Patient Safety
Exploring Quality of Care in the U.S.
More than 1 million patients suffer harm each year while being treated in the U.S. health care system. Even more receive substandard care or costly overtreatment. Our ongoing investigation of patient safety features in-depth reporting, discussion and tools for patients.
Prescriber Checkup Q&A
ProPublica reporters explain the data behind Prescriber Checkup, the first database to reveal what medications doctors and other providers are giving patients under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program.
The Story Behind Our Hospital Interactive
In a five-day hackathon, ProPublica and PBS Frontline team up to create an interactive story exploring six myths about hospitals and patient safety.
Your Hospital May Be Hazardous To Your Health
As part of our ongoing investigation into patient safety, ProPublica reporters Marshall Allen and Olga Pierce produced this interactive story in collaboration with PBS Frontline and Ocupop during a May 11-16 hackathon.
When Harm in the Hospital Follows You Home
It's estimated that more than a million people per year suffer infections, medical mistakes and other harm in the hospital. But even if patients are lucky enough to physically recover, their lives may never be the same.
A Patient’s Guide: How To Stay Safe In a Hospital
Checklists have become more common in the operating room. Now, there’s one for patients and families, too.
What a New Doctor Learned About Medical Mistakes From Her Mom’s Death
Dr. Elaine Goodman says hospital culture has to embrace the notion that reporting and tracking medical errors are a positive, not punitive, step: “It’s not enough just to have caring, qualified people to keep the patient safe.”
How You Can Help ProPublica Cover Patient Safety
More than 2,000 people — patients, doctors, nurses — have joined our Facebook group to debate causes and solutions to the problem of patients being harmed while receiving care.
How We Used Facebook to Power Our Investigation Into Patient Harm
We’ve launched community and crowdsourcing efforts long before we’ve published a single traditional story.
Resource: Three Ways To Tell Your Patient Harm Story
People often tell us they wish a journalist would tell their story. We can’t get to every one – but there are ways to tell your story on your own.
New York’s Ongoing Blackout: Hospitals in Lower Manhattan
There is no firm timetable on the return of some of New York's largest hospitals. And concern is rising that the patchwork system can't last for long.
NYU Hospital’s Backup System Undone by Key Part in Flooded Basement
Hospitalofficial explains how move to rooftop generators failed to prevent failure ofbackup power during Hurricane Sandy
In Hurricane’s Wake, Decisions Not to Evacuate Hospitals Raise Questions
Lessons learned in previous disasters help avert immediate catastrophe, yet, as a reporter looks on, health officials struggle to deal with glitches and unforeseen dangers.
Why Do Hospital Generators Keep Failing?
The power failure at New York University Langone Medical Center during Hurricane Sandy shows that hospitals still may not be doing enough to prepare for disasters.
What a Failed Vegas Sex Pill and The Meningitis Outbreak Have In Common
Drugs produced at ‘compounding’ pharmacies — like the steroids suspected of 15 meningitis deaths — are exempt from the safety checks that mass-produced pharmaceuticals receive.
Are High-Volume Dental Chains Exploiting Kids on Medicaid?
As part of our ongoing interest in patient safety, we occasionally interview other journalists who’ve examined health care quality.
