Geri Aston
Chicago, IL USA
29 Years Experience
Professional Experience
I am a Chicago-based journalist who has covered health care for more than 25 years, first as a reporter, then as an editor and now as a freelancer. My specialties are policy reporting, health care quality, hospital issues and general health topics. I'm experienced in news, feature and editorial writing, as well as editing. I'm skilled at taking complex subjects and making them accessible to readers. I can write for any audience, from doctors and hospital CEOs to consumers. I enjoy both hard-hitting pieces and light, consumer-oriented articles. Although health care is my area of expertise, I'm versatile enough to write about almost any subject.
Expertise
- Editor 5 Years
- Writer 29 Years
Specialty
- Education 2 Years
- Government 14 Years
- Health 26 Years
Industries
- Newspaper - Community 2 Years
- Association publication 26 Years
- Online/new media 2 Years
Media Client List (# Assignments Last 2 Yrs)
- Health Forum(6-10)
- Money Media(1-2)
Corporate Client List (# Assignments Last 2 Yrs)
- Lumeris(10+)
Awards
American Society of HealthCare Publication Editors, 2014 Bronze Award, Best Feature Article Series; ASBPE 2014 Silver Regional Award, Editorial Excellence, Feature Series
Associations
Association of Health Care Journalists
Other work history
American Medical News, government editor, 1999-2008; American Medical News, Washington reporter, 1996-1999; AHA News, reporter, 1992-1996; Vero Beach (FL) Press-Journal, education and general assignment reporter, 1989-1991; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reporting intern, 1989
General
Can You Beat the Data Thieves?
Hospitals & Health Networks 2016-04-04 00:00:00
Nearly 100 million electronic health records were compromised in 2015. Now hospitals are stepping up their game -- using a combination of technology, policy and training to lessen the chances that bad actors will succeed.
How to Strengthen Pediatric Services In Your Hospital
Hospitals & Health Networks 2016-10-07 00:00:00
Hospital leaders adapt their pediatric care to changing health care environment.
Beyond OB-GYN: 3 Ways To Rethink Women’s Services
Hospitals & Health Networks 2016-06-14 00:00:00
When it comes to health care, the differences between men and women go way beyond their reproductive roles.
Creating a Health Care Safety Net that Works
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Aligning Forces for Quality 2014-11-01 00:00:00
An innovative diabetes care initiative in Western New York is using the power of suggestion to help patients embrace better diets and healthier lifestyles.
Behavioral Health Care: Four ways hospitals are improving
Hospitals & Health Networks 2015-05-11 00:00:00
The hectic, stressful nature of the typical emergency department makes it a less-than-ideal setting for mental health care. Nevertheless, hospital EDs have become a major component of the nation’s de facto behavioral health system. Here’s a look at innovative approaches hospitals are taking to improve care and access for patients with behavioral health concerns.
Cyber Crime: A Growing Threat
GE Healthcare Forward Thinking 2016-08-01 00:00:00
Ransomware is just the latest method cybercriminals are using against hospitals, and it likely won’t be the last.
Three Robust Approaches to Dementia Care
Hospitals & Health Networks 2017-03-15 00:00:00
The incidence of dementia is rising as the senior population in the U.S. grows, and hospitals are developing new, efficient ways to care for those afflicted.
Obesity: Chronic Condition, Not a Character Flaw
Hospitals & Health Networks 2017-01-15 00:00:00
Treating obesity as a chronic disease means that the goal is no longer weight loss for the sake of weight loss any more than the goal of diabetes treatment is to lower blood sugar simply for the sake of lower blood sugar.