Author's Style Guide
Manuscript Submission
All manuscripts should be submitted via e-mail as Microsoft Word attachments to perspectives@ahima.org. Only one manuscript should be included per e-mail. Authors who wish to submit more than one manuscript at a time should send additional emails with attachments. The full title of the manuscript should be included in the subject line of the e-mail. Each manuscript should have the abstract, manuscript text, and notes submitted in one Word document. Manuscript attachments that exceed 10 megabytes cannot be accepted.
Contact information for all authors should be included in the body of the e-mail message, not as part of the manuscript. Contact information for all authors should include name, degrees, credentials, organization, position, address, and e-mail address. The phone number of the lead author should also be included. Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, no additions can be made to the list of authors.
Do not duplicate the contact information on the manuscript’s title page. The manuscript itself should not include any identifiable information about authors such as on the title page, as the electronic file is forwarded to reviewers as part of a double-blind review process.
Perspectives in Health Information Management does not accept simultaneous submissions; manuscripts should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Manuscripts submitted for consideration to Perspectives should not have been published (in full or in part) either in print or online.
Manuscript Acceptance
Authors of accepted manuscripts will be asked to sign a copyright transfer agreement which must be returned prior to manuscript publication. The work becomes the property of the AHIMA Foundation and may not be published elsewhere without permission. Opinions and views expressed by authors in all manuscripts should not be construed to represent the opinions and views of the AHIMA Foundation or AHIMA. Papers are edited to conform to AHIMA Foundation style.
Most manuscripts require some changes. The reviewer’s comments and suggestions will be returned to the author. There will be a stated deadline for revisions to the manuscript. The deadlines must be adhered to so that the journal can be published on time.
Authors will receive a proof copy for final approval before publication. Authors are required to disclose any commercial or other associations that might pose a conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest. Financial support for work reported or a grant under which a study was made should be noted in a section titled, “Support” just prior to the Acknowledgments. Acknowledgments or appreciation to individuals for assistance with the manuscript or with the material reported should be included as a note to appear at the end of the manuscript prior to the References section.
Additional Submission Guidelines
Format Requirements
Font: Times New Roman
Font Size: 12 points
Text Color: black
Single spaced
Margins -1 inch and text in one column
Endnotes and References Style Sheet
The AHIMA Foundation follows the Chicago Manual of Style. The format for endnotes and references are listed below:
Sample Endnotes
- Additional data on costs versus benefits for 1962 are presented in the Health Insurance Institute’s Sourcebook of Health Insurance Data. New York: Health Insurance Institute, 1963, pp. 36, 46.
- Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. The Modern Researcher. 4th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985, p. 52.
- Breiman, Robert F., et al. “Emergence of Drug-resistant Pneumococcal Infections in the United States.” Journal of the American Medical Association 271, no. 3 (1994): 1831.
- National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics. “Information for Health: A Strategy for Building the National Health Information Infrastructure.” Washington, DC, November 15, 2001. Available online at www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/nhiilayo.pdf.
Sample References
Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. The Modern Researcher. 4th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985.
Brandt, Mary D. “Health Informatics Standards: A User’s Guide.” Journal of AHIMA 71, no. 4 (2000): 39-43.
Citing Data and Figures from Other Sources
If you use data or figures from other published or unpublished sources, obtain permission and acknowledge fully. If a figure has been previously published, either in part or in total, acknowledge the original source and submit written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce or adapt the material. Submit a caption for each figure, including explanatory statements, notes, or keys, and source or permission lines.
Footnotes, References, and Figures
Footnotes and references should be placed at the end of the manuscript and indicated with corresponding numbers in the appropriate places in the text. Section headings, when appropriate should be included. Please place each figure or table on a separate page at the end of the document in portrait orientation only.
Manuscript Categories
Current Concepts in Health Information Management
Describes important issues in health information management, public health, and HIT research in a scholarly, well-referenced and systematic manner. These articles are not original research but focus on topics of interest in HIM. Examples of these manuscripts would be literature reviews or meta-analyses. Recommended length should not exceed 2,000 words (not including tables, figures, or references).
Case Studies/Quality Improvement
Pragmatic examples of how organizations address quality improvement issues and problems. Manuscripts should address strategies, challenges, barriers, and, particularly, solutions in the implementation of health information technology quality improvement interventions. These manuscripts originate from real-world experiences with the goal of being generalizable to other healthcare organizations. Recommended length is 2,500–3,000 words (not including tables, figures or references).
