Diane Lund-Muzikant, Oregon health journalist, dies at 86
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Diane Lund-Muzikant, Oregon health journalist, dies at 86
Diane Lund-Muzikant, a longtime journalist and founder of The Lund Report, has died. She was known for her tenacious focus on transparency within Oregon’s health care system. In 1990, she launched the Oregon Health Forum, a nonprofit organization that published Oregon Health News. The publication gained attention for its reporting on the salaries of top health care executives, the influence of pharmaceutical lobbying and the financial performance of health insurers. In 2008, at 70, she founded The Lundreport.com, an independent, nonprofit website covering Oregon health care policy. She served as editor-in-chief until 2017 and remained on the board of directors until stepping down last year.
Lund-Muzikant, who was born in 1938, passed away at her home Saturday, according to The Lund Report. In a statement, the nonprofit news site said Lund-Muzikant was “more than just a founder” and was “known for her feisty nature, insatiable curiosity and compassionate heart.”
“Her legacy lives on in the values we hold and the work we do,” The Lund Report said. “We are dedicated to honoring her in a manner befitting the profound impact she had on this organization and our broader community.”
Lund-Muzikant began reporting on health care in 1986 as a freelance contributor to The Scribe, a publication of the now-defunct Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland, where she immersed herself in the intricacies of the U.S. medical system.
In 1990, she launched the Oregon Health Forum, a nonprofit organization that published Oregon Health News, a monthly trade newsletter. The publication gained attention for its reporting on the salaries of top health care executives, the influence of pharmaceutical lobbying and the financial performance of health insurers. The Forum also hosted education and networking events aimed at fostering dialogue among health care professionals, policymakers and industry representatives.
Despite a relatively limited circulation, Oregon Health News developed an influential readership that included lawmakers, analysts, health care executives and journalists. Lund-Muzikant, who served as the newsletter’s primary writer and editor, was known for her tenacious focus on transparency within Oregon’s health care system.
In 2006, she was dismissed from the Oregon Health Forum following disagreements with the organization’s board, which included hospital and pharmaceutical industry representatives. Lund-Muzikant later said she believed her removal stemmed from pushback over her critical reporting. The nonprofit dissolved four years later.
In 2008, at 70, she founded The Lund Report, an independent, nonprofit website covering Oregon health care policy, institutions and economic health care policy. The publication sought to provide nonpartisan reporting with an emphasis on accountability and transparency.
“Diane was more than just the visionary behind our organization, she was the heart and soul of our mission, inspiring all of us with unwavering dedication and tireless commitment to public service journalism,” The Lund Report said. “Through her leadership and passion, Diane laid the foundation for the work we continue today and impacted countless lives along the way.”
Lund-Muzikant served as editor-in-chief until 2017 and remained on the board of directors until stepping down last year.
A breast cancer survivor, Lund-Muzikant also co-founded Rachel’s Friends Breast Cancer Coalition, an advocacy organization pushing for stronger public health policies to protect consumers from environmental toxins that can cause cancer.