Dec. 15—The Spokesman-Review's coverage of problems in a new Department of Veterans Affairs computer system that have caused widespread delays in care and harm to patients is being honored by the National Press Foundation.

Orion Donovan-Smith, The Spokesman-Review's reporter based in Washington D.C., won the Feddie Award, the press foundation announced Thursday.

Delayed follow-ups due to orders in the new electronic health records system not reaching their intended recipient was the main cause of 149 cases of harm identified in a VA Office of Inspector General report released in July. Similar errors led to a roughly yearlong delay in treatment for a veteran in Chewelah, Washington, who was eventually diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The records system, which was developed by Cerner Corp., was unveiled at the VA Mann-Grandstaff Medical Center in Spokane in October 2020. Cerner was bought by Oracle in June. The systems has been introduced in some other VA hospitals, including in Walla Walla, but the VA has delayed implementation at many others as a result of the problems.

"It takes serious guts for a reporter and editor anywhere (let alone at a small newspaper) to devote dozens of stories to IT failures — and hope any meaningful journalism will come out of it," judges said. Donovan-Smith's stories were "not only readable, but compelling," the judges said.

The Feddie Reporting Award, which was created in 2010, recognizes "outstanding reporting about the impact of federal laws and regulations on local communities." The winner receives $5,000. He will accept the award at the foundation's annual award dinner in February.

Donovan-Smith joined The Spokane-Review in June 2020. His position has been partially funded through a Report for America grant. The Spokesman-Review is the only local publication in Washington, Oregon or Idaho to have a full-time reporter based in Washington D.C.