- blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/hospitals-compete-for-cardiac-patients/2583/
- blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/study-hospital-mergers-raise-prices/3146/
- blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/hospital-merger-more-jobs-less-jobs-or-new-jobs/1925/
- blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/troy-hospital-closes-pediatric-unit/3185/
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Hospital’s hearty, healthy rivalry, July 24, 2011
How will hospital merger affect you? Oct. 3, 2011
Pediatrics unit goes in cost cut, Dec. 10, 2011
A bumpy road at birthing center, Dec. 23, 2011
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The stories explore the dynamics between hospitals in the Capital Region of New York. One story looks at how competing cardiac programs improve quality of care for patients. Another story looks at how mergers tend to increase health care costs. Two stories look at problems that occurred in the pediatric and maternity units after the merger. The merger was a major concern for local residents.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I read numerous medical journal articles for the stories about the effects of hospital competition on quality and cost. I reviewed print and TV ads related to cardiac advertising at our local hospitals. I sought data from the state health department on the number of cardiac procedures performed at local hospitals and ran those figures in a box that accompanied the story. I also obtained state data that illustrated where local residents went for hospital care and ran a box that showed each hospital’s discharges broken down by county. For the stories about post-merger problems, I reviewed documents the hospitals had published about their merger plans and timelines.
Explain types of human sources used.
For the stories about hospital competition, I talked to several experts who have researched the effects of competition. I interviewed cardiac surgeons and representatives from the hospitals. I also spoke to two people familiar with the advertising business. The stories about post-merger problems relied on community members and health care workers who were having bad experiences at the hospital.
Results:
The stories about post-merger problems resulted in changes to the pediatric and maternity programs at Samaritan Hospital. The hospital has increased security on the floor where children are placed and designed certain rooms as pediatric beds. The hospital also continues to hold meetings between pediatricians and midwives to work out their conflicts.
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.
None.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
During mergers, keep reaching out to health professionals, parents, and different types of patients in the community to find out what they are experiencing at the hospitals, good or bad.