Please welcome these new professional and student members to AHCJ.
All new members are welcome to stop by this post’s comment section to introduce themselves. Continue reading
Welcome AHCJ’s newest members
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Where to get more answers about COVID-19
Photo: NIAID-RML via FlickrAn electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 — also known as 2019-nCoV — which is the virus that causes COVID-19.
There are still many unknowns about the COVID-19 outbreak, which as of February 26, has sickened more than 81,000 people and killed more than 2,700. See this map to keep up with the figures, which are updated as new information comes in from different countries.
Key questions, such as just how contagious the virus is, how deadly it is and whether there will be widespread transmission outside of China, do not all have precise answers yet. To help answer such questions and others about prevention, the federal public health response, risk factors and similar concerns, the CDC’s COVID-19 FAQ page offers a relatively comprehensive list of questions with succinct answers and links to details. Continue reading
President’s Corner: Issues worth keeping in mind as we head into 2020 elections
When it comes to debates over health care policy, there are a number of terms that make veteran reporter Joanne Kenen roll her eyes.
There’s “access,” for example. “Saying you have access doesn’t mean you can really tap into that ‘access,’” says Kenen, executive editor for health at Politico and health reform topic leader for AHCJ. “If I have access to something that costs $25,000, that’s not really access. Who is this protecting and what does this really mean?” In other words, Kenen says, “access means whatever you want it to mean.” Continue reading
AHCJ selects first International Health Study Fellows
The Association of Health Care Journalists has awarded its first AHCJ International Health Study Fellowships to four journalists who intend to pursue significant projects in the first half of 2019. The program, supported by The Commonwealth Fund, is meant to help veteran U.S.-based journalists compare elements of the U.S. health system with those of other countries.
The program for mid-career journalists is intended to give print, broadcast and online reporters an opportunity to study how one element of the U.S. health care system is handled in another country and to report on the differences. Fellows will be able to interview patients, health care providers and policymakers both in the United States and abroad.
Covering Florence: Resources on hurricanes and natural disasters
Photo: National Weather Service
Those living in North Carolina, South Carolina and southern Virginia are in the bull’s-eye of Hurricane Florence. Given the forecast for excessive flooding, it is likely people in those states will be dealing with the aftermath for awhile.
Even if you’re not reporting on an affected location, this may be a good time to ask some questions of your local public health leaders and write about disaster preparedness issues. Continue reading
Delirium tip sheet looks at this problem in hospitalized older adults
Photo: Sheila via Flickr
Delirium is a more common occurrence than many may realize, especially among hospital patients.
Proper diagnosis and treatment are crucial because delirium is linked with increased mortality, longer hospital stays, a need for more nursing care, higher rates of nursing home placement and increased risk of developing dementia after a delirium episode. Continue reading