The Evolution of the Southern Nevada Healthcare Economy: Building the UNLV Academic Health Center

Reception 1:30 - 2 p.m. | Scheduled Event 2 - 4 p.m.

Academic health centers provide a combination of teaching, research, and patient care to serve the multi-dimensional healthcare needs of all residents in our community. Leveraging the educational, research, and public health resources already in place in Southern Nevada, the strategic combination of these established entities, along with newly developed programs, will stimulate economic growth in Southern Nevada for decades to come.

With the successful launch of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and the completion of its medical education building, Southern Nevada is positioned to expand its healthcare infrastructure - and its healthcare economy - to create a comprehensive, integrated healthcare system to serve our fast-growing community. As UNLV moves forward with the development of an integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District, understanding the economic and social benefits of such a transformational project is important to stakeholders throughout the region.

The Lincy Institute was pleased to host representatives of Tripp Umbach - the nation's leading consultant on community health needs assessments, economic impact studies, feasibility studies, economic development, and strategic planning - to present their latest research on the evolution of the healthcare economy of Southern Nevada. Tripp Umbach's report, based on benchmarking analysis of existing and emerging academic health centers throughout the United States, puts into context the opportunities of a fully comprehensive integrated academic health center and demonstrates how closer alignment will drive future economic growth through healthcare program expansion, research and innovation, destination medicine, and population health improvement. The report also explores the many social impacts related to expanding the physician workforce, including cost savings to the Southern Nevada region through greater coordination of community and public health resources and savings that stem from increased health status. Following the presentation of the report, a panel discussion featured voices shaping Southern Nevada's healthcare economy.