{Expert discusses mental health care access for all Nevadans}
Dr. Sid Khurana recently appeared on the HEALS Pod podcast in an episode titled: Community and Care: Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Las Vegas.
The show, hosted by Diego Trujillo, CEO of Las Vegas HEALS (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Leadership), shed light on why Khurana founded Nevada Mental Health, innovative treatments, and how our community can work together to improve Nevada’s low mental health ranking.
To listen to the podcast, visit the Heals Pod Spotify page.
An exchange Khurana had with a handyman whose family member needed a psychiatrist who accepted insurance was the impetus for Nevada Mental Health. The practice’s goal is to serve the patients who represent “the 90% in the middle” who don’t have many options for finding a psychiatrist who accepts insurance, Khurana said on the episode.
The mental health professional also said there needs to be greater access to “quality care” in the state, which he defined as providers who don’t double book, who accept insurance and are trained to evaluate patients thoroughly while not turning to medication too quickly.
Providing quality care also means staying at the forefront of innovation, the psychiatrist noted. For example, Nevada Mental Health recently began offering FDA-approved Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). The proven technology corrects electrical pathways in the brain compromised in patients with OCD, depression or addiction problems.
“With TMS, we followed the science. Once the literature was there and FDA approvals came in, we wanted to make sure our patients had access to this treatment,” Khurana added.
Improving our community’s mental health ranking was a big topic in the episode.
To learn more about Nevada Mental Health, visit NevadaMentalHealth.com.
