The green-eyed monster has reared its ugly head again. Healthcare Brew compiled its jealousy list for 2023, highlighting the stories we’re disappointed we didn’t get to write. We hope you take the time to read the great work of our colleagues!
Amanda’s pick:
A famed hospital churns poor patients through weight loss surgery by Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Sarah Kliff, and Aimee Ortiz, published December 7 in the New York Times
Earnestness alert: There’s nothing I love more than reading a deeply investigated piece and trying to pick apart how the reporters got the story together. From the jump, it’s evident that these reporters spoke to *a lot* of people to paint the picture of how a hospital system—one that’s historically struggled with fiscal solvency—has gotten into the big business of bariatric surgery. The story also touches on another thing my team has been thinking about a lot: weight loss. From the rise of GLP-1s to companies like WW getting into the business of prescribing Ozempic, weight loss is top of mind for healthcare providers and patients right now. And the last reason I’m jealous we didn’t publish this story? The incredible photos from the fashion show. 📷
Shannon’s pick:
The blast effect by N. Kirkpatrick, Atthar Mirza, and Manuel Canales, published March 27 in the Washington Post
In the 20+ years since the mass shooting at Columbine High School, we’ve all read hundreds of stories (including some in Healthcare Brew) about how firearms-related violence is shaping US culture, communities, politics, and even healthcare. But this piece stood out to me because it offered a harrowing look at “how bullets from an AR-15 blow the body apart”—a conversation that has long circulated in the medical community, but not in the public sphere. In my reporting, I’ve spoken to emergency room physicians and hospital leaders about the devastation gunshot wounds can have on the human body, but the animations and graphics still took me by surprise. Also of note: The piece was published just as hospital leaders pushed to ensure the conversation around gun violence included the medical community.
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Maia’s pick:
The drug was meant to save children’s lives. Instead, they’re dying by Rosa Furneaux and Laura Margottini, published January 25 by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in collaboration with Stat
If there’s one thing I’m passionate about as a healthcare reporter, it’s equity. I’ve written extensively on health equity issues, from pharmacy deserts primarily affecting underserved communities to the unequal health effects of climate change. This story does a brilliant job at highlighting and explaining another equity issue: lower-income countries receiving substandard, ineffective pharmaceuticals that cause harm to patients. The reporters deftly blend stark stats (like the fact that 80% of children with cancer live in lower- and middle-income countries) with quotes and human-centric anecdotes to bring depth to the story. Plus, I love the blunt kicker.