VA Under Secretary for Health shares future of VA with Las Vegas Veterans, VASNHS staff

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NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal visited VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System this week, meeting with Veterans, recognizing VASNHS staff for their achievements, and sharing his vision for the future of Veteran healthcare.

Dr. Elnahal toured the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center women’s clinic, emergency services, and inpatient wards, where he met with and recognized Veterans for their service.

“There are some incredible people here, both Veterans and staff,” Dr. Elnahal said. “I was able to meet with some amazing Veterans and hear their stories, and how grateful they were for their treatment and care teams. We have the most important mission, and it’s to take care of folks like them.”

Additionally, Dr. Elnahal hosted an employee town hall and recognized exceptional individuals for their unwavering dedication to VA’s health care priorities. Each employee had made significant contributions in their respective roles, demonstrating a commitment to excellence and improving Veterans’ lives.

“This has been a great opportunity to meet with the team members here at the Las Vegas VA,” said Dr. Elnahal. “So many great initiatives from Veteran homelessness to suicide prevention, but also setting the example for Veteran access-to-care. We’re really trying to learn from the Las Vegas VA because of the excellence that’s here.”

With the growing Veteran population in Southern Nevada, Dr. Elnahal said that he has been proud of the strides that VASNHS has made in hiring to meet the increasing demand but recognizes the challenges that exists in finding clinicians in Las Vegas. Dr. Elnahal also addressed the need for clinical space and resources across the healthcare system.

“I know that this medical center is trying to make every possible use of the resources that we have,” said Dr. Elnahal. “That’s a fight I’m always willing to engage in in Washington to make sure we always have the resources that we need to take care of Vets.”

Finally, Dr. Elnahal addressed VA’s continued commitment to initiatives that he has put at the forefront: ending Veteran suicides and providing emergency mental health care to Veterans through the COMPACT Act. “Suicide prevention is my top clinical priority,” said Dr. Elnahal. “We’re doing that within the VA, but also by funding community coalitions, providing outreach, distributing gun locks, and now paying for care that Veterans need during a suicide crisis no matter if that Veteran is enrolled in VA care or not. One Veterans suicide is too many.”

As he visits VA Medical Centers across the nation, Dr. Elnahal says that he is continuingly impressed by the dedication of the VA staff. “I really appreciated the team here in Las Vegas. Many of them are Veterans themselves, and it’s so clear to me that folks take the mission personally here.”

John Archiquette, Public Affairs Specialist

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