 2015.

Since 1990, the United Health Foundation’s "America’s Health Rankings" have tracked the status of our nation’s health and the overall health of each state. These rankings have become established as the nation’s annual checkup and provide an opportunity to see how Nevada stacks up on health measures versus other states...Nevada’s overall health ranking is currently 38th, an increase from last year’s ranking of 39th. This year’s report not only indicates an improved overall ranking for Nevada over the past five years – up from 48th in 2010 – it points to notable areas of improvement…population health challenges in Nevada, including chronic primary care physician workforce shortages (47th), a high percentage of the population who remain uninsured (47th), high rates of drug deaths (47th) and violent crime (48th), and a low high school graduation rate (48th)...These deficits are compounded by the stunning lack of investment by Nevada lawmakers for basic public health services. This year’s rankings report indicates that state general fund support for core public health activities – disease surveillance, infectious and chronic disease prevention, and public health preparedness – is a miserly $33 per person in Nevada (50th)...This year’s rankings provide Nevada health leaders and policymakers with an opportunity to renew our commitment to confront formidable health challenges in our state in the coming year. To put matters mildly, plenty of work remains for us in 2016.

• Flash News! -Governor Brian Sandoval appointed Darla Zarley to the Board...reappointed Kirk Wentworth and Leo Basch
• Senate Bill 459 - Effective October 1, 2015, this bill addresses three primary topics: (1) the mandatory use of the Nevada PMP ( Prescription Monitoring Program) by prescribers, (2) the Good Samaritan
  Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA), and (3) next-day reporting to the PMP database.
• Discontinue Use of Chen Shwezin Sterile Drug Products, FDA Warns
• Seven Persistent Safety Gaffes in Community/Ambulatory Settings That Need to Be Resolved! (final article of a three-part series): 6. Compounded Pain Creams: High Profit Margin and Danger; 7. Clear Care: Still Causing Severe Eye Injuries Five Years Later
• Risk of Dose Confusion and Medication Errors With Avycaz, FDA Cautions
• US Compounding, Inc, Recalls All Lots of Sterile Compounded Products
• FDA Investigates the Risks of Using PainMedicine Tramadol in Young Patients
• Decreased Potency Reported in Drugs Stored in Becton-Dickinson Syringes
• MediStat Pharmacy Issues Recall of Sterile Drug Products
• DEA Number for Residents Working at a Hospital
• 2015 Pharmacist Renewal Update! - Nevada had another successful year with pharmacist renewals.

A 20-year-old woman at the center of an end-of-life court battle over her treatment at a Reno hospital has died while still on life support...Aden Hailu died about 4:30 p.m. Monday at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, where she never awoke from anesthesia after surgery April 1, said David O’Mara, the attorney representing Hailu’s father and family...Hailu’s father, Fanuel Gebreyes, lost a bid in court last week to delay brain electroencephalogram, or EEG, tests that the hospital said would show she was brain dead and wouldn’t recover...Hailu was from Las Vegas and was a freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno...Doctors say she suffered severe low blood pressure and a lack of oxygen to the brain during surgery to remove her appendix and explore the cause of unspecified abdominal pain, according to court documents.

A fight over a Reno hospital providing life-support for a 20-year-old woman goes back before a judge on Tuesday for more arguments about the legal standard for brain death and tests to prove it...A decision isn’t immediately expected. Washoe County Family Court Judge Frances Doherty is due to hold at least one more hearing Jan. 22 before ruling...The Nevada Supreme Court sent the case back to Doherty last month, saying she too quickly rejected Aden Hailu family’s bid to have Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center keep her on life-support...Hailu had been hospitalized April 1 after complaining of abdominal pain. Doctors said she suffered severe low blood pressure and a lack of oxygen to the brain during the surgery...Gebreyes (Fanuel Gebreyes, father) has declined interview requests. O’Mara (David O’Mara, attorney, representing the father) said Gebreyes knows Hailu’s condition isn’t good, but believes she can recover.

A new online tool is offering healthcare data that's broken down for each Nevada county. Reno Public Radio's Michelle Billman reports the database provides snapshots on how different counties compare on everything from their healthcare workforce to how many of their residents have health insurance…The project is called the Nevada Instant Atlas and it looks at healthcare indicators, including population demographics like income. It also profiles the overall health of people in a given area, along with their access, or lack of access, to medical specialists.

Banner Churchill Community Hospital is expanding the imaging capabilities available within the community with the installation of a Hologic 3D Mammography Unit and Dexascan this month. These units will improve patient care and increase efficiency, while offering the convenience of having the scans done close to home...The nonprofit hospital has also upgraded its fluoroscopy machine, bringing state-of-the-art imaging technology for gastrointestinal, cancer and reproductive screenings...“We are pleased to be able to offer the latest technology here at Banner Churchill so patients in our community and the surrounding areas can access the best care without leaving home,” said Dee Towne, senior manager of Medical Imaging.

More than 72,600 Nevadans signed up for a Nevada Health Link plan between Nov. 1 and Saturday, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services....That's more than double the 35,000 enrollees who had selected a plan by this time in 2014...Consumers had to have a plan in place by Dec. 17 to qualify for coverage that would begin on Jan. 1, but they have until Jan. 31 to buy insurance and avoid a federal tax for lacking coverage. The tax in 2016 will equal 2.5 percent of household income, or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child up to a household maximum of $2,085 — whichever is higher...Nearly 70 percent of Nevada's exchange enrollees can find plans for $75 a month or less after tax credits...