Marshall Allen
Marshall Allen was previously a reporter at ProPublica investigating the cost and quality of our health care.
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Marshall Allen was a reporter at ProPublica investigating the cost and quality of our health care. He is one of the creators of ProPublica’s Surgeon Scorecard, which published the complication rates for about 17,000 surgeons who perform eight common elective procedures. Allen’s work has been honored with several journalism awards, including the Harvard Kennedy School’s 2011 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting and coming in as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting for work at the Las Vegas Sun, where he worked before coming to ProPublica in 2011. Before he was in journalism, Allen spent five years in full-time ministry, including three years in Nairobi, Kenya. He has a master’s degree in Theology.
Surgeon Scorecard
We calculated complication rates for surgeons performing one of eight elective procedures under Medicare, carefully adjusting for differences in patient health, age and hospital quality. Use this database to know more about a surgeon before your operation.
How We Measured Surgical Complications
The methodology for our analysis of surgical complication rates.
Making the Cut: Why Choosing the Right Surgeon Matters Even More Than You Know
A ProPublica analysis of nearly 17,000 surgeons finds stark differences in complications rates for some of the most routine elective procedures.
Alleged Patient Safety Kickbacks Lead To $1 Million Settlement
The Justice Department claimed patient safety celebrity Dr. Chuck Denham solicited payments from a drug company to win a prestigious National Quality Forum endorsement for its product.
Unapproved, but Used in Surgery
A firm sold 18,000 knee-replacement tools before the government called a halt.
Patient Safety Journal Adjusts After an Eye-Opening Scandal
Kickback allegations against its former editor prompted the Journal of Patient Safety to review his writings and adopt new standards for disclosing commercial conflicts of interest.
The Two Things That Rarely Happen After a Medical Mistake
Patients seldom are told or get an apology when they are harmed during medical care, according to a new study based on results from ProPublica’s Patient Harm Questionnaire.
Medical Company May Be Falling Short of Its Patient-Safety Ideals
Masimo Corporation's chief executive is a leading voice in the movement to reduce medical errors, but the Food and Drug Administration says his company isn't properly investigating complaints.
We’re Still Not Tracking Patient Harm
Top patient-safety experts call on Congress to step in and, among other steps, give the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wider responsibility for measuring medical mistakes.