Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory
In 2002, the Southern Nevada Health District and the State of Nevada recognized that Las Vegas was the only major metropolitan area in the United States without the availability of a public health laboratory within 100 miles. Because Las Vegas had been identified by the federal government as a potential target for bioterrorist activities, the availability of public health laboratory services was determined to be an integral component of core public health and law enforcement activities.
In addition to suspect bioterrorism agent analysis, other public health laboratory matters include:
- sexually transmitted diseases
- foodborne outbreak investigations
- surveillance of infectious/communicable diseases
- emerging pathogen analysis
- coordination with multiple state and federal laboratory partners services
The Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory (SNPHL) has since evolved into a system of multiple laboratories providing public health and clinical services to all locations of the Health District. The laboratory system is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified and licensed by the State of Nevada to perform high complexity testing. It is owned and managed by the Health District.
Accreditations and Certifications
For copies of certifications, please contact the laboratory at (702) 759-1020.
State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
The State of Nevada grants the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory a Public Health Laboratory License.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments
Certificate of Compliance is issued to the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory, which allows the facility to perform moderate or high complexity testing as well as perform waived tests.
Mission and Priorities
Mission
The protection of the safety and well-being of Southern Nevada citizens and visitors shall be the mission of the District in developing and operating the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory (SNPHL).
Priorities
- The provision of rapid, thorough and quality analyses of specimens related to an actual or suspected bioterrorismevent
- The provision of laboratory support for the assessment, investigation, prompt diagnosis and control of communicable disease outbreaks
- The collection and analysis of data to rapidly identify emerging disease
- The provision of timely, quality testing results in support of other core public health functions such as foodborne disease investigations
- The SNPHL shall provide data to the Health District’s Office of Epidemiology and Office of Public Health Informatics, and for reference and surveillance of disease and contaminants
- The SNPHL may research the nature, cause, diagnosis, and control of disease
- The SNPHL shall work together with the Health District and other local health care providers to protect the public’s health
Updated on: May 9, 2022