Insights

You learn a lot when you spend months reporting on a given issue or community, as our fellows can attest. Whether you’re embarking on a big new story or seeking to go deeper on a given issue, it pays to learn from those who’ve already put in the shoe leather and crunched the data. In these essays and columns, our community of journalists steps back from the notebooks and tape to reflect on key lessons, highlight urgent themes, and offer sage advice on the essential health stories of the day. 

Author(s)
By William Heisel

What Louisa Benitez saw in the hospital ahead of her son's heart surgery heightened her anxiety about the procedure and his risk for infection. Nurses and doctors were walking in and out in their surgical scrubs. Getting coffee. Sitting down with a magazine and eating a sandwich.

Author(s)
By Kari Lydersen

Mental health care is playing a starring role in a movement to unseat Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. After major budget cuts, members of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus are demanding to reopen shuttered clinics by adding $2.2 million to the budget the Council will vote on November 13 .

Author(s)
By William Heisel

Dr. Andrew Kolodny is the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President at Phoenix House Foundation in New York. He’s also a go-to source for journalists looking for perspective on the nation’s prescription drug abuse problem.