We in the media take plenty of heat for focusing on the negative news in the world, and I have to acknowledge that we tend to give bad news more weight than good. Whether it stems from a mission to root out the wrongs of the world or a need to market the news outlet by appealing to our lowest common denominator, it is much harder to find an uplifting news story than it is to find one that exposes pain, suffering, and human corruption. For instance, I could write about the recent article published in the January 25 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association revealing that pharmaceutical companies spend the equivalent of $13,000 for every physician in America on marketing to the medical profession, and reflect on that. But since we occasionally get some of that cash in the form of advertising support (which we gratefully accept), I will steer clear. I will also refrain from writing about the disappointing news published in the January 23 edition of the Wall Street Journal that brought to light the apparent ethical lapses of some of the B-readers, radiologists certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to read radiographs in occupational hazard cases.

Instead I feel compelled to bring attention in this column to the remarkable people who kept Ochsner Clinic and Hospital open throughout Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and who shared their story in this issue so that all of you might benefit by being better prepared should disaster strike in hospital. The story in this issue by staff writer Stephen Krcmar awed and humbled me.

Suzanne Young, RT(R), CRA, the Ochsner radiology administrator who led the A Team through the first and second grueling weeks, watched, from the rear of the hospital’s glass atrium, whole roofs of two-story houses lift into the air and hurtle toward the hospital, miraculously veering off at the last minute. Following the storm, the entire medical and clinical support staff formed a mop brigade that worked for 4 hours to get rid of the rainwater that poured into the department during the deluge. And it was their vendors who were first on the scene with reinforcements: replacement generators, mobile imaging, and jambalaya.

The staff of the Ochsner radiology department, divided into three teams, stayed on emergency rotation for 6 weeks throughout and after Hurricane Katrina, meaning that each employee worked, ate, and slept at the hospital in at least two 7-day shifts. That is dedication.

But without a carefully considered plan that had been tested many times during previous storms, the doors of the hospital could not have stayed open. The leadership in the department of radiology, under the helm of Edward Bluth, MD, and the previously mentioned Young deserve kudos.

If you know any of the people pictured in the cover story, drop them a line to lend them your support in their ongoing ordeal and your admiration for their courage in the line of duty. Though it had been reported that none of the hospitals in New Orleans was operational, Ochsner was and remains open and serving the people of the city.

That kind of news should be shouted from rooftops.

Cheryl Proval