- Email: [email protected]
And On We Go To the Next 25 Years
EDITORIAL
And On We Go To the Next 25 Years It is hard to believe that the Journal of Hand Therapy is now older than some of its readers. Today the JHT is incontrovertibly the flagship, go-to, international journal in hand rehabilitation, but it was not always this way. Twenty-five years ago some incredible people slugged their way through some amazing circumstances to birth the infant JHT. Here is that story. By 1987, hand therapy and the ASHT were well established, but had no recognized published voice. Chief among those who felt it was time for such a voice was Evelyn Mackin, PT. As one of the six original founders and early President of the ASHT, she went to the ASHT leadership with the novel idea that the time was ripe for a peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to hand therapy. Although that leadership shared her enthusiasm for such a publication, the ASHT was not in a financial position to underwrite an unproven business venture. The trademark Mackin spirit, however, was not going to be so easily denied. Living in Philadelphia, a center for the publishing industry, Evelyn reached out to a small medical publishing house, Hanley & Belfus, located several blocks from the Philadelphia Hand Center. There she was successful in convincing Jack Hanley that the idea of a hand therapy journal was viable, no small task given the financial risks of a start up, small-niche professional journal. She explained that the ASHT supported the concept, in principal, but not financially. Jack Hanley asked if Evelyn would serve as Editor-inChief and if the ASHT would agree to be its sponsor if in return Hanley & Belfus was willing to take all the risk and would hold the exclusive copyright. All parties agreed, and the Journal of Hand Therapy, the official journal of the ASHT, was fledged
Correspondence and reprint requests to Paul C. LaStayo; e-mail:. doi:10.1016/j.jht.2011.10.003
with its first issue, JHT Vol 1 #1, in December 1987. Ros Evans, OTR, and Jim Hunter, MD, published their first paper on trigger finger in that maiden issue. Unknown to the public were the early struggles to attract an adequate number of acceptably written scientific submissions to sustain the nascent journal. After all, the hand therapy community was inexperienced at research and scientific writing. More than once Jack Hanley, an old hand in the medical publication business, served as a ghostwriter for therapists who had good clinical ideas, but no idea how to present them in writing. In time, once Evelyn recruited a core group to serve on an editorial board, submissions improved in quality and quantity. In the early years, in fact for the first ten years, the average number of published papers was four per quarterly issue. All the processing, from submission to peer review to revisions to acceptance to eventual publication, was conducted by hand and through snail mail. Evelyn managed to get permission from the Philadelphia Hand Center to allow her office to double as the de facto editorial headquarters of the JHT. Everyone pitched in, from Assistant Editor Anne Callahan to dedicated secretaries and volunteers such as Dorothy Kauffman. Ev was a master at recruiting talent and delegating responsibility. By 1989, one of the four quarterly issues was dedicated to a single clinical topic and called The Special Issue. The first was guest edited by Ros Evans and entitled ‘‘Management of the Healing Tendon.’’ This year’s special issue, slated for issue #2 in 2012, is the 24th consecutive special issue and Ros again will be providing a state of the art update on tendon rehabilitation. By 1991, another popular feature was added, The Practice Forum, first edited by Jim King, OTR, CHT. Later Trish Byron, OTR, CHT, Peggy Fillion, OTR, CHT, and Victoria Priganc, OTR, PhD, CHT, would edit the Practice Forum. For many readers,
these papers remain the most popular section of the JHT along with the Read for Credit quizzes launched in 2005. Clinical Commentaries, spearheaded by Sue Michlovitz, PT, PhD, CHT, began in 2007 were designed to serve as another level of peer review with a focus on the clinical take-home points. In 1993, the first International Issue came out, and featured articles such as the one by Paul Brand, MD, entitled ‘‘Biomechanics of Balance in the Hand.’’ The dedicated international issue is no longer required as approximately ½ of all submissions stem from authors outside the United States and each JHT volume includes papers from over 25 countries. By the mid 1990s, Linda Belfus of Hanley & Belfus had assumed the position of owner and Executive Publisher of the JHT. Both Linda and Evelyn worked tirelessly to see the JHT incorporated into the National Library of Medicine and in 1993, Index Medicus recognized the JHT, a rare feat for such a young, highly specialized journal. To this day, of all her accomplishments, and they are legion, Evelyn considers the journal and its listing in PubMed as her finest hour. By 1997, Evelyn had accomplished her goals for the journal and was ready, indeed anxious, to turn over the reins of the editorship. Her long time assistant, Anne Callahan was at the ready. Sadly Anne was forced to withdraw for medical reasons. Evelyn stayed on for additional duty until a new editor could be found. Another Philadelphian, Ken Flowers, PT, CHT, was named as Editor-inChief in 1998. Ken inherited all of Ev’s hand written records, and there were many, but decided it was time to learn about this new fangled toy, the computer, and the phenomenon of e-mail. Soon the process of manuscript submission, review, acceptance, and publication was transformed to an electronic one, saving many trees, and allowing the JHT editorial office to move to San Francisco. Published
