About AHCJ: General News

Redesigned AHCJ Web site debuts with robust resources Date: 06/04/07

COLUMBIA, MO. - The Association of Health Care Journalists has launched its new Web site, healthjournalism.org, featuring enhanced, easy-to-access resources for reporters, editors and others covering health news.

AHCJ members will find more in-depth resources to help cover the beat, including articles written exclusively for the AHCJ site, tip sheets from fellow journalists, links to in-depth health coverage, an e-newsletter and much more.

Site visitors can do a quick search by topic using a drop-down topic menu available on all pages of the database-driven site. That generates a range of resources AHCJ has gathered on specific topics, including tip sheets, articles, Web links, reports and studies, past contest entries and more.

Other features on the site include job listings and other career development opportunities, information about AHCJ workshops and conferences, a daybook of news events and meetings, a selection of the latest health care stories and a weekly e-newsletter that includes alerts to what's new on the site, the latest AHCJ news and what events are coming up.

Planned additions to the site include a blog, RSS feeds, more multimedia presentations and articles on health journalism written exclusively for the Web site.

The redesign process began in 2005 thanks to funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AHCJ board members Ivan Oransky and Karl Stark led the effort to compile goals for the new Web site.

"Ivan and Karl provided a vision that should keep us ahead of the curve in offering online resources for our members," said Len Bruzzese, AHCJ's executive director. "They also provided much-needed daily moral support in the gradual creation of the site."

The process accelerated with the hiring last summer of Pia Christensen as managing editor/online services. She coordinated the redesign and preparation of useful content, while working with a Philadelphia Web development firm.

AHCJ, based at the Missouri School of Journalism, is an independent, nonprofit membership organization of more than 1,000 health reporters and editors across the United States and in 15 other nations. Along with its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, it is dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues and improving the quality, accuracy and visibility of health reporting, writing and editing.