Northern Nevada Medical Center extends a special welcome to new patients and families covered by the state of Nevada health plans.

By Brandt C. Wright

Northern Nevada Medical Center welcomes a new group to our services: the state of Nevada Public Employees' Benefits Program health plans. We were pleased to announce recently that the hospital was added as a preferred provider on these plans beginning May 1. The plans cover an estimated 17,000 state of Nevada and Nevada System of Higher Education employees, family members and retirees, including employees of the state of Nevada, UNR, UNLV, the state's community colleges and Desert Research Institute.

This news has been eagerly awaited by many physicians and patients in our area who have wanted to have Northern Nevada Medical Center as a hospital choice.

The inclusion of the hospital on the state's plans represents a return for Northern Nevada, which had been among the hospital choices for state employees until 2003 when the contract was awarded to one northern Nevada area hospital provider.

Brandt C. Wright, CEO

Since then, Northern Nevada Medical Center has been working to open access on the state plans as well as large national plans that currently offer only one or two hospitals as local providers. Many local physicians have told residents and us that they would prefer to have a choice in hospitals. We are pleased that the state plans are the first to provide more options for thousands of employees, retirees and their dependents.

We're proud that Northern Nevada's outstanding quality has been recognized with Best Practice rankings in The Gallup Organization's physician satisfaction surveys in emergency services, nursing, radiology, admissions and cleanliness. In Gallup's patient satisfaction surveys, we're recognized in emergency services, outpatient testing and treatment and outpatient surgery. Northern Nevada Medical Center has earned the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's Gold Seal of Approval^TM by demonstrating compliance with national standards for healthcare quality and safety.

Geno Martini, Sparks Mayor

With the tremendous growth in Sparks, Spanish Springs and northern Washoe County, Northern Nevada's inclusion in local health plans is particularly important for the thousands of local residents who want high-quality hospital services close to home.

"Northern Nevada Medical Center, the only major hospital in Sparks, is undoubtedly a critical medical facility," Sparks Mayor Geno Martini said. "The expansion of the state's health plans to include NNMC will go a long way toward providing more citizens who live and work in Sparks with the high quality healthcare and medical services they deserve," he said.

We look forward to serving the healthcare needs of this growing community and extend a special welcome to our new patients and families with the state of Nevada health plans.

Brandt C. Wright is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Northern Nevada Medical Center.

Northern Nevada Medical Center 2375 E. Prater Way, Sparks, NV 89434 775-331-7000