NMC Board Member Profile: Senator Richard Bryan

Senator Richard Bryan

We are honored to highlight Senator Richard Bryan. It’s not every day when one has the opportunity to interview someone of Senator Bryan’s caliber.  As an NMC Board of Directors member, Senator Bryan brings a wealth of experience as Nevada’s former Governor, United States Senator, attorney, and rich insight from serving on multiple boards.  Senator Bryan enjoys serving on the NMC Board and recognizes that healthcare is one of the most significant issues of our time.  He also understands that resolving our state’s most pressing healthcare concerns is a tremendously complex challenge noting that the availability and affordability of healthcare impacts every person in the state of Nevada.

Senator Bryan is proud of NMC’s work to produce an annual data portal and healthcare report card. He believes NMC’s quest to consolidate the many streams of available healthcare data and convert them to an understandable format for all Nevadans is central to NMC’s mission to establish priorities and provide avenues for improvement. In addition, identifying and prioritizing aspects of Nevada’s healthcare delivery system to demonstrate where Nevada is doing well and where things can be improved is vital to raise awareness among all stakeholders.  “This is not an issue that can be tackled in silos” said Senator Bryan – “it will take a multidisciplinary approach – the alpha to omega of anyone providing healthcare in our State – to address Nevada’s healthcare challenges.”   Senator Bryan recognizes that access to healthcare and affordability are issues that engender great concern among a majority of Nevadans and understands that one significant healthcare incident could potentially wipe out a family’s savings.

When asked what he believes is the most significant factor in improving the healthcare provider shortage in our state, Senator Bryan reported that the state’s medical schools, both public and private play a critical role. Graduating more physicians is part of the answer, but ultimately, Senator Bryan says “Most physicians choose to practice medicine where they complete their residencies, which is why finding solutions to attract and retain physicians is of paramount importance.”  Senator Bryan believes the funding provided by former Governor Sandoval and current Governor Sisolak to expand graduate medical education in Nevada is a critical step to address this issue. He shared that Nevada is doing a better job today in providing a lifestyle that is more appealing to professionals than was the case several decades ago, which will help build the physician pipeline. He agrees that organizations such as The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and other art-related programs are vital to what our community can offer its residents.

Finally, Senator Bryan believes that “perfection should not be the enemy of the possible” and recognizes that by working together, we can greatly improve the availability and access to healthcare in Nevada. NMC is tremendously fortunate to have Senator Bryan on our Board of Directors – he is a man of extreme substance, integrity, and wisdom.  We thank him for his service!