- http://www.bloomberg.com/video/patients-tell-of-beatings-at-rehabilitation-center-NJyVrz7iQ86Rt6R9fB7Y8Q.html
- http://www.bloomberg.com/video/finr-patient-allegedly-abused-by-staff-members-ZKkfZvi4TJOgw9LedauA4g.html
- http://www.bloomberg.com/video/finr-staff-member-allegedly-pushes-patient-down-drqJJTotTESqnWUEzpE0NQ.html
- http://www.bloomberg.com/photo/brief-assisted-required-relaxation-barr-/207117.html
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
24-Jul-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This story uncovered a decades-long history of death, abuse and neglect at one of the largest and most expensive brain-injury rehabilitation facilities in the country. Bloomberg discovered that at least five patients died from abuse or neglect at the facility since 1998 and that hundreds of complaints of mistreatment had been filed with state regulators.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Bloomberg filed a lawsuit to successfully obtain copies of abuse investigations that the state of Florida refused to release. Bloomberg obtained videotaped evidence of abuse through requests made with state prosecutors of evidence used in criminal cases. Other records, including some obtained through public records requests, include police reports; death certificates and medical examiner investigations; court records; nursing home inspection and complaint reports; corporation filings; congressional and other government investigations, and others.
Explain types of human sources used.
Patients, relatives of patients, employees of treatment facilities, investigators, doctors, nurses, advocates, facility owners, insurance experts, regulators, and others.
Results:
Bloomberg’s coverage spurred regulators to stage a surprise inspection of the Florida facility, leading to an order for the removal of 50 patients. A Connecticut agency withdrew 10 patients it had sent to FINR. More than 178,000 people signed an online petition organized by Change.Org calling on state health officials to immediately investigate FINR. The organization said it was one of the most popular petitions in its history. Insurer Allstate Corp. filed a fraud lawsuit alleging FINR warehoused and beat patients.
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.
A correction was made the same day the story was published to correct the location of a hospital where a patient died.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Convincing patients and their families to go on the record was critical to telling this story.