New Editor Discusses Future of Venerable AJHP

PRESS RELEASE

In a recent editorial in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP), new Editor in Chief Daniel J. Cobaugh, Pharm.D., DABAT, FAACT, lays out his vision for building on AJHP’s rich 72-year history and previews upcoming initiatives that will help the publication evolve as a cutting-edge biomedical journal.

Dr. Cobaugh, who became the fifth editor in chief of AJHP in December 2014, writes that staff will continue to actively seek feedback to help shape content. In the near future, AJHP will focus on topics such as pharmacists’ roles in precision medicine, “big data” initiatives, multi-hospital systems, and leadership innovations.

“Today’s complex and rapidly changing healthcare environment presents a fertile source of Journal content and a heightened need to inform AJHP readers and stimulate thinking and dialogue about complex issues,” Dr. Cobaugh wrote, adding that the Journal’s editorial page will continue to tackle some of the most difficult issues in modern pharmacy practice, including the implications of specialty pharmacy, the impact of medication costs on patient outcomes, and whether pharmacists should be involved in lethal injections.

Dr. Cobaugh also noted that efforts are underway to offer new AJHP products through diverse technology platforms. This summer, ASHP will launch AJHP Residents Edition, a quarterly online supplement that will give pharmacy residents and recent residency graduates a forum to showcase projects carried out during their training. A call for papers will be published in the April 15 issue of AJHP.

In addition to the augmented reality that is currently offered, new audio-visual tools are being developed to further enhance the way that the Journal contributes to conversations within the pharmacy community. ASHP plans to create short videos featuring the lead author of each article in the Residents Edition answering questions about their project and its effect on practice, which will provide a more dynamic web experience for readers.

Reader and author surveys also will be conducted this summer to gather more input on topics of interest to a wide range of pharmacy practice areas and help shape future editorial directions for the Journal.

“AJHP has played a significant role in the professional development of generations of pharmacists, while adapting and keeping pace with the rapidly changing healthcare environment,” says Dr. Cobaugh. “As editor, I will continue to support readers’ patient care activities by presenting the latest evidence, showcasing best practices, providing thoughtful perspectives, and provoking new questions in formats that meet their emerging technological needs.”