Tag Archives: roadtocleveland

#AHCJ16 session to tackle how consumers might benefit if they shop for care based on price

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Source: Health Care Pricing ProjectResearch from the Health Care Pricing Project shows that among 15 hospitals in Philadelphia, the price of a lower-limb MRI varied so much that a consumer going to the highest-priced hospital would pay six times more than that same consumer would pay at the lowest-priced hospital.

Source: Health Care Pricing ProjectResearch from the Health Care Pricing Project shows that among 15 hospitals in Philadelphia, the price of a lower-limb MRI varied so much that a consumer going to the highest-priced hospital would pay six times more than that same consumer would pay at the lowest-priced hospital.

It’s no secret that health care prices nationwide vary widely from one market to the next, and even within individual markets. A panel on hospital mergers during AHCJ’s Health Journalism 2016 conference in Cleveland will examine the many factors driving these variations in hospital prices. We’ll also discuss how consumers can shop more effectively for the lowest-priced care.

The session, “Merger mania of health providers and the rise of dominant and potential monopolies,” will be 4:40-6 p.m. on Saturday, April 9. Continue reading →

Joseph Burns (@jburns18), an independent journalist who resides in Brewster, Massachusetts, is AHCJ’s topic leader on health reform. He welcomes questions and suggestions and tip sheets at joseph@healthjournalism.org.

#AHCJ16 roundtable to discuss the landscape of urban health challenges

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Cleveland March # 49 via photopin (license)#AHCJ16 in Cleveland includes a key discussion with the top health leaders from Cleveland, Baltimore and St. Louis on cities’ health challenges, one of several sessions looking at health disparities.

Cleveland March # 49 via photopin (license)#AHCJ16 in Cleveland includes a key discussion with the top health leaders from Cleveland, Baltimore and St. Louis on cities’ health challenges, one of several sessions looking at health disparities.

There’s no shortage of good panels at this week’s Health Journalism 2016 in Cleveland, especially for reporters interested in social factors that impact health. I’m particularly excited about an opening day roundtable discussion with top health officials from Baltimore, St. Louis and Cleveland that will focus on urban health challenges.

Before you join us at “Covering the health angles of cities facing crisis,” which runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, here’s a quick look at recent coverage of some of the major health issues in each city: Continue reading →

Susan Heavey, (@susanheavey) a Washington, D.C.-based journalist, is AHCJ’s topic leader on social determinants of health and curates related material at healthjournalism.org. She welcomes questions and suggestions on resources and tip sheets at determinants@healthjournalism.org.

Tips on medical research reporting 101 kicks off #AHCJ16 in Cleveland

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road-to-cleveland-2Almost since the inception of health journalism, reporting on medical research has been one of the mainstays of the job. That does not, however, mean it’s easy or work to be taken lightly. With dozens of potentially interesting and relevant papers coming out each week, full of statistics and findings that may or may not be “statistically significant” or “clinically significant,” covering medical studies can be daunting to a newcomer.

Enter one of the longest running workshops at the AHCJ annual conference: the Thursday morning session “Reporting on Medical Studies.” Continue reading →

Tara Haelle (@TaraHaelle) is AHCJ's medical studies core topic leader, guiding journalists through the jargon-filled shorthand of science and research and enabling them to translate the evidence into accurate information.

Panel will assess continued growing pains of health reform in the states #AHCJ16

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road-to-cleveland-2For several years now, I’ve moderated an AHCJ conference panel on health reform in the states and will do it again this year at Health Journalism 2016 in Cleveland. We’ll get pretty granular this year, looking at two specific states – Massachusetts and Washington state – and provide a national overview of how states are looking ahead to next year to solve some of their persistent challenges.

Those challenges include a relatively low rate of young and healthy people signing up, persistent public misconception about what the law does and does not do, and of course, affordability, affordability, affordability. Continue reading →

Contributing editor to Politico Magazine and former health care editor-at-large, Politico, Commonwealth Fund journalist in residence and assistant lecturer at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Aging well: Innovative approaches for boomers and beyond #AHCJ16

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aging-hikersWe baby boomers were lucky to grow up when we did. We came of age during an era of progress. The Beatles … and Woodstock. Civil rights … and women’s rights. We saw men land on the moon and journalism unmask a president’s illegal actions.

Boomers also experienced a time of tremendous advances in science and medicine. We benefited from new vaccines to ward off measles and polio. Learned about the dangers of cholesterol, trans fats and smoking. Vowed to eat right and exercise. Continue reading →

Liz Seegert is an independent health journalist and AHCJ’s topic leader on aging. She covers older adults, baby boomers, health policy, and social determinants of health, as well as many other health issues. Her bylines include stories for PBS/NextAvenue.org. the American Journal of Nursing, TIME Health, Medscape, Consumer Reports, and Medical Economics, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com, the Los Angeles Times, the Hartford Courant, the Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets.