- http://www.lvrj.com/news/c-sections-some-question-whether-surgery-occurs-only-for-medical-necessity-145467485.html
- http://www.lvrj.com/news/valley-woman-fights-cancer-after-machete-attack-167462215.html
- http://www.lvrj.com/health/giving-all-182772831.html
- http://www.lvrj.com/news/las-vegas-family-struggles-after-drunken-driver-left-boy-paralyzed-171978171.html
Provide names of other journalists involved.
Explain beat: Paul Harasim covers the medical/health beat for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He must deal with issues that range from how the new Affordable Care Act will be enacted to the public policy and human challenges that arise from Alzheimer’s disease and too many C-section procedures. He always tries to tell his stories through people, whether they are physicians trying to cope with more questions than answers in dealing with a patient’s disease or patients trying to deal with the emotional and financial challenges of cancer.
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
April 1, 2012; August 26, 2012; September 30, 2012; December 10, 2012
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The April 1 article deals with whether C-sections are done as a medical necessity or for the convenience and financial gain of doctors and hospitals. The Aug. 26 article deals with a woman who has nearly lost her hands in a machete attack now dealing with cancer. The Dec. 10 entry on Alzheimer’s explores the devastation of the disease —- both to patients and to those who care for them. Out of the suffering of young and old comes this truth —- people do not want those they love to be alone as they head toward certain death. The September 30 article deals with how a family copes with the physical and emotional problems caused by a drunk driving accident. A little boy was paralyzed in the accident
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Government, medical and hospital records were examined, as were data from non-profit agencies…
Explain types of human sources used.
Medical personnel were talked to in all stories. Loved ones of those with Alzheimer’s were talked with. Women who had c-sections were consulted, as was the woman who had to deal with machete and cancer.
Results:
Because of the Sept 30 article on the family victimized by the drunk driver, the little boy is now receiving rehab at one of the best rehab centers for paralyzed children —- the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Because of the story done on Aug 26 about the woman who nearly had her hands cut off with a machete, Dr. Carl Williams says he will now do plastic surgery on victims of domestic violence free of charge.
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.
There were no clarifications or corrections…
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Advice to other journalists: Make sure the human element of health care is in every story….