JanuaryeMarch 2012
1
articles slowly grew, averaging six per issue. In 2003, H&B was absorbed into the largest international medical publishing house of Elsevier, and Chris Baumle became the Executive Publisher. A post he holds today. Under Chris’ leadership, the editor’s position gained complete autonomy, and although the JHT remained the official journal of the ASHT, the editor was no longer employed by the ASHT. By 2007 Ken, secure in the assurance that the journal was safely in the hands of Elsevier, completed his tenure as editor. Paul LaStayo, PT, PhD, CHT, was chosen to be the third Editor-in-Chief of the JHT. Paul was
2
JOURNAL OF HAND THERAPY
charged with the task of transitioning the submission/review process beyond e-mail to a fully online process. Mission accomplished in about six months. Since then submissions and published articles have increased twofold. Before wrapping up this retrospective of the history of the Journal of Hand Therapy two contributors need further recognition. The first includes those who oversee production. There have been, and continue to be, many behind the scenes production-people who perform magic when formatting the journal. Jill Shepherd has been serving brilliantly in this capacity since 2005. The second is the dedicated, largely anonymous suite of individuals who
have shepherded the journal over the years, the Editorial Board Members and those individuals who serve as ad hoc peer reviewers. The Editor-inChief has the ultimate responsibility for decisions and administration, but these individuals do the day-to-day heavy lifting required of peer review. To paraphrase our founder, Evelyn Mackin, once more, the EBM and those who perform peer review are the ‘‘life’s blood of the journal.’’ And on we go to the next 25 years. Ken Flowers, PT, CHT Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Paul C. LaStayo, PT, PhD, CHT Editor-in-Chief
And On We Go To the Next 25 Years It is hard to believe that the Journal of Hand Therapy is now older than some of its readers. Today the JHT is incontrovertibly the flagship, go-to, international journal in hand rehabilitation, but it was not always this way. Twenty-five years ago some incredible people slugged their way through some amazing circumstances to birth the infant JHT. Here is that story. By 1987, hand therapy and the ASHT were well established, but had no recognized published voice. Chief among those who felt it was time for such a voice was Evelyn Mackin, PT. As one of the six original founders and early President of the ASHT, she went to the ASHT leadership with the novel idea that the time was ripe for a peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to hand therapy. Although that leadership shared her enthusiasm for such a publication, the ASHT was not in a financial position to underwrite an unproven business venture. The trademark Mackin spirit, however, was not going to be so easily denied. Living in Philadelphia, a center for the publishing industry, Evelyn reached out to a small medical publishing house, Hanley & Belfus, located several blocks from the Philadelphia Hand Center. There she was successful in convincing Jack Hanley that the idea of a hand therapy journal was viable, no small task given the financial risks of a start up, small-niche professional journal. She explained that the ASHT supported the concept, in principal, but not financially. Jack Hanley asked if Evelyn would serve as Editor-inChief and if the ASHT would agree to be its sponsor if in return Hanley & Belfus was willing to take all the risk and would hold the exclusive copyright. All parties agreed, and the Journal of Hand Therapy, the official journal of the ASHT, was fledged
Correspondence and reprint requests to Paul C. LaStayo; e-mail:
