Integrated Healthcare Journal is a new online only Open Access journal co-owned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and edited by Dr Paresh Dawda, a general medical practitioner, academic and researcher based in Australia.
The journal aims to support a joined-up and connected approach for healthcare design and delivery in which health and social care professionals, service providers, patients, patient groups, and carers are brought together to collaborate in a unified and integrated approach.
The mission will be to improve all aspects of care for individuals and communities orientated around a person-centred philosophy.
The journal aims to publish high quality peer-reviewed original research dealing with all aspects of integrated, multidisciplinary and patient-centred approaches to healthcare, through topics such as prevention, management, education, cost-effectiveness and safety.
In common with all the other journals in BMJ’s portfolio, this latest addition will maintain a rigorous and transparent peer review process accompanied by the highest ethical standards for research conduct, says BMJ.
It will operate a fast submission and review process with continuous publication online, to ensure that timely, up-to-date research is available worldwide.
“Current healthcare systems often fail to deliver the joined-up care that patients need, and this will become increasingly problematic as patients in an ageing population present with ever more complex health and social care needs,” says Dr Dawda.
“Effective integrated healthcare is a pathway to a more effective and efficient health system truly centred on the patient. Integrated Healthcare Journal will present content related to initiatives and improvement approaches leading to greater levels of integration with a strong emphasis on co-design with patients, carers and families.”
Dr Allison Lang, Publishing Director at BMJ says: "BMJ is excited to be partnering with the RPS to launch this new journal, which aims to unite healthcare professionals in a common mission to improve all aspects of care for individuals and communities orientated around a person-centred philosophy.”
She adds: “Patients are at the heart of BMJ's mission of a healthier world and, as health and social care needs become ever more complex, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for an effective and efficient health system. The wide availability of research articles via the journal's open access publication model will be critical in helping to facilitate a unified approach."
