1. ISSUES RELATED TO PUBLICATION OF health system-based investigations
sSD Fihn MD MPH
Stephan D Fihn MD MPH
Professor of Medicine and Health Services
University of Washington
Deputy Editor, JAMA Network Open

2. What Journal Editors (Really) Want
“Hot” or innovative topics relevant to readership
For general journals this includes effectiveness studies
High likelihood of citation
Strong methodology
Clear and concise writing
Adherence to reporting guidelines, e.g, CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, SQUIRE, etc. (
Measured interpretation of results

3. Increasing attention to lay press & social media

4. Methodologic Issues Registration Statistical testing
Premier journals will not consider unregistered trials
Predefined analyses
Concerns about “data-dredging”
Statistical testing
“p values” as “significant”
increasingly controversial.
Also need to consider:
Sample size
Clinical significance
Effect size

5. Other Issues Other Statistical issues Evolving study designs
Multiple comparisons
Unit of analysis: Pts. vs. sites
Hierarchical clustering
Evolving study designs
Adaptive/pragmatic designs
Adaptive randomization
Generalizability
Single vs. multiple site
Reproducibility
Avoiding unsupported causal inference
Open Access