This issue of the journal focuses on 2 very different themes:

* complementary medicine and ambulatory care

* advances in health status assessment

Barry R. Greene, an Associate Editor for the Journal, introduces the first set of articles that pertain to complementary medicine and ambulatory care. Complementary medicine has become more important because of consumer demand. In the final analysis, we need to measure the change (and hopefully the improvement) in patient health status emanating for their interactions with the ambulatory services. Lewis Kazis edited the next portion of the journal which begins a series of articles documenting the tremendous strides researchers have made in health status measurement. The Veterans' Administration health care system has recently pioneered much of this work with Dr Kazis as a lynchpin in this research. In the final analysis health status measurement and management on the basis of knowledge of individual/group health status represents the ultimate understanding of the impact of the medical care system. I hope that the readers will derive significant benefit from this ongoing series that begins with this issue.

Physicians for Human Rights continues with its regular column on human rights. Mark Holt's missive from the Republic of Texas will return next time. Dr Holt fortunately had a successful encounter with a significant operative intervention, one which preempted his trenchant observations. The next issue you will find the first of a series of management columns devoted to leadership. Ron Goodspeed, CEO of the Southcoast Hospital Group in Falls River Massachusetts, will serve as the author and coordinator of the series.