Montana Center for Investigative Reporting

Recent Posts

In Montana, many problems with newborn screening

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Screenings

Editor’s note: Montana’s newborn screening program depends on speed to save babies from a plethora of deadly disorders at birth. But the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services fought for 10 months to keep hospitals’ performance records hidden from public view, before finally agreeing to release the data with hospital names. The results are not good, highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability to ensure an effective newborn screening program for Montana families. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, American College of Medical Genetics, Charles Brokopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

Limited weekend lab hours add to delays

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Building

In Montana and 26 other states around the country, newborn screening samples are not processed on the weekends, creating unnecessary delays that put little lives at big risk. The Montana Public Health Laboratory is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with limited hours on Saturdays. The lab is closed on Sundays. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, Montana Public Health Laboratory, Wisconsin State Labpratory

State lab courier system explained

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September is newborn screening awareness month. And one of the key components of Montana’s newborn screening program is the state courier system connected to the Montana Public Health Laboratory in Helena. Medical Logistic Solutions, with locations in Billings and Bozeman, has the state contract that includes the majority of healthcare facilities with birthing centers in Montana. Drivers pick up the newborn screening blood samples from healthcare facilities and provide same-day delivery to the lab for testing, with coverage in more than 50 Montana cities. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Jason Nye, Medical Logistic Solutions, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, Montana Public Health Laboratory

A look at newborn screening records across Montana

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Using data released by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, MTCIR reviewed thousands of records for dozens of healthcare facilities in Montana. After analyzing all the data to determine the on-time performance for each facility as it pertains to newborn blood samples, we mapped them out. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, Montana Public Health Laboratory

Public access fights won in courthouses’ dusty corners

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Lea

LEWISTOWN—Boom! Bernard Lea hefts the book onto the table. It makes a world atlas look like a dimestore paperback. He uses both hands to open its tattered cover and leaf through the pages, which are yellowed with age. He finds the page he’s looking for, and locates a serpentine line squiggled in pencil, dotted with tiny numerical coordinates and other inscrutable text. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, Bernard Lea, Fergus County Courthouse, Jeremy Chapman, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, Public Land/Water Access Association

Last Best News celebrates first birthday

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Fireworks

Today is the first birthday of Last Best News, launched on Feb. 1, 2014. I’d like to shoot off fireworks from the Rims, buy everyone in Eastern Montana a drink or maybe have one of those airplanes pulling a banner fly across the state for a few days, but I’ve got a bunch of stories to write, so probably not. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Prairie Lights, Courtney Lowery Cowgill, Last Best News, Montana Center for Investigative Reporting, mt.vigilante, Ruffin Prevost, Yellowstone Gate