Arguably the greatest investigative series in the history of Seattle journalism has been honored by the USC Annenberg School for Communications—and if a Pulitzer Prize doesn’t follow in April, it will be a great injustice.
Reporters Mike Baker and Justin Mayo were awarded $50,000 and the prestigious Selden Ring Award for their investigative work that exposed troubles at the Seattle Swedish-Cherry Hill facility. The Quality of Care series resulted in resignations and widespread reforms within the leading neuroscience institute.
The four-part series over two years began with an in-depth look at the treatment of 23-year-old artist Talia Goldenberg, who died following spine surgery at Swedish in 2014, and ended with revelations of how the hospital’s relationship with a real-estate developer complicated efforts to keep control of the medical programs.
The remarkable series also led to the resignation of the Swedish CEO, changes in policies regarding overlapping surgeries by the same doctor and the suspension of star neurosurgeon Johnny Delashaw’s medical license, prior to his departure from the hospital.
And perhaps most remarkable of all, Swedish subsequently placed a series of full page ads in The Times to tell the public about its new policies!
Mayo, 48, has been with The Times for 19 years and Baker, 33, for four. The pair was on the list of Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential Seattleites last year.
Speaking of Pulitzers, The Times has won journalism’s highest honor 10 times since 1950 and been a finalist on 14 other occasions since 1982. Number 11 looks like a good bet.
—LC