Which Way, L.A.?

Why Can-t Anyone Cure What Ails King-Drew?

This week, the Los Angeles Times has published a five-part series, reporting that King-Drew Hospital in South Los Angeles has now become -one of America-s worst hospitals.- To prepare its series, the Times conducted hundreds of interviews, studied years of malpractice cases, and reviewed the records of regulators and the hospital itself. The conclusion is that a noble effort has gone wrong. Built after the 1965 Watts Riot as a -model for urban hospitals- nationwide, to -reflect African-American achievement and power,- King-Drew instead became -one of America-s worst hospitals, killing and maiming patients rather than healing them.- Despite that, the community has resisted major reforms, seeing them as attacks on a beloved institution. In today-s final segment, the Times points a finger of blame at the County Board of Supervisors, which runs King-Drew, claiming the Board gave into race politics and failed the community by not taking tough action. We hear more from Supervisors Yvonne Burke and Gloria Molina, City Councilman Martin Ludlow, and civil rights attorney Connie Rice.