We ‘embedded’ nationally regarded journalists in 16 communities nationwide—from Humboldt County in California to Memphis to south-central Pennsylvania—to document how organizations comprised of people who get, give and pay for healthcare locally are improving the health of real patients while managing costs.
We worked to identify highlights, lessons learned and unexpected insights from each community. Then we mapped out potential storylines, while giving each writer the creative license to tell his or her own story. We also assigned photographers to give each story a strong sense of place, and packaged the stories in visually appealing magazine-style spreads.
The communities appreciated the writers’ careful documentation of their hard work – while the client was pleased that the journalists conveyed the successes and challenges of achieving healthcare quality improvement. Local media and federal and state policymakers also appreciated learning about local actions to reform health systems.
