Mark Winkler, M.D.
About Dr. Winkler: It’s no wonder that research is Dr. Winkler’s passion. Growing up under the influence of one of the nation’s oldest universities, he went on to receive three honors degrees from Brown University, completed his internship at Stanford, his residency at University of California, San Francisco, and was one of the first MRI-trained fellows in the world. Dr. Winkler naturally gravitated to emerging advanced imaging techniques and neuroradiology as areas of sub-specialty and enjoys lecturing on the advances in the field. Before coming to Las Vegas, he was the clinical director of the MRI Research Facility at UCSF and a neuroradiologist at San Francisco General Hospital.
What’s new with you and your company?
What I always find exciting and newsworthy is the ongoing innovation that is the heartbeat of Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging. In the field of radiology, my focus is on introducing new diagnostic tools for patient care, as well as reducing patient exposure to radiation. In my role at Steinberg Diagnostic, I have developed the MRI and CT imaging protocols that have become Toshiba Medical Systems’ standard protocols throughout the world. Through our research partnership with Toshiba, we brought the first low-dose multi-detector CT scanners to the United States, simultaneously improving the quality of our images and increasing the safety for our patients.
Why did you come to Las Vegas?
I met David Steinberg during my residency at UCSF. He was passionate, ambitious and we wanted to build a practice together. We just didn’t know where. David was from Las Vegas, and his father, Leon, was already working as a radiologist here. Leon gave us the opportunity to create Steinberg Diagnostic and offered me the freedom to be a clinician and academician, which was a perfect fit for what I wanted to do. Fast-forward 25 years … nearly 100 published papers, hundreds of lectures around the world and six Southern Nevada SDMI locations. I have been very blessed.
What is the best advice you have received, and whom did it come from?
Dr. Leon Steinberg said, “If you practice quality medicine, patients will follow.” While it isn’t as easy as it used to be, this is the belief on which Steinberg Diagnostic was built. It remains the vision that guides our every decision 25 years later.
What challenges do you face in the health care industry here?
Continuing to provide cutting-edge technology at ever-declining reimbursement rates is our biggest challenge and will be for the foreseeable future. While we try to run a lean and efficient operation, providing great patient care and world-class imaging isn’t inexpensive. Our brand is all about quality and service. That’s why we volunteered to submit our practice to the rigorous standards of Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care accreditation. Steinberg Diagnostic is the only outpatient radiology practice in Nevada to obtain this prestigious honor.
What’s the best part about living in Las Vegas?
There are so many advantages to living in Las Vegas. Perhaps what I love the most is that the sun shines all year and the outdoor recreation options are infinite, with so many beautiful and diverse places to see and experience within 30-60 minutes from the heart of the city, not to mention our proximity to National Parks, mountain ranges and the Pacific Ocean – all just a short drive away.
What are you reading right now?
Slowness by Milan Kundera. The book weaves several stories together in an artistic, philosophical and sensual way.
Blackberry, iPhone or Android?
My vote is for the iPhone, because my 2-year-old can teach me how to use it. Simplicity wins the day for me, and the iPhone delivers an ease-of-use factor that makes my son and me happy.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Professionally speaking, I have my ideal job already. God willing, I want to continue to work as a radiologist and academician until the end.
What is your dream job, outside of your current field?
Architect. I love the creative process of building something from scratch.
What is something that people might not know about you?
I studied modern dance while in medical school. The physical and creative outlet was the perfect counterbalance to the rigors of school.