Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD, President of Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, was named the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
"As editor-in-chief, I look forward to helping transform the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques into a journal in which readers from around the world can turn to for the most up-to-date, clinically relevant articles in spine care," said Dr. Vaccaro.
His first issue as editor-in-chief is the April issue from Thomas Zdeblick, MD, professor in the department of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison. But the leadership isn't the only aspect of the journal shifting.
Here are five things to know about the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques going forward:
1. The journal will continue to emphasize primary research while introducing strict new criteria for methodologic quality and clinical significance.
2. Editors will invite authors of high-impact papers at major spine meetings to submit the papers for publication.
3. There will be six new sections to promote an evidence-based approach to spine patient care.
4. There will be updated systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as updates on the business of healthcare.
5. The journal publications will increase from eight to 10 issues per year. There will be a new series of editorial policies and features to emphasize timely publication.
"With these changes, authors and readers will be able to access high-quality, clinically relevant articles that will have an important impact on the management of patients with spinal disorders," wrote Dr. Vaccaro.
Issues in the next months will include features such as:
• Controversies in spine surgery
• Narrative reviews of evidence-based data
• Surgical techniques