with its first issue, JHT Vol 1 #1, in December 1987. Ros Evans, OTR, and Jim Hunter, MD, published their first paper on trigger finger in that maiden issue. Unknown to the public were the early struggles to attract an adequate number of acceptably written scientific submissions to sustain the nascent journal. After all, the hand therapy community was inexperienced at research and scientific writing. More than once Jack Hanley, an old hand in the medical publication business, served as a ghostwriter for therapists who had good clinical ideas, but no idea how to present them in writing. In time, once Evelyn recruited a core group to serve on an editorial board, submissions improved in quality and quantity. In the early years, in fact for the first ten years, the average number of published papers was four per quarterly issue. All the processing, from submission to peer review to revisions to acceptance to eventual publication, was conducted by hand and through snail mail. Evelyn managed to get permission from the Philadelphia Hand Center to allow her office to double as the de facto editorial headquarters of the JHT. Everyone pitched in, from Assistant Editor Anne Callahan to dedicated secretaries and volunteers such as Dorothy Kauffman. Ev was a master at recruiting talent and delegating responsibility. By 1989, one of the four quarterly issues was dedicated to a single clinical topic and called The Special Issue. The first was guest edited by Ros Evans and entitled ‘‘Management of the Healing Tendon.’’ This year’s special issue, slated for issue #2 in 2012, is the 24th consecutive special issue and Ros again will be providing a state of the art update on tendon rehabilitation. By 1991, another popular feature was added, The Practice Forum, first edited by Jim King, OTR, CHT. Later Trish Byron, OTR, CHT, Peggy Fillion, OTR, CHT, and Victoria Priganc, OTR, PhD, CHT, would edit the Practice Forum. For many readers,
these papers remain the most popular section of the JHT along with the Read for Credit quizzes launched in 2005. Clinical Commentaries, spearheaded by Sue Michlovitz, PT, PhD, CHT, began in 2007 were designed to serve as another level of peer review with a focus on the clinical take-home points. In 1993, the first International Issue came out, and featured articles such as the one by Paul Brand, MD, entitled ‘‘Biomechanics of Balance in the Hand.’’ The dedicated international issue is no longer required as approximately ½ of all submissions stem from authors outside the United States and each JHT volume includes papers from over 25 countries. By the mid 1990s, Linda Belfus of Hanley & Belfus had assumed the position of owner and Executive Publisher of the JHT. Both Linda and Evelyn worked tirelessly to see the JHT incorporated into the National Library of Medicine and in 1993, Index Medicus recognized the JHT, a rare feat for such a young, highly specialized journal. To this day, of all her accomplishments, and they are legion, Evelyn considers the journal and its listing in PubMed as her finest hour. By 1997, Evelyn had accomplished her goals for the journal and was ready, indeed anxious, to turn over the reins of the editorship. Her long time assistant, Anne Callahan was at the ready. Sadly Anne was forced to withdraw for medical reasons. Evelyn stayed on for additional duty until a new editor could be found. Another Philadelphian, Ken Flowers, PT, CHT, was named as Editor-inChief in 1998. Ken inherited all of Ev’s hand written records, and there were many, but decided it was time to learn about this new fangled toy, the computer, and the phenomenon of e-mail. Soon the process of manuscript submission, review, acceptance, and publication was transformed to an electronic one, saving many trees, and allowing the JHT editorial office to move to San Francisco. Published
JanuaryeMarch 2012
1
articles slowly grew, averaging six per issue. In 2003, H&B was absorbed into the largest international medical publishing house of Elsevier, and Chris Baumle became the Executive Publisher. A post he holds today. Under Chris’ leadership, the editor’s position gained complete autonomy, and although the JHT remained the official journal of the ASHT, the editor was no longer employed by the ASHT. By 2007 Ken, secure in the assurance that the journal was safely in the hands of Elsevier, completed his tenure as editor. Paul LaStayo, PT, PhD, CHT, was chosen to be the third Editor-in-Chief of the JHT. Paul was
2
JOURNAL OF HAND THERAPY
charged with the task of transitioning the submission/review process beyond e-mail to a fully online process. Mission accomplished in about six months. Since then submissions and published articles have increased twofold. Before wrapping up this retrospective of the history of the Journal of Hand Therapy two contributors need further recognition. The first includes those who oversee production. There have been, and continue to be, many behind the scenes production-people who perform magic when formatting the journal. Jill Shepherd has been serving brilliantly in this capacity since 2005. The second is the dedicated, largely anonymous suite of individuals who
have shepherded the journal over the years, the Editorial Board Members and those individuals who serve as ad hoc peer reviewers. The Editor-inChief has the ultimate responsibility for decisions and administration, but these individuals do the day-to-day heavy lifting required of peer review. To paraphrase our founder, Evelyn Mackin, once more, the EBM and those who perform peer review are the ‘‘life’s blood of the journal.’’ And on we go to the next 25 years. Ken Flowers, PT, CHT Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Paul C. LaStayo, PT, PhD, CHT Editor-in-Chief