List date(s) this work was published or aired.
May 30, 2011 as a cover story for the magazine.
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The story, published the week after St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo. was destroyed by a tornado, described the operational and financial struggles its parent is likely to face in attempting to rebuild.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Financial documents for health systems operating in Joplin were obtained from the Internet. The financial data was important as it turned out neither hospital system was doing particularly well in Joplin before the storm hit.
Explain types of human sources used.
Interviewed the CEO of Mercy, the system that owned the destroyed hospital, as well as healthcare consultants to discuss the outlook for inpatient healthcare in the region. I was disappointed that Mercy’s competitor declined comment, though it later contacted me and apologized for not talking.
Results:
Mercy is moving forward with its plans to rebuild the hospital.
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.
Modern Healthcare has followed up on actions Mercy is taking to rebuild. No corrections or clarifications were run.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Aside from the obvious direct effects of the Joplin tornado on the community, the potential business implications of having to rebuild may also have a big impact in the region. Given what’s happening with Health Policy and the limiting of federal and state budgets, a pledge to rebuild a destroyed hospital is a major act. Don’t neglect the financial angle to a public health calamity.