As the population ages, medical demands surge and costs rise, America’s hospitals are being tested like never before. Solving the crisis is a formidable task, but innovative hospitals are rising to the challenge — they’re reforming nursing practices, digitizing medical records, transforming end-of-life care.
Judges’ Comments: Because the current public debate over how to “reform” the nation’s health care system tends too often to be little more than a discussion of fixing insurance, Newsweek’s team deserves special praise for focusing not on the money but the medicine. By focusing on hospitals, where human error can have cataclysmic effects, the report tackled an important topic. The ten case studies examined how badly things can go awry – but offered hope that some of the most fundamental problems do potentially have solutions. By showcasing these examples, and providing enlightening sidebars by medical practitioners, Newsweek’s team performed a public service and provided an important reminder of what is really required to overhaul health care in the United States.