List date(s) this work was published or aired.
November/December 2011
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act emphasizes new models of care delivery and payment, many hospitals are focusing on the fundamentals of reform — cost containment, physician alignment and coordinated care — rather than its formalities, such as forming an accountable care organization. We profiled three hospitals who are attacking these challenges in their own way and we hope readers will use the different case studies as conversation-starters in their next board meeting.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
This story drew on the Affordable Care Act and interim accountable care organization regulations. The writer needed an understanding of both of these complex documents in order to ask the right questions to hospital sources.
Explain types of human sources used.
Sources included hospital CEOs, board members and industry experts.
Results:
None.
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.
No.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Select a diverse group of hospitals to profile. This piece has a large system, a community hospital and a critical access hospital because each faces different challenges and has different resources.