Nevada System of Higher Education

Health Sciences System Newsletter

November 2013

The Health Sciences System (HSS) was established by the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents in 2006. Its purpose is to address Nevada's community health issues through a system-wide effort to integrate and expand the education of health professionals and to foster collaborative research in health and health care. Through collaboration among the NSHE institutions and a broad range of external partners, the HSS intends to be a catalyst for improvement in the health and wellness of Nevada. Visit us at: http://system.nevada.edu/

Nevada State Office of Rural Health receives Award of Merit

The Nevada School of Medicine's Nevada State Office of Rural Health received the 2013 Award of Merit from the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health during a ceremony on Oct. 30 at the organization's annual conference in Asheville, N.C.

"I'm honored that our office was recognized with this award," said Gerald Ackerman, director of the Nevada State Office of Rural Health. "It means even more because of the amount of respect I have for our peers around the country who have recognized us."

The NOSORH presents its Award of Merit to a State Office of Rural Health that has made a significant contribution in the field of rural health. The committee considers important benefits to rural health, innovative programs, unusual contributions, or activities that have advanced State Offices of Rural Health.

The Nevada State Office was commended for its work in forging collaborations with and on behalf of rural veterans. "Whenever NOSORH has needed someone to talk on the work that can be done between veterans and State Offices of Rural Health, it has turned to the Nevada State Office," according to NOSORH executive director Teryl Eisinger.

Additionally, Eisinger praised the Nevada State Office for managing the annual Western Region Flex Conference, one of the oldest regional Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex) meetings in the country, which brings together hospital administrators, state Flex coordinators, and experts in policy and health care. Eisinger also cited the Office's willingness to share its work with other State Offices of Rural Health, including its health careers resource, which provides information to people considering a career in health care in the state.

UNLV research center tackles tough issues in child wellbeing through community programs and legislative advocacy.

For more than 15 years, UNLV's Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy (NICRP) has been improving the lives of Nevada's children through research, advocacy, and other specialized services.

Collaborating with community groups, educators, parents and policymakers, "The NICRP conducts research, program evaluation, and policy analysis to provide information on issues facing children and families in Nevada, as well as advocating for Nevada's children on a nationwide basis to ensure that their interests are addressed," said Tara Phebus, interim executive director of the NICRP.

Although the nonprofit's research is wide ranging, it focuses particularly on child injury prevention, children's health, and child maltreatment.

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Did you know:

The Nevada System of Higher Education has 150 distinct Health Sciences programs throughout eight institutions with an estimated total of 18,000 enrolled students.