DIAGNOSIS LAS VEGAS: Dr. Staci McHale

What is the biggest misconception about medical care in Las Vegas?

The biggest misconception is that Las Vegans can't get quality health care in the Las Vegas Valley. Las Vegas residents do not have to travel out of state to see a doctor -- there are numerous respected, board-certified physicians in Clark County, in almost every specialty imaginable. Physicians in our city have trained across the country at world-renowned programs and many are at the top of their specialties, and they all choose to live and practice here. Although a few isolated incidents have been in the news over the last few years, they are the exceptions to the thousands of excellent physicians that Las Vegas has to offer. Many of our hospitals are also nationally recognized and consistently provide top-notch care for their patients valleywide.

If you could change one thing about health care in Las Vegas, what would it be?

Las Vegas is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the nation without a true academic medical center, including a four-year medical school. Touro University, which trains over a hundred physicians a year, is affiliated with many different hospitals around our valley, not a central location. Our University Medical Center is affiliated with the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno, not with a medical school in Las Vegas. Completing an academic medical center with a four-year medical school would provide an influx of academic physicians, as well as cutting-edge medical research. With a projected physician shortage nationwide in the next decade, particularly in primary care specialties, this would continue to ensure quality health care is available for all Las Vegans.

Las Vegas is often regarded as an unhealthy city. Is that a fair assessment?

I believe that our city is unfairly labeled an "unhealthy city." True, we all know those who take advantage of the "anything goes" attitude often ascribed to Las Vegas. But for those of us who live and work here, it is definitely possible to maintain a healthy diet, get regular exercise and stay on top of our medical needs. There are many opportunities for recreational activities, including world-class cycling, plenty of hiking, climbing and skiing less than an hour away, and a great climate that allows for running, swimming, golf and other outdoor activities year-round. Many professional athletes choose to call Las Vegas home for a reason -- it's a great place to enjoy your lifestyle and stay fit and healthy at the same time.

What is the biggest challenge facing the medical community in 2012?

There are many challenges to be faced by our medical community, including federal health care legislation, the need for tort reform, and the transition to electronic medical records. The most pressing of these in the upcoming year are the changes that will soon be mandated by our federal government, including the individual insurance mandate, requiring all citizens to maintain health insurance coverage. Additionally, the medical community is facing huge cuts in Medicare reimbursement, which may ultimately result in even more physicians not participating in Medicare. There have been temporary fixes made to the Medicare system of reimbursement over the past decade, but without a permanent solution, drastic decreases in the availability of quality health care for seniors and further physician shortages are almost a certainty.