Yesterday, while I was preoccupied with Oscar buzz (because believe it or not I do work in the entertainment industry) something huge happened. Not one, but TWO articles were published in Missouri newspapers on the subject of patient advocacy. I want to call your attention to them today.
Hospital Infections seen as a "winnable battle" was written by Jodie Jackson, Jr., who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. Jodie's piece focuses on hospital acquired infections in Columbia's hospitals, which includes the University of Missouri. Jodie asked all the right questions and interviewed one of the foremost experts in the field - my friend Helen Haskell of the Empowered Patient Coalition and Mothers Against Medical Errors - for this well-written piece.
Over on the Mississippi River, health journalists from the St. Louis Post Dispatch turned in another tough story about Missouri's lack of transparency and public adverse event reporting. Hospitals Leery of Reporting Serious Errors gives the public a glimpse at the phobic and Ostrich-like attitude towards preventable medical harm seen in this state. Blythe Bernhard and Jeremy Koehler always do wonderful in-depth pieces - which usually raises the ire of state officials. But hey, that's journalism. Today's story follows in that tradition. I particularly enjoyed the response they received to the question, "Why can't Missouri adopt a policy like Illinois?" Reminded me of the pool scene from CaddyShack.
While we're on the subject, Blythe and Jeremy ran amoke of the Missouri Hospital Association this week while gathering data for this story. The response and the not-so-veiled threat on the part of this "public" organization is inexcusable. Here's a link to the story - Hospital Association Official Accuses Reporters of Lobbying. Mr Landon, the St. Louis Post Dispatch is trying to inform the people of Missouri about quality of care. What are you doing?
It will take many many more stories and some creative prodding to produce actual change here, but Sunday's attention by two of the state's most widely read papers is proof that the Wall of Silence us beginning to crumble and needs to come down. Well done!
