Past Contest Entries

The Morning Call Health Beat Reporting

List date(s) this work was published or aired.

March 20, June 16, June 26 and Oct. 2, 2011

See this entry.

Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.

Various stories from the health beat, looking at industry-wide issues (wrong-site surgeries); a watchdog story (fatal overdose in hospital); in-depth follow-up (glucose meters) and financial (breast cancer fund-raising warning.)

Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?

Records from a state health care quality organization; state health department; fund-raising quality organizations, lawsuits, health care research

Explain types of human sources used.

Doctors, health care organizations, individuals who participate in breast cancer fund-raising programs, lawyers, health care researchers

Results:

All of these were exclusive stories for Pennsylvania.

Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.

No corrections/clarifications

Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.

Take time to understand the biological issues of the health concern you’re writing about. Don’t get caught up in feel-good aspects of recovery or promotion. Learn where to get health inspections and look at them frequently.

Place:

No Award

Year:

  • 2011

Category:

  • Beat Reporting

Affiliation:

The Morning Call

Reporter:

Tim Darragh

Links: