We are proud to share that the
Tampa Bay Times'
Kathleen McGrory, a 2006 graduate of Columbia Journalism School's
Master of Science Program, received a 2018
George Polk Award for local reporting, tied for first place for a 2018
Investigative Reporters and Editors Award (Division II Print/Online Competition), and was named a finalist for the 2019
Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting. McGrory and her
Tampa Bay Times colleague Neil Bedi were both honored for "
Heartbroken," their impactful series of investigative stories about the problems at the Heart Institute at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital that led to the deaths of at least 11 children.
McGrory and Bedi's year-long investigation showed a disturbing rate of death and a pattern of poor care in the Heart Institute at the renowned children’s hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Their reporting eventually led to the resignations of the hospital's CEO, three vice presidents, and two surgeons. The "Heartbroken" series also instigated an investigation by federal regulators, who identified major safety problems at the hospital and threatened to withhold funding from the hospital if the issues were not swiftly addressed. All Children's Baltimore-based parent institution, Johns Hopkins University, had ceased heart surgery in the hospital pending an independent investigator's report.
"Stunning work that really represents what IRE is about," the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award judges commented. "Built on solid shoe-leather sourcing as well as impressive and unique data analysis in an area where there were not available lawsuits or a host of public records. Most importantly, this series had compassionate storytelling about a children’s heart hospital, along with results. The impact was swift and significant, triggering resignations and a full review across the hospital chain."
McGrory, who had served as the
Tampa Bay Times' health and medicine reporter, is now the newspaper's deputy investigations editor.
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