A Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Dear Colleagues,

We are finally coming out of the public health emergency brought on by COVID-19. Although many of us have known the value of telemedicine and telehealth, it was the pandemic that brought it to the forefront and its exceptional growth worldwide. Telemedicine and telehealth are now ensconced in the fabric of medicine, although in varied ways across the health care landscape. As technology and innovation continue their unabated march forward, we as patients, practitioners, and customers will see significant change at a much faster rate than ever before.

Over the past 3 years, this journal, Telemedicine and e-Health, has experienced unprecedented impact factor growth, increasing 42% over 2021 to a record 5.033, and although it has since decreased to 4.7, our CiteScore has increased by more than 20%. Nearly every journal saw an increase in their impact factors during the pandemic and more than 80% have a seen a slight decrease. This is a remarkable achievement and a true testament to the influence of this field overall in addressing the world health crisis of the past few years. The tragedy of this pandemic will undoubtedly be debated for years to come, but it has ushered in transformative ways for providing health care and addressing our patient’s needs.

Telemedicine and e-Health, which is heading into its 30th year of publication, has been at the forefront of this pandemic and this seismic shift in application of telemedicine and telehealth. As the recognized national and international leader in the growth of telemedicine and telehealth from an experimental technology to an integral part of the fabric of health care, the journal continues to bring up-to-date knowledge and information that can be of value in these unprecedented times.

As articles are triaged for applicability to Telemedicine and e-Health, many have our sister journal Telemedicine Reports available as another opportunity for sharing work. Edited by Dr. Elizabeth Krupinski, we envision that Telemedicine Reports serves as an additional publication for materials that might not otherwise be published in the legacy journal, Telemedicine and e-Health.

There are several measures of success, including the time for first decision on an article, which for this journal is an industry setting record 20.1 days. In addition, this achievement is indicated by approximately 200,000 full-text downloads as of mid-July 2023 and global readership in more than 170 countries. The influx of COVID-19–related articles has begun to slow a bit. The journal is a critical filter, bringing only the best telemedicine and telehealth research to the reader in a rapid, heavily peer-reviewed, and streamlined electronic manner. The journal utilizes the best in web-based editing and distribution to serve an exponentially increasing readership, and this is great importance during these challenging times.

Individuals and organizations that want to be at the forefront of evidence-based telemedicine and telehealth, and its proven place in improving health worldwide, must come to the pages of Telemedicine and e-Health for the freshest and most reliable content. Any individual who wants to explore creative opportunities in telemedicine and telehealth should count on the journal for the best in technology and stimulating vignettes of future research. Any student of telemedicine and telehealth and those interested in capacitation of the telemedicine and telehealth community in the world must rely upon our original articles, thought-provoking authors, and authorities, which will continue to expand the pedagogical preparation of future practitioners to be the best in telemedicine and telehealth.

The feasibility and the construct of telemedicine and telehealth today are no longer in doubt. As many of us have said, it is front and center! Our readers want to know how to best move forward with a fully vetted technology and methodological tools. Coupled to the demonstrable scalability and impact of telemedicine and telehealth, there has been the huge shift in governmental recognition with the U.S. health reform movement fully embracing telemedicine and telehealth as a crucial tactic to reduce costs, improve health, broaden access, and better serve a national clientele.

Many of the barriers to wider application and adoption to telemedicine seemingly vanished or were set aside in March 2020, and health care in the United States and around the world embraced telemedicine in a stunning manner. This paradigm has begun to wane but the insatiable desire to continue is undiminished. Although we anticipate political-driven retreat in some areas, we as a community are pretty confident that telemedicine and telehealth are firmly woven into the fabric of medicine and health care world wide.

Technology continues to evolve in areas key to health improvement. This includes sensors, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Telemedicine and e-Health has advocated for legislative action and government recognition of telemedicine, supported by numerous articles about its impact in the United States and dozens of countries around the world. Telemedicine and telehealth have embraced m-health completely with every tool from the primitive cell phone to advanced smart phone and the plethora of apps. The journal has led the way with publications of new and proven applications, and their subsequent translation to real health results.

Applications have been most impressive this year, not in just sensing and chronic disease management, but in-patient education and behavioral modification through information empowerment and huge programs in addressing needs during a pandemic, disasters, smoking cessation, weight loss, psychiatry, diabetes, LGBTQIA+ challenges, diversity, dentistry, and general support of healthier lifestyles.

As we emerge from the pandemic and begin to return to a new normal, this journal will continue to look forward with excitement and enthusiasm to bring you new features on topics that will enable you to provide better care for your patients, and set the stage for continued evolution of health care. As Telemedicine and e-Health enters its 30th year, the journal will address the future of telemedicine and telehealth with in-depth editorials on potential and emerging efforts on the pandemic, education, monitoring, communications, m-health, u-health, empowerment, and legislative reform on an international scale. In addition, this year will invite more articles on promising technology and tactics to stimulate our readers to ever more creative applications.

I encourage you to submit your article, recommend a subscription to your library, and sign up for e-mail alerts. Thank you for your continued support and please be safe!