VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System is a medical center and group of outpatient clinics operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Veterans in Nevada and bordering states receive a wide variety of primary and specialty care at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center.

Doctor stands outside VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System.

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS)

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) in Las Vegas offers a variety of services and provides care to more than 60,000 veterans each year. An additional estimated 2,000 veterans travel to VASNHS facilities annually for treatment and care. The healthcare system maintains affiliations with several universities throughout the state, including the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine, and can be utilized by mesothelioma patients. 

The modern VA medical center specializes in a few major areas, including mental illness, treatment for Parkenson’s disease, and palliative care. Veterans can receive these or other types of treatments and care at the main hospital or at a health clinic in Las Vegas, Henderson, Laughlin, and Pahrump.

  • Address: 6900 North Pecos Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89086
  • Phone: 702-791-9000

North Las Vegas VA Medical Center

The North Las Vegas VA Medical Center provides various services, including primary care, specialty care, and mental health care services. The healthcare system’s hospital, North Las Vegas VA Medical Center, opened in 2012 after the government invested $600 million in construction and $400 million in equipment over six years.

The Nevada VA treatment center integrates standard services with complementary treatments, such as pain management, yoga, and mental health therapy. Some veterans receive acupuncture at the VASNHS to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy.

VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System

The VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System is an option for veterans living near Reno to receive treatment. The main facility, the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center, provides primary care, special care, and other services, including:

  • Oncology
  • Pulmonology
  • Cardiology
  • Women’s Health
  • Neurology
  • Mental Health
  • Nutrition
  • Palliative & Hospice Services

Additional outpatient clinics in Reno, Gardnerville, Susanville, Fallon, and Winnemucca operate under the Sierra Nevada system. The hospital maintains a partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.

  • Address: 975 Kirman Avenue, Reno, NV 89502
  • Phone: 775-786-7200

Treatment Options at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System

Specialists at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System can also diagnose and treat diseases. Doctors at the facility diagnose and screen for illness using labs and blood work or using X-rays, PET, CT, and other imaging instruments. Mesothelioma patients may undergo an extensive diagnosis process to prevent a misdiagnosis

The team of pulmonary specialists, oncologists, and palliative specialists work together to offer the best available treatment tailored for Veterans. Pulmonologists, for example, help make breathing easier through oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation while providing strategies to help improve symptoms.

VA Southern Nevada Health Care System Specialists and Staff

Veterans receiving treatment at VASNHS can access a variety of providers who specialize in pain and symptom management. Additional specialists who offer support for families of patients are available to assist with emotional support, bereavement care, education, and arranging a will, power of attorney, funeral service, and burial benefits.

Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Although they take place in different settings and circumstances, the objective of both hospice care and palliative care is to help patients feel relief from their pain. Palliative and hospice specialists associated with VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System include:

  • Dr. Karleen C. Adams
  • Dr. Christine M. Estrada

Pulmonology

Patients with diseases affecting their respiratory tract may benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation along with standard treatment. It’s not uncommon for veterans to need pulmonary services for health issues from exposure to burn pits during their service.

Pulmonology specialists associated with VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System include:

  • Dr. Rajiv P. Amesur
  • Dr. Nisarg Changawala
  • Dr. Thomson K. Chemplavil

Related: Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Victims

Other VA Hospitals in Nevada and the Four corners

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System provides comprehensive care, but it’s not uncommon for a veteran living in Nevada to travel across the border to receive excellent healthcare at a nearby mesothelioma treatment center.

VA Salt Lake City Healthcare

The George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah is 1 of 5 VA heart transplant centers in the U.S. The treatment center treats roughly 70,000 veterans each year, most of whom served in the Vietnam war.

Boise VA Healthcare

The Boise VA Medical Center provides care to over 40,000 veterans annually in Idaho, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Nevada. For the last 70 years, the Boise VA Medical Center has occupied the grounds of Fort Boise.

VA Greater Los Angelos Healthcare

The West Los Angelos VA Medical Center is a major mesothelioma treatment center located about 300 miles southwest of Las Vegas. Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Robert Cameron, helped pioneer the pleurectomy/decortication surgery for mesothelioma.

VA Palo Alto Healthcare System

Since 1930, the Palo Alto VA Healthcare System has proved primary care and specialty services for veterans in and near Santa Clara County, California. Veterans can choose between three Palo Alto VA Medical centers in Palo Alto, Livermore, and Menlo park.

San Francisco VA Healthcare

San Francisco VA facilities include the San Francisco VA Medical Center and six health clinics in  Clearlake, Eureka, San Bruno, Santa Rosa, Ukiah, and downtown San Francisco. The hospital opened in 1934 at the site of Fort Miley, which was active during World War II.

Filing With the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Nevada

The VA operates these medical centers in Nevada and across the United States so veterans can access healthcare that’s covered with benefits. Additional potential benefits for veterans in Nevada include:

  • Veterans Pension Program
  • Dependency Compensation
  • Burial Benefits
  • Veterans Insurance Program
  • Vocational Rehabilitation

To file for benefits in Nevada, get enrolled in the VA healthcare program. Veterans exposed to chemicals during their service may be eligible for additional benefits. Let Mesothelioma Vets help you or a loved one file for benefits and seek additional medical and legal help

Related: Active Duty Veterans at Camp Lejeune Eligible for Cost-Free Healthcare.