List date(s) this work was published or aired.
April 7, 19, 21
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The stories looked at the growing use of midwives in Idaho, which has a statewide physician shortage and remote rural areas with no nearby hospitals; and the investigation into midwives accused of malpractice in the process of delivering babies who died.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
State board records, interviews, various sources of online data on Idaho childbirth such as natality reports and location-of-birth data, and minutes from legislative committee meetings on midwife licensure laws
Explain types of human sources used.
Interviewed parents, midwifery practitioners, state licensing board officers, police, physicians.
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.
I wrote a follow-up later in the year when the midwives were banned by their licensure board, though the clinic they’d founded continued to operate.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Look into state rules for professional licensing and malpractice insurance; and monitor disciplinary actions on a regular basis, as malpractice suits may not arise if insurance isn’t required for practitioners.