Access to specialized healthcare options plays a crucial role in enhancing a region’s quality of life and promoting overall well-being. These facilities also attract top medical talent and investment, serve as magnets for medical tourism, and spur economic development.
Las Vegas’ healthcare sector has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, with specialized research and treatment centers choosing to call the city home with new integrated healthcare developments on the horizon.
Learn more about how the following specialized medical facilities are transforming the region’s medical landscape.
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health
Visitors to downtown Las Vegas can’t help but notice the iconic Frank Gehry-designed building that houses the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The facility is much more than just an interesting addition to the downtown Las Vegas skyline – the center is one of the leading clinical trial sites for Alzheimer’s disease in the country.
The research center and clinic, which opened in 2010, specializes in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s. The clinic not only researches more effective treatments for memory loss and dementia but also provides support services for those dealing with brain disease and their caregivers.
In 2022, the research center received a $11.3 million grant alongside UNLV to conduct joint research into the causes of degenerative brain diseases. In 2023, staff at the facility administered the first doses of the drug Lecanemab (Leqembi®), a new treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease.
Las Vegas Medical District
The Cleveland Clinic is one of several anchor facilities within the Las Vegas Medical District, established by the City of Las Vegas in 1997 as a medical epicenter to enhance access to healthcare in the city. Since then, $400 million in private and public investment has gone into the district, with more planned.
Additional district anchor facilities include University Medical Center (UMC), Valley Hospital, the Southern Nevada Health District and its public health lab, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, and the UNLV School of Dental Medicine.
Redevelopment efforts are focused on expanding ancillary services that support the medical industry, including retail and housing. Upcoming projects include the rehabilitation of nine buildings on UMC’s campus, the expansion of the women’s cancer center, and a 54-bed memory care senior housing community.
Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada
The Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is an award-winning multi-specialty practice that participates in more than 170 clinical research trials each year and has helped develop more than 100 FDA-approved life-saving cancer therapies. An affiliate of the US Oncology Network, the center has been treating patients with cancer in the Las Vegas community for more than 40 years.
The practice specializes in medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, breast surgery, pulmonary medicine, cancer genetic counseling and clinical research. The Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is the only oncology practice in Southern Nevada to receive the American College of Radiology accreditation for seven consecutive three-year terms. It is also affiliated with the Community Clinical Oncology Program, which conducts National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials and introduces the newest clinical research findings to the local medical community.
Valley Health Specialty Hospital
The Valley Health Specialty Hospital is the first facility in Las Vegas to offer both orthopedic surgery and inpatient rehabilitation services in one location. Opened in 2021 as an extension of Spring Valley Hospital, the facility features five surgical suites, a 10-bed inpatient nursing unit, and a 56-bed acute rehabilitation center.
The specialty hospital offers spine surgery, hip and knee replacement, arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle, and hand surgery. The facility’s extensive inpatient rehabilitation program includes physical, occupational, and speech therapy with specialized programs in neurological, spinal, and orthopedic therapy. Outpatient rehabilitation is also available for patients needing ongoing treatment.
Intermountain Health Children’s Hospital
Intermountain Health’s planned children’s hospital, set to be located at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in Southwest Las Vegas, is a crucial addition for families in Southern Nevada. First announced in October 2024, this first stand-alone facility dedicated solely to children in the region will provide specialized pediatric care.
By offering comprehensive services close to home, the hospital aims to reduce the burden on families who currently must travel out of state for advanced treatments. Supported by community and philanthropic partners, this project will help meet the healthcare needs of Southern Nevada’s growing population.
UNLV Sports Innovation Institute
With the dramatic growth of professional sports in the Las Vegas region, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) saw a need to incorporate sports medicine into its curriculum, formally launching the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute (SII) in December 2023. The Institute aspires to be a nationally recognized hub that integrates sports science and sports business to provide cutting-edge solutions to drive the future of competition.
The mission is devoted to sports research, performance, health, technology and innovation. SII connects UNLV students from a variety of sport-related academic disciplines with career and internship opportunities and serves as the conduit for partnership between the sports industry and the university. Mark this as one of several reasons Las Vegas is the new sports and entertainment capital of the world.
Viticus Group
The Las Vegas Valley is also home to Viticus Group, a leading provider of world-class educational programming and in-depth learning opportunities for both veterinary and human health professionals. The Viticus Center offers state-of-the-art labs at two cutting-edge technology facilities, presenting a variety of continuing education courses, access to specialized surgical training, and required certifications.
The company’s original Oquendo Campus hosts hands-on training, workshops, lectures and demonstrations, while their brand-new Eastern Campus features 55,000 square feet of clinical meeting space integrating state-of-the-art technologies.
Union Village
Several medical projects in the planning or development stages will bring even more healthcare opportunities to the region. Union Village, an ‘integrated healthcare village’ in Henderson, will include a dialysis clinic, a memory and dementia care village, a hotel, condos, apartments, retail, and restaurants. The 155-acre village is anchored by Henderson Hospital, which opened in 2016. The city of North Las Vegas is also planning a medical campus on 135 acres near the region’s VA Hospital that could include medical services and research and development spaces.
Healthcare Workforce and Jobs in Southern Nevada
As the region’s healthcare opportunities continue to expand, so does the need to educate and train the medical professionals needed to staff these specialized facilities. Several regional medical schools fill this need: the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Touro University Nevada, and Rosemary University of Health Sciences.
