Call for Submissions: Society for Participatory Medicine Launches Peer-Reviewed Journal

The Journal of Participatory Medicine was launched October 22 at the Connected Health symposium in Boston. It is a free, online, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to documenting how healthcare encourages, supports, and expects active involvement by all parties, and leads to improved outcomes. An interdisciplinary publication founded, written, edited, and reviewed by health professionals, patient advocates, and researchers, the journal will explore how participation affects outcomes, resources, and relationships in healthcare; which interventions increase participation; and the types of evidence that provide the most reliable answers. The intent of the journal is to explore the extent to which shared decision-making in healthcare, and deep patient engagement, affect outcomes.

The mission of the parent Society of Participatory Medicine is to transform the culture of medicine—with stakeholders ranging from patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, payers and purchasers—to be more participatory. While the journal does not require subscription or registration, individual and organizational support via society membership is encouraged.

Journal co-editors Jessie Gruman, PhD, and Charles W. Smith, MD, represent the patient advocacy and healthcare professional sides of the equation. They, and deputy editor Alan Greene, MD, invite online submissions, based on the parameters of participatory medicine described on the site. Content will include research articles, state-of-the-art reviews, editorials, narratives, case studies, tutorials, media commentary, and technology, product and website reviews — in print and multimedia formats. Interactivity and user participation will be encouraged and supported.