For decades, the ACR has promoted outstanding scholarship in the field of rheumatology, including the publication of Arthritis & Rheumatism (A&R). A&R has been the leading journal in the field and, in recent years, has had Arthritis Care & Research (AC&R) as a section. Because of the enormous growth in rheumatology and changes in the publication landscape, we will begin an exciting new chapter of our publishing history with the establishment of AC&R as an independent journal.
Humble Beginnings
Originally, AC&R was a publication of the Arthritis Health Professions Association (AHPA), a division of the Arthritis Foundation, and focused on social, economic, and educational aspects of care, with a strong emphasis on outcomes research. In 1994, the AHPA became a division of the ACR and changed its name to the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP). The ACR assumed publication of AC&R and the journal became an important aspect of the activities of the ARHP. AC&R published outstanding scholarship and, in 2001, to advance its development, the ACR made AC&R a section of A&R. This innovation had many advantages, including an increase in impact factor, incorporation into citation indices, and greater visibility and dissemination.
Since that time, AC&R has been a premiere peer-reviewed publication for a diverse array of health professionals interested in the rheumatic disorders. As a section of A&R, AC&R publishes original articles concerning clinical problems and research relevant to the care of rheumatic disorders, as well as high-quality articles that analyze economic, educational, and social issues. The subjects of AC&R are very broad and often overlap with that of A&R, although A&R continues to be the major venue for the publication for fundamental research on disease mechanisms. Reflecting the breadth of scholarship represented in AC&R, the editorial board of AC&R is large and diverse and comprises medical and health professionals from a host of disciplines. This diversity of talent and interests has led to the encouragement and acceptance of submissions from an array of topic areas and has produced AC&R’s widely read themed issues.
AC&R’s sustained growth has confirmed the hopes of its editorial board and the ACR’s Committee on Journal Publications that one day the section would be strong enough to separate from A&R and become ACR’s second independent journal publication. That time has come.
Building on its history, AC&R has distinguished itself among top-tier rheumatology publications and remains an important journal for publication of articles by members of the ARHP. The ARHP has grown rapidly as a result of the changes in delivery of rheumatology care as well as growth in scholarship in new areas pursued by ARHP members. In recent years, AC&R has thrived and grown steadily in prestige— and literally in size: from its original six issues to 12 issues annually in 2008. Despite the competitive nature of the publishing industry, and medical journals in particular, this section developed a strong presence, and garnered respect among its readership and competitors. AC&R’s sustained growth as a section of A&R has confirmed the hopes of its editorial board and the ACR’s Committee on Journal Publications that one day the section would be strong enough to separate from A&R and be offered as the ACR’s second independent journal publication. That time has come.
AC&R has successfully set itself apart from A&R by establishing a unique identity through the inclusion of content on healthcare policy and articles of interest to healthcare professionals; AC&R receives more than enough high-quality submissions to warrant its autonomy. A complement to the strength of its articles is the power and reach of AC&R’s identity. It was from this position of strength that the decision was made to separate AC&R and A&R, and to promote AC&R from a section to a journal. In this separation, we will strengthen each publication and allow both to grow optimally. The ACR will maintain its position as the owner of the top rheumatology journals, as well as the greatest share of the rheumatology readership, both national and international.
Looking Ahead
While certain organizational aspects of the journals are changing, what will not change is the way our readers will receive their copies of AC&R and A&R. The journals will continue to arrive as they have in the past and readers should not expect any major changes in the content, submission requirements, or review procedures as a result of AC&R’s promotion to become an independent journal, separate from A&R. Indeed, we believe the establishment of AC&R as an independent journal will allow participation from a greater number of investigators and will allow AC&R to continue to publish the pertinent and timely research for which it has become known.
As we work toward having two of the strongest, most recognized, and best-respected journals in rheumatology, the ACR will also benefit from having two impact factors and two avenues for submission based on the topic area for which an article is best suited. We look forward to a new and exciting time in the history of the journals of ACR.
Dr. Gabriel is president of the ACR. Contact her via e-mail at [email protected].
