Provide names of other journalists involved.
n/a
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Jun-11
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This story reports on a symposium which was jointly coordinated by a cardiologist and a plaintiff’s attorney who wanted to air as many voices as possible in the ongoing debate about medical malpractice, at a time when tens of millions in federal money is being spent to tackle the problem. There were a lot of angry participants, some of whom accused others of creating the problem. The story focuses on how good communication and transparency–even when applied in counterintuitive ways–can help arrive at workable solutions to malpractice issues, and at relatively low costs. The story also cites data which prove empathy and communication do curb malpractice suits.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I used a variety of journals for data on how empathy and communication skills prove to be effective deterrents to patients filing malpractice claims: Am J Med, Acad Med, JAMA, Arch Intern Med, N Engl J Med, Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. This data was also helpful in demonstrating that doctors feel pressured not to use their empathy skills because of time constraints posed by bureaucracy
Explain types of human sources used.
A university vice president who supports mediation was particularly helpful in candidly framing the issue as one where humanity is often lost when parties are afraid they will lose something important. The cardiologist who co-sponsored the event, along with the
Results:
n/a
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 have not been any corrections, clarifications, nor challenges to this story.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
I found out about the symposium while interviewing its co-sponsor, Peter Kowey, MD, who had written a novel that explored the toll on a physician of being sued for malpractice. I asked if I could cover the event, which he did not initially intend for the media to attend; he agreed. Before attending the event, I laid the groundwork for the story by researching various initiatives to stem medical malpractice, both at the federal and professional levels. Even though this is not really earth-shattering advice, I would say it’s important not be afraid to ask sources to give you access to information they didn’t initially consider making available. Otherwise, it was just pretty much a case of gathering a lot of audio, transcribing it, and then fitting it together in context with the larger issue of the impact of medical malpractice on the cost of healthcare nationwide.