Rural Tenn. reporter wins Public Notice Journalism Prize for investigative report on nursing home

Kenneth Little

Kenneth Little, staff writer for the daily Greeneville Sun in East Tennessee, won the 2016 Public Notice Journalism Prize for coverage of a Limsetone nursing home that saw its Medicare/ Medicaid coverage revoked by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Carol Pierce reports for the Public Notice Research Center that the story, published in December, "followed publication of an official newspaper notice by HHS in the Sun noting 'deficiencies' by the hospital. ... The public notice advised readers that Medicare/Medicaid coverage would cease as of Nov. 28, 2015."

Little will be presented the award March 17 by the Public Notice Resource Center at the National Newspaper Association’s Community Newspaper Leadership Summit in Washington.

"Bradley L. Thompson II, president of the Public Notice Resource Center, said judges found Little’s coverage compelling and important to readers," Pierce writes. "The story noted shortcomings of the John M. Reed Health and Rehabilitation Nursing home cited by HHS. Among them were a report from a housekeeper who said she had checked a patient’s vital signs one night because of a shortage of nursing staff, a failure to maintain antibiotics ordered by physicians, and failure to prevent pressure sores." To read the winning story click here.