15
THE HEALTH BEAT SURVIVAL KIT What you need to know to cover health in your community

Health beat survival kit

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

A survival kit for journalists covering the health beat from ReportingonHealth.org.

Citation preview

Page 1: Health beat survival kit

THE HEALTH BEAT SURVIVAL KITWhat you need to know to cover

health in your community

Page 2: Health beat survival kit

WHERE TO FIND THIS PRESENTATION

Page 3: Health beat survival kit

YOUR HEALTH CARE UNIVERSE (PART 1)

- Health providers (doctors, nurses, unionized health workers, health profession students)

- Health care institutions (community clinics, hospitals, large medical groups, nursing homes)

- Health payers (private insurers, Medicare, Medi-Cal, Healthy Families)

- Health consumers (you and your audience)

Page 4: Health beat survival kit

YOUR HEALTH CARE UNIVERSE (PART 2)

- Health providers (doctors, nurses, unionized health workers, health profession students)

- Health care institutions (community clinics, hospitals, large medical groups, nursing homes)

- Health payers (private insurers, Medicare, Medi-Cal, Healthy Families)

- Health consumers (you and your audience)

Page 5: Health beat survival kit

Who you gonna call?

Page 6: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL

• Community clinics

• Community activists

• Neighborhood associations

Page 7: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: CITY LEVEL

• City public health department – large cities have their own, counties serve smaller towns

• Planning and Zoning – can affect hospital or clinic expansion/closures

Page 8: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: COUNTY LEVEL AGENCIES

• County public health department – serves smaller cities and unincorporated areas

• Environmental Services Department – (West Nile, contaminated fountains, etc.)

• Planning and Zoning – can affect hospital or clinic expansion/closures

• Mental health services agency

Page 9: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: COUNTY LEVEL PLAYERS

• School–based health clinics and nurses• County Medical Association or Society –

organization of local doctors• Community Clinic Association/Consortium –

lobbies for and supports local clinics• Area Agency on Aging – deals with Medicare,

elder abuse issues• HICAP Health Insurance Counseling Assistance

Program – helps Medicare patients

Page 10: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: STATE AGENCIES

• Department of Managed Health Care – regulates HMOs• Department of Insurance – regulates other forms of

health insurance• Health and Human Services Agency – oversees health

and social services departments• Department of Public Health – deals with outbreaks,

food safety, TB, immunizations, etc.• Department of Health Care Services (administers Medi-

Cal, oversees hospitals)

Page 11: Health beat survival kit

And more state agencies…

• Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development – state think tank, data bank

• California Medical Board – oversees doctors• California Nursing Board – oversees nurses

Page 12: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: THE FEDS

• Regional Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services – investigates fraud, nursing homes, hospitals treating Medicare patients

• Regional Health and Human Services office –hospital inspection reports

Page 13: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: OTHER PLAYERS

• Malpractice lawyers• Calif. chapters of specialty boards • California Nurses Association – represents

registered nurses• SEIU Locals – represent nursing aides, health

technicians, hospital janitors• Think Tanks: California HealthCare Foundation,

Kaiser Family Foundation

Page 14: Health beat survival kit

SOURCES: ADVOCATES/LOBBYISTS

• Health Access – advocacy group• Consumer Watchdog – advocacy group• California Primary Care Association - represents

600+ community clinics• California State Rural Health Association –

represents rural clinics and hospitals• California Medical Association – represents

interests of doctors

Page 15: Health beat survival kit

Got all that? Good.

Any questions?