Feature Story
Haitians Under U.S. Treatment Are Often Separated From Families
by Sheri Fink, Special to ProPublica - February 2, 2010 12:50 pm EDT
The U.S. government has brought needed medical services to thousands of Haitian earthquake survivors. But a bureaucratic tangle has left some people struggling to find out what happened to family members who were taken away for treatment. Read More »
Major Stories
The New Katrina Flood: Hospital Liability
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - January 2, 2010 11:30 am EDT
Three years before Hurricane Katrina inundated New Orleans, a senior executive at Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital assessed its vulnerability to the sort of flooding that had been long feared there. His conclusion is now evidence in a lawsuit against Methodist that could have significant implications for hospitals nationwide.
Louisiana Doctors Drafting Guidelines on Access to Critical Care During a Disaster
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - December 27, 2009 11:00 am EDT
Health professionals and ethicists consider which patients won't get lifesaving care during an epidemic or other medical crisis.
Rationing Medical Care: Health Officials Struggle With Setting Standards
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - December 21, 2009 7:14 am EDT
With the threat of a flu pandemic, doctors are still struggling with a serious issue: Which patients should be given access to lifesaving treatments if more people need it than the system can handle?
Advisory Subcommittee to CDC Approves Ethics Guidance for Rationing Ventilators
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - November 23, 2009 7:00 pm EDT
Your Chance to Weigh In on Ventilator Rationing for a Severe Flu Pandemic
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - November 23, 2009 8:45 am EDT
The CDC is considering ethical guidelines on rationing mechanical ventilators in a severe influenza pandemic.
Preparing for a Pandemic, State Health Departments Struggle With Rationing Decisions
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - October 24, 2009 3:46 pm EDT
Health officials across the country are working on guidelines to address a worst-case scenario: too many severely ill people, not enough resources to treat them all.
In Flu Pandemic, Florida’s Hospitals May Exclude Certain Patients
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - October 16, 2009 6:44 pm EDT
Health officials in Florida are working on guidelines for rationing scarce medical care in an emergency.
Key Panel Presses for Clearer Guidance on Who Gets Scarce Resources in Major Medical Disasters
by Charles Ornstein and Sheri Fink, ProPublica - September 24, 2009 6:02 pm EDT
A report from a committee of doctors, lawyers and public health professionals declares an "urgent and clear need" for consistent standards of care during medical crises.
Flu Nightmare: In Severe Pandemic, Officials Ponder Disconnecting Ventilators From Some Patients
by Sheri Fink, ProPublica - September 23, 2009 6:15 pm EDT
Guidelines are being drafted for handling a flu outbreak that leaves too many people in need of too few ventilators.
Strained by Katrina, Hospital Faced Deadly Choices
Florida Department of Health Draft Guidelines for Triage and Scarce Resource Allocation in an Influenza Pandemic 
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