I am excited to start my new role as JNPT Digital Media Editor. Our journal has an exciting history as an avant-garde user of digital media, and in some cases we have set the trend for others to follow. Judy Deutsch, immediate-past Editor-in-Chief, and Jim Cavanaugh, prior Electronic Media Editor, did an outstanding job of ushering JNPT into the digital age. They presided over the transition to a new Web site, developed the first podcasts for the journal, and posted the first article-related videos to better inform readers. With the support of JNPT's current Editor-in-Chief, Edelle Field-Fote and my outstanding Associate Editor colleagues, I hope to carry on along the path they started and continue to serve the needs of JNPT's readers by expanding our digital footprint.
The use of mobile digital technologies and electronic media continues to grow at an exponential rate. The ongoing evolution of digital technologies and media will have a substantive impact on physical therapy practice. There are currently more than 2000 health-related apps that can be available at your fingertips after being uploaded to your smartphone. Epocrates and other similar apps provide instant access to information on medications. Speed Bones and Speed Muscles MD apps turn studying for that anatomy test into a fun game. You can even purchase an adaptor and use your iPhone as a stethoscope. The potential of this technology to enhance physical therapy practice and research is enormous.
The expansion of social media and social networks has changed the way people communicate and seek information. Facebook has more than 500 million active users around the world. Community pages for different organizations, such as the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, allow patients to communicate with each other and seek information as well as being a resource for health care professionals. With assistance of Paul Gee, our exceptional publisher at Wolters Kluwer Health, we have begun to take advantage of these technologies, making it easier for readers of the journal to quickly access articles and be aware of the latest and most popular content in the journal. JNPT now has its own Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/JNeuroPT) and Twitter account (http://www.twitter.com/JNPT). These are updated regularly with links to featured articles, special collections, and the most popular video content. You do not even have to search for content; JNPT will tweet to inform you of the updates. You can share and comment on the articles that excite you with your friends and colleagues and help dynamically increase the positive impact of JNPT in larger communities of practitioners and researchers.
Our Web site has also been updated. Do you have an eReader? You can now download articles from the journal Web site to read on your iPad, Sony reader, or Barnes and Noble's Nook. These mobile devices allow you to pack all the articles you want into the palm of your hand and read them at your leisure. The home page now contains highlights from the recent issue, links to our Facebook page and Twitter account, and featured articles. We are in the process of creating collections of articles. For example, there is a collection of all the systematic reviews published by JNPT. By logging into the Web site, you can create your own personal collections of articles, podcasts, videos that interest you and have had the greatest impact on your practice.
I am excited to take on the role of digital media editor for JNPT and am looking forward to expanding the digital footprint of JNPT to meet our readers' needs. The technology is evolving so quickly that the sky is the limit as to what the possibilities might be. It is important to stay informed of the applications and advances in the technology arena. We hope that JNPT can be a valued provider of this information. Do you have any suggestions related to help expand or improve the journal's digital media? Please contact me at [email protected]; I am looking forward to hearing from you.