- news-leader.com/article/20110513/NEWS01/105130329/Hospital-terminates-6-employees-after-death-investigation
- news-leader.com/article/20110617/NEWS01/106170341/Woman-who-survived-Joplin-tornado-dies-rare-fungus
- news-leader.com/article/20110815/NEWS01/108150347/Greene-County-state-health-officials-clash-over-threat-fungal-infections-after-Joplin-tornado
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
May 13, 2011 June 10, 2011 June 17, 2011 August 15, 2011
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Stories were about a suicide at a psychiatric facility and fungal infections among victims of the Joplin tornado. This was the first cluster of fungal infections among people injured in a tornado, and the CDC was called in to investigate. The state initially would not issue a health alert about the fungal infections despite a request by county health officials to do so.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I used emails and inspection records of a hospital. I made public records requests. I would not have been able to write the story about the state not initially issuing a health alert without the emails.
Explain types of human sources used.
Doctors, patients, relatives and people connected with the CDC.
Results:
Still waiting for results of the CDC investigation into the fungal cluster.
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 clarifications.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
The CDC isn’t good about responding to public records requests, but their communications with local and state health officials are open to records requests.