Publication #1 – update

Ok, so it’s official. Here is the link to the article “What is eHealth (3): A systematic review of published definitions” (http://www.jmir.org/2005/1/e1/). Many thanks to my co-authors/friends/mentors (Carlos, Murray, and Alex). Okay – first one’s down, and now it’s time to focus on getting several others out there this year.

It’s weird, but I thought I would be far more excited about getting my first publication. In fact, there’s something almost anti-climactic about seeing it in “print”. Perhaps the publication process has something to do with things. We, the authors, originally had a different title – “What is this thing called eHealth? A systematic review of published definitions”. Unfortunately, it didn’t survive the review and editorial process. I can’t speak for my colleagues, but I would have accepted almost any change or revision if we could have kept the original title. I was quite fond of it. The title alluded to AF Chalmers’ book “What is this thing called science”, and (we felt) that there was some charm around the title. Actually, we also didn’t want readers to think that our paper was part of a series of articles or solicited (reference to the 3 in the title) in any way.

Oh well, I guess I’ll chalk this one up to a learning experience. In many ways, I suppose the editor(s) has ultimate power over her/his journal, and the title of an article is just one aspect.

On a very positive note, I was very pleased at how easy the electronic manuscript tracking system was to use. Actually, I’m pretty much convinced that electronic publishing is the way of the future. JMIR is doing some very interesting things, like using open-source products. I think other open access journals like www.biomedcentral.com will start to change how information is stored, accessed, and shared.


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One response to “Publication #1 – update”

  1. Sophia Avatar
    Sophia

    Congratulations!! Hans
    it is a good one!

    yup, I like the original name better. Just did a case study about eHealth today. I should’ve read your article before I go to my class, haha. Still remember the feeling when I was doing the first review about ‘eHealth in UHNs’ two years ago. My question was ‘what’s the thing called eHealth’, haha…that was how I found your website and now your blog. Glad to see all the posts here in the blog.

    Thought of writing to you since I did the assignment in my second year in Health Informatics. Now I am in my last term. I am trying to make a blog as the first generation from the Health Informatics in YorkU. Will show you when I have something on the blog.