Change is as dependable as death and taxes. This also holds for Health Care Management Review (HCMR). Since becoming the Editor-in- Chief a year ago, I have made and experienced significance changes. A key change I made was regarding the instructions for authors; it is now more detailed and reflects the higher level of rigor and managerial relevance that I seek for HCMR. In collaboration with the publisher and the chair of the editorial board, I updated the mission statement of the journal to more explicitly reflect the current emphasis on evidence-based practice, international health care management, and translation of research in to managerial practice.
HCMR readers are both academics and administrators, and in the selection of manuscripts, both audiences are kept in mind. HCMR remains an ideal outlet for reports on primary studies that make contributions to our knowledge of what goes into creating and leading successful health care organizations. Current trends, from NIH to foundations, place ever greater emphasis on what we once called research utilization. Application of knowledge does not happen by chance; it is an intentional and challenging process for both researchers and practitioners. Thus, manuscripts must address variables that can be influenced by managerial or strategic efforts.
A subtle yet significant change is that manuscripts are now sent directly to me via the HCMR e-mail address, a change that resulted when Lippincott moved HCMR to their specialty journals division. This internal move provides greater autonomy (and responsibility) for the journal editors. It is thus consistent with my efforts to continually improve quality control of manuscripts accepted and published in HCMR. Currently, 47 percent of manuscripts submitted to HCMR are published. The list of peer reviewers continues to grow, in keeping with the diversity of manuscript topics and number of submissions and my goal of minimizing the amount of time from submission to notification.
Two future changes will be more visible. One will be the use of EditorManager for online submissions of manuscripts. The other pending change is a new look for HCMR, with a change in color scheme and overall appearance for the journal. Each current and pending change is an improvement for the journal and demonstrates enthusiasm for the journal and a deepening commitment by Lippincott to the success of HCMR.
Balancing the changes is a marker of stability. HCMR will continue to publish the article "Best Theory to Practice Paper," chosen by the Academy of Management Heath Care Administration Division from competing papers submitted for presentation at the annual meeting. HCMR will continue to provide subscription discounts to members of the Health Care Administration Division and to be a quarterly journal pending substantial increases in the number of the manuscript submissions and subscriptions. The HCMR Editorial Advisory Board's role and voice remain strong in planning special topics issues and future journal improvements.
Make no mistake. The real success of HCMR stems from the ideas and hard work of manuscript authors and from subscriptions. The success is also deeply dependent on the time and thoughtfulness donated by peer reviewers. We all benefit from their service. Finally, I appreciate your readership and continuing support of HCMR.
L. Michele Issel, PhD, RN
Editor-in-Chief