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. 

Covering Rural Health: Abandon Stereotypes, Pack Courage

By Patricia Thomas

<p>Rural adults are older, sicker, less educated, less well paid and less likely to have health insurance than their city counterparts. Here are some great tips for covering rural health issues — and avoiding common misconceptions — from veteran health journalist and journalism professor Patricia

Reporting on HIV/AIDS

By Jon Cohen

The best HIV/AIDS coverage goes beyond the latest statistics of how many people are infected or the publication of a new national plan. Get tips for your own HIV/AIDS reporting from a veteran science journalist.

Physician walks down hallway

Digital systems can fail patients — here’s how

By William Heisel

COVID-19 has put the spotlight on health care data like no other public health crisis. One of the untold stories certainly to emerge is how electronic health record (EHR) systems held up during the pandemic....