We are excited to work with The Charlotte Ledger to write articles focused on health care and the companies and institutions that deliver it in the Charlotte region.
Readers of both our publications have pointed out an emerging need for stepped-up independent coverage of important health-related decisions that affect health care for hundreds of thousands of patients, at a time when many legacy media organizations have scaled back.
The partnership will allow readers of both publications to have access to enhanced health care coverage, as well as any other media outlet that would like to republish the articles it produces.
All articles published in partnership with The Charlotte Ledger can be read below.
How much should nonprofit hospital CEOs make? NC Treasurer’s report fuels debate.
By Michelle Crouch and Rose Hoban As health care costs continue to rise, the executives of North Carolina’s nine largest nonprofit hospital systems have received double- and triple-digit percentage raises over the past decade, according to a report released last week by the State Treasurer’s Office. The report found that the hospital systems paid their…
Emailing your doctor? You may get billed for that.
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger For patients, being able to drop a message to your doctor for some quick medical advice is one of the best things about electronic patient portals. But if your doctor is at one of the 15 Novant hospitals or dozens of clinics in the system, you may have…
New incentives aim to move the needle on blood donations
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger Last month, my daughter Rosie got an urgent email from The Blood Connection, one of three organizations that collect blood in Charlotte. “BONUS $50!!! BLOOD DRIVE URGENT NEED!!” screamed the subject line. For a 16-year-old who is often short on cash, it was an enticing offer. A few…
Sick at school? CMS attendance policy under scrutiny
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger One morning last month, Ben Jacobs, a senior at Myers Park High School, woke up feeling nauseated with a terrible headache. He ran to the bathroom and vomited. Then he pulled himself together and hustled to school before the end of first period. Jacobs, who had already missed…
Health systems make a play for women
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger The term “women’s health” tends to conjure images of gynecology offices, hospital maternity centers or other facilities focused on women’s reproductive health. But at the Novant Health Women’s Center in Charlotte’s SouthPark area, you can find neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary and cardiology clinics tailored specifically to women. The center…
Hospitals are swamped with kids battling respiratory viruses that aren’t COVID
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger Jamie Sweeney of Charlotte, a former pediatric nurse, didn’t worry too much when her 7-week-old baby Sully first developed a cough. But over the next few days, Sully’s coughing got worse, each episode rattling his tiny body. When Sully stopped eating and started acting lethargic on Oct. 10,…
2 N.C. news outlets join forces to enhance Charlotte-area health care coverage
CHARLOTTE — North Carolina Health News and The Charlotte Ledger today announced an innovative partnership to hire a reporter focused on health care and the companies and institutions that deliver it in the Charlotte region. The two N.C.-based news organizations said that by teaming up, they will shine a light on a large and changing…
Tryon Medical drops insurance plan, panicking patients
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with Charlotte Ledger As tensions escalate nationally over health care costs, insurers and health care providers are increasingly playing hardball in their contract negotiations, creating stress and confusion for patients. That phenomenon was on display this past week in Charlotte, where Tryon Medical Partners – the largest independent primary care practice…
A combination of luck and risk-taking quickly propel small medical clinic to forefront of COVID testing
By Tony Mecia, The Charlotte Ledger To see the lines of cars weaving through parking lots of StarMed testing centers all over Charlotte, it might be tempting to think that the company running the show is drawing on a deep reservoir of healthcare experience. In fact, it’s a relative newcomer, an unlikely overnight sensation that…