McKnight’s has been reporting on long-term care since 1980.
Over the years, we’ve written many stories about regulations, legislation, payment changes, trends, strategies, tactics, awake-at-night issues — and a whole lot more.
In all this, we have tried to provide the best possible version of the truth. Our page-view totals and open rates would appear to indicate we’re onto something.
In fact, providers often tell us they count on McKnight’s to stay informed. Still, being in the news business means, to borrow a phrase from the late Howard Cosell, telling it like it is.
For the most part, the arrangement works out quite well.
But when “telling it like it is” means reporting on an operator who was caught stealing millions from the Medicare program, or another who was busted for lousy care, or an embarrassing lawsuit? Well, sometimes such coverage can be less than appreciated. Anger-inducing is more like it.
A number of years ago, I wrote a column that I thought was fair, but it apparently struck a nerve. At a subsequent trade show, I was asked in jest (at least I think it was in jest) whether I was wearing a flak jacket.
At other times, I’ve been asked why we don’t do a better job of “supporting the industry.” Which, as far as I can tell, translates to: write only positive stories.
Sorry, that’s not why we are here.
Don’t get me wrong. I 100% want to see the industry prosper. And we report plenty on positive innovations, trends, tactics and other developments. We also host events where notable leaders are recognized for their contributions. Frankly, those are some of the best days of my year.
But if all we did was provide crimson-and-clover coverage, we wouldn’t be a news organization. We’d be a public relations firm. No insult intended against the fine people who toil in the PR field, but that is a different line of work.
In “The Godfather Part II,” Hyman Roth tells Michael Corleone to stop complaining about an unpleasant reality of the mobster life.
“This is the business we’ve chosen,” Roth admonishes.
Similarly, we at McKnight’s are committed to being a noble news organization. If that sometimes means catching grief for coverage that shows an operator in a bad light, so be it. Would pretending it’s all sunshine and lollipops be preferable?
Besides, this is the business we’ve chosen.
John O’Connor is editorial director for McKnight’s.
Opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News columns are not necessarily those of McKnight’s.