Research Paper
Presents original hypotheses and findings. They report various types of research, including historical, descriptive, correlational, causal comparative, quasi-experimental, and experimental. Research approaches may be quantitative or qualitative. Formats for quantitative approaches and for historical research and qualitative approaches differ from formats for manuscripts reporting descriptive, correlational, causal comparative, quasi-experimental, and experimental research.
Historical Research
Investigates the history of health information management or related phenomena that have influenced the development of health informatics, health information management, or health information technology and systems.
Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis of Literature
Presents a comprehensive review and interpretation of the literature on a well-defined topic that has significance to health informatics and information management. Of particular importance are the integration of past findings and the identification of gaps in the literature. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are robust, unbiased methods of reviewing the literature.
Education Article
Report on academic curricula, case studies, or methodological approaches in curricula or instructional design and technology.
Case Study
Describes the application of health information knowledge in a setting. The application could be an innovation or a solution to a problem. The manuscript should include the application and its impact. Measure of impact might include number of users (actual as well as the number of possible); whether the users continue to use the system over time; implementation effort; data quality; application utility or acceptability; cost/benefit; etc., to effective use of an application in an environment.
Methodological and Evaluation Article
Studies of these types detail processes or techniques used to implement and evaluate new and/or innovative approaches. For illustrative purposes, examples of two formats, model formulation and evaluation study, are provided. Model formulations propose a model, frame work, technique, or innovation. The manuscript should clarify and validate the proposal through an example.
Theory Building Paper
Advances the discipline of health informatics and information management through the formulation and development of theories and models.
Commentary
Provides new insights into questions facing the discipline. Authors offer opinions on debates, issues, concerns, future trends, emerging technologies, or challenges in the practice of health information management and systems.
Resources
Authors interested in submitting manuscripts to Perspectives in Health Information Management can refer to this page for resources to assist in the development of their materials.
Donovan, S. K.
The Importance of Resubmitting Rejected Papers
Journal of Scholarly Publishing – Volume 38, Number 3, April 2007, pp. 151-155
(Reprinted with author permission)
Welch, H Gilbert MD, MPH
Preparing Manuscripts for Submission to Medical Journals: The Paper Trail
Effective Clinical Practice. 1999; 2:131–137.
(Reprinted with author permission)
Online Resource
The VA Outcomes Group Web site contains a detailed list of helpful research tools.
http://www.vaoutcomes.org/research_tools.php
Review Process
The manuscript review process for Perspectives in Health Information Management is a double-blind review method; the identity of the author(s) is concealed from the reviewers and the editors.
New manuscripts receive an initial review by the editors to determine if they are suitable for the journal before they are reviewed by the Editorial Review Panel. If accepted for ERP review, a manuscript typically goes through two review cycles. If accepted with minor or major revisions after the first review, the article with reviewer comments is sent to the author. The author then responds to the reviewer comments in the resubmission process The revised article is then sent back to two of the three reviewers for a second review. This process is repeated until the article is accepted with no revisions or is rejected.
After manuscripts are accepted, authors will be asked to sign a copyright transfer agreement which must be returned prior to manuscript publication. Authors will receive a proof before publication for final approval.
Reviewers evaluate manuscripts using the criteria listed below:
Writing
- Length follows guidelines for authors for each type of column or paper manuscript
- Writing is clear and unambiguous and language appropriate to the type of manuscript
- Manuscript is well organized and flows well
Interest
- Content is innovative or unique
- Content is valuable, important, and beneficial to readers
- Topic or focus is of interest to our readers
Research Criteria
- The problem or question is clearly stated
- Underlying concept as represented by theory, model, or framework is sound
- Illustrations, examples, or references are relevant and sufficient
- Specific sources are given when needed
- The concept is applicable to other situations
- The design of the research or investigation is sound
- The method supports the investigation’s purpose
- A reader could replicate the operations described
- Analytical techniques are sound
- Data are clearly represented
- Tables and figures are clear and accurate
- Data and information appear accurate
- Data support conclusions drawn
- Content is innovative or unique
- Essential points are adequately covered
- Length is appropriate
- Content builds or advances body of knowledge of health information management or its practice
- References are current and appropriate
Sample Outline
Length
Manuscripts should be no longer than 3,000 words. Exceptions may be made for manuscripts of unusual quality.
Abstract
150 words or less and up to 10 key words.
Introduction
A clear and concise summary of the purpose and problem.
Background
Literature review and theoretical framework. Background should result in demonstrated need for the study and its objectives.
Research question or hypothesis.
Methods
Subsections might include design, selection of sites and subjects, procedures, intervention, measurements, and analytical techniques.
Results
Discussion
Sub-sections might address significance and interpretation in context of the literature, limitations, and future work.
Conclusion
Short statement of findings and implications for further research and HIM practice.