Deseret Morning News health reporter Lois Collins received the 2004 Award of Excellence from the Utah Society of Healthcare Communicators and Planners Tuesday at St. Mark's Hospital.
Collins has been writing for the Deseret Morning News for almost 22 years and has covered a variety of beats including human services and health care. She also appears regularly as a columnist.
Her writing has earned her numerous awards, both locally and nationally. Her feature story, "Generations of Tears," which chronicled the lives of patients suffering from Huntington's disease, won a national Society of Professional Journalists award for features. She was also recently recognized by the American Heart Association.
Christopher Nelson, president of the USHCP, said Collins deserves the award because of her thoroughness and accuracy in reporting on issues and events surrounding the immense field of health care.