Officials address doctor shortage in unprecedented joint meeting

NEWS: The City of Las Vegas and Clark County Commission joined forces to address medical issues.

TOP OF MIND...ONE ONGOING CONCERN IS MOVINGTO THE FRONT BURNER..THE VALLEY'S DOCTOR SHORTAGE.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER....SEAN DELANCEY IS LIVE....IN THE CENTER OF THE LAS VEGASMEDICAL DISTRICT....WHERE THE SHORTCOMINGS AREGETTING....A HARD LOOK.SEAN?TRICIA - TODD - - THIS EMPTYLOT ALONG SHADOW LANEREPRESENTS TWO THINGS.THE NEED FOR DOCTORS IN THEVALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM - - AND ACHANGE COMING SOON - TO PLUGTHOSE HOLES.AT A MEETING OF MINDS AT THECLARK COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER- - LAS VEGAS CITY COUNCIL -AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION HEARDFROM LEADERS IN THE MEDICALINDUSTRY - - ABOUT THE HAVE'SAND HAVE NOTS IN CLARK COUNTYMEDICINE.LAWRENCE "HEALTHCARE IS ACOMMUNITY ISSUE." BILL LAWRENCE- - DIRECTOR OF ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF LASVEGAS SAYS THE VALLEY'S CENTRALMEDICAL DISTRICT HAS GROWNSUBSTANTIALLY SINCE IT'SINCEPTION IN 2002 -STREAMLINING MEDICAL SYSTEMSACROSS THE NEAR 700 ACRE PLOTOF LAND.BETWEEN MULTIPLE HOSPITALS.BUT ONE GLARING ISSUE REMAINS.BILL LAWRENCE/CITY OF LAS VEGASDIRECTOR OF ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT "WELL, WE LAGBEHIND.WE LAG BEHIND WITH PHYSICIANSIN THE COMMUNITY." NEVADA RANKS47TH AMONG STATES - IN THENUMBER OF PHYSYCIANS COMPAREDTO POPULATION SIZE.LAWRENCE SAYS JUST TO GET TOTHE NATIONAL MEDIAN NUMBER - -WE'D HAVE TO ADD NEARLY 17HUNDRED MORE (1,679) OR MORETHAN ONE AND A HALF TIMES - THEENTIRE PHYSICIAN STAFF OF THEUNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.LAWRENCE "WE HAVE SOME GREATPHYSICIANS IN SOUTHERN NEVADAAND CLARK COUNTY, BUT WE NEEDMORE OF THEM." MAYOR CAROLYNGOODMAN IDENTIFIED ANOTHERGLARING NEED...MAYOR CAROLYN GOODMAN/CITY OFLAS VEGAS "RESEARCH ISCRITICAL.LAB RESEARCH, LAB RESEARCH,WE'D PROBABLY TODAY BE IN ASITUATION WE COULD BE HELPINGWITH THE VIRUS THAT'S SCARINGEVERYONE TO DEATH." SHE WOULDLIKE TO SEE MORE LABS ATTRACTEDTO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT - TOBECOME A HUB OF FRONT LINEMEDICAL RESEARCH.GOODMAN "THIS IS ABOUT HAVINGAT YOUR FINGER TIPS A REMEDYTHAT COMES OUT OF RESEARCHLABS."ALSO AT THIS MEETING EXPERTSWALKED THROUGH STEPS TO FILLTHESE GAPS - - INCLUDING A PLANFOR THIS LOT - THAT COULD TEACHDOCTORS - AND KEEP THEM WORKINGRIGHT HERE IN SOUTHERN NEVADA.I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT - -COMING UP AT SIX.FOR NOW - SEAN DELANCEY - - 13