Top 10 Healthcare Reporters to Follow in 2023.

WebMD once told me that my bloody nose was a sign of the bubonic plague. Now, nobody in their right mind would believe that, of course. But did I call my parents frantically telling them that I love them? There is no need for me to disclose that information. 

The point is there’s a lot of frightening and confusing information out there about healthcare, and even though it’s an essential issue touching almost every aspect of our lives, it can be hard for those of us who are not doctors, scientists, or science-inclined individuals to understand the ever-changing information, trends, and news in the healthcare space. Even though — or perhaps because — this information is all around us, the overload can feel pretty overwhelming.

I would know. I remember it like it was last year…because it was. Bright, sunny, right out of college with a degree in Public Relations and Business, and still on my parent's health insurance, I knew as little as there is to know about healthcare. But I needed to learn and learn fast because I was starting my first post-college job in Healthcare PR. I knew that it was essential for me to get smart quickly to be successful in my job and that I needed to consume some reliable and understandable healthcare news. 

Towards that end, I started compiling a handy list of healthcare reporters and journalists that not only had the healthcare knowledge and expertise I was looking for, but also were able to present that information in a way that anyone could understand — even bright, sunny, post-college me. 

So here is my list of 10 journalists who I’ve found can be beneficial resources for beginners and healthcare veterans alike in terms of understanding this space and getting your own healthcare clients more media visibility too.

1. Stephanie Armour, Wall Street Journal

Stephanie covers health policy for the Wall Street Journal. Based in Washington, she keeps readers up-to-date on all things COVID and does it in a straightforward and knowledgeable manner. Her November exclusive (U.S. Covid Public-Health Emergency to Stay in Place) highlighted her position as a go-to source for key insight and analysis on COVID but also public health policy in the U.S.  On Twitter @StephArmour1

2. Sandra Boodman, The Washington Post/Kaiser Health News

Sandra is the creator of The Washington Post's Medical Mysteries column. A monthly recounting of a puzzling medical case, her column dives into the weirdness of medicine and examines some of the healthcare industry's most mind-boggling mysteries. For those of us who find ourselves stuck on WebMD when we feel the hint of a cold, Sandra’s column’s are the medical stories you look forward to reading (while biting your fingernails to the quick) each month.

3. Bertha Coombs, CNBC

Bertha is a reporter for CNBC covering financial markets, business stories, and healthcare from a business perspective. She breaks down complicated topics and presents them through a unique lens focused on markets. In the volatile and ever-changing landscape of healthcare, Bertha’s TV and online coverage can serve as a beacon to guide you through the storm.  On Twitter @berthacoombs

4. Shelby Livingston, Business Insider

Shelby is a senior healthcare reporter at Business Insider, writing about how healthcare is paid for and delivered in the United States. Her deep-dive reporting at the nexus of investors, insurers, providers, and patients is a must-read as the way we experience healthcare continues to evolve — like this recent piece on how buzzy health startups are going from billions to broke.

5. Tina Reed, Axios

Tina is a healthcare editor for Axios and covers healthcare politics, policy, and business. Tina is also the compiler of The Axios Vitals, my go-to newsletter to start the day which covers the intersection between healthcare and public policy.  On Twitter @TreedinDC

6. Shraddha Chakradhar, STAT

Shraddha joined STAT in 2019 and before that was a news editor for Nature Medicine and a researcher for the PBS science documentary show "NOVA." She is the creator of STAT’s Morning Rounds, another must-read with your morning coffee.  On Twitter @scchak 

7. Mandy Jackson, Scrip/The Pink Sheet

Mandy reports on daily biopharma developments, writes feature stories, and produces Scrip's Finance Watch column — a digital healthcare version of “the room where it happens.” She covers healthcare finance, start-ups, dealmaking, clinical trial results, quarterly earnings reports, commercial competition, and corporate strategy. She interviews everyone from big pharma CEOs to biotech start-up founders. You can also find her on Twitter sharing straightforward and easy-to-understand healthcare and pharma updates to her followers.  On Twitter @ScripMandy 

8. Angus Liu, Fierce Pharma

Angus is a senior staff writer reporting on a variety of biopharma and healthcare topics. He is always up-to-date on what is trending and often writes about specific pharmaceutical companies and on their pipeline drugs. Some of his recent pieces include COVID-19 tracker: WHO delays waiver decision on diagnostics and therapeutics and ASH: Amgen's Blincyto looks to establish new leukemia standard after 9-year trial.  On Twitter @Angus_Fierce 

9. Julie Rovner, Kaiser Health News (KHN) 

Julie is the Chief Washington Correspondent for KHN and host of their weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?”. Her punny, searing podcast brings together top health policy reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, and other media outlets to discuss the latest news and explain “what the health?” is going on in Washington. On Twitter @jrovner 

10. Emily Henderson, News Medical

Emily has interviewed over 300 leading experts in all areas of science and healthcare. She loves being at the forefront of exciting new research and sharing science stories with thought leaders all over the world. Some of her recent articles include Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance; A Conversation with the WHO and Transforming Discriminatory Gender Norms to Achieve Global Equality. OnTwitter @excitededitor 

So there you have it — 10 healthcare journalists to know and follow in 2023. And remember, when reading healthcare news or journeying into a space that is unfamiliar, keep an open mind, ask questions, and take your time. Joining an established space like healthcare can be tricky but keeping an eye on what trustworthy reporters and journalists are covering will help you succeed.