Associate Editor – Mental Health Services needed for Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare

The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare aims to publish research in healthcare areas delivered by practitioners of all disciplines. This includes studies and reviews conducted by multidisciplinary teams (involving several academic or professional specializations) as well as research that evaluates or reports on the conduct and functionality of such teams and healthcare processes. The journal covers a very wide range of therapeutic and practice areas and we welcome submissions from healthcare providers representing all specialties across the world, who collaborate using an interdisciplinary approach. As these research fields are pivotal across all matters of human health, the journal seeks to highlight crucial and quality research from experts that can be reflected in clinical and practical application across a variety of healthcare settings. Specific Topics Covered by the Journal Include: Healthcare Delivery and Systems

• The effectiveness and challenges of multidisciplinary teams in patient care
• Integration of electronic health records: benefits, barriers, and impact on care coordination
• Patient safety, quality improvement, and the role of multidisciplinary approaches
• The impact of telemedicine and digital health tools on multidisciplinary care delivery

Chronic Disease Management

• Multidisciplinary approaches to managing diabetes, heart failure, COPD, and other chronic conditions
• Personalized exercise and rehabilitation programs for long COVID and other chronic illnesses
• The role of pharmacists, nurses, and allied health professionals in chronic disease management

Mental Health and Behavioral Health

• Collaborative care models for depression, anxiety, and severe mental illness
• The intersection of mental health and chronic physical illness: multidisciplinary strategies
• The role of sleep quality in overall health and multidisciplinary interventions for sleep disorders

Aging, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care

• Multidisciplinary management of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• Frailty, falls, and polypharmacy in older adults: team-based approaches
• Palliative and end-of-life care: integrating medical, nursing, and psychosocial perspectives

Rehabilitation and Disability

• Interdisciplinary rehabilitation after stroke, traumatic brain injury, or orthopedic surgery
• Occupational therapy and physical therapy collaboration in chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders

Public Health and Health Equity

• Addressing health disparities and social determinants of health through multidisciplinary interventions
• Community-based approaches to vaccination uptake and preventive care
• Climate change and health: multidisciplinary strategies for adaptation and mitigation

Technology and Innovation

• The use of artificial intelligence in multidisciplinary clinical decision-making
• Digital tools and mobile health applications in chronic disease self-management
• Bioethics and the implementation of new technologies in patient care

Professional Roles and Collaboration

• Defining and optimizing roles within multidisciplinary teams
• Communication strategies and boundary work among healthcare professionals
• Training and education for effective multidisciplinary practice

Patient Experience and Engagement

• Patient-centered care models and shared decision-making in multidisciplinary settings
• The impact of hospitality, violence, and trust on the doctor-patient relationship.

Conditions Covered Include: Chronic and Complex Diseases

• Diabetes mellitus (including management of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and mental health disorders)
• Cancer (all types, focusing on multidisciplinary team approaches in diagnosis, treatment planning, and survivorship)
• Chronic pain syndromes (e.g., cancer pain, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain)
• Heart failure and other complex cardiovascular diseases
• COPD and other chronic respiratory illnesses

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

• Dementia and related cognitive disorders (e.g., AD, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia)
• Stroke rehabilitation and recovery
• Severe mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) and their physical health comorbidities
• Depression and anxiety disorders, especially when co-occurring with chronic physical illnesses
• Autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities

Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation Conditions

• Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (including interdisciplinary management with rheumatologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists)
• Post-surgical rehabilitation (e.g., after joint replacement or spinal surgery)
• Traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury

Pediatric and Developmental Disorders

• Cerebral palsy and other childhood disabilities
• Complex congenital disorders requiring ongoing, coordinated care

Geriatric Syndromes

• Multimorbidity and polypharmacy in older adults
• Falls and frailty management
• Palliative and end-of-life care

Other Key Areas

• Infectious diseases requiring multidisciplinary input (e.g., HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria)
• Eating disorders (involving medical, psychological, and nutritional management)
• Substance use disorders and addiction medicine
• Long COVID and post-acute sequelae of infectious diseases
• Rare diseases and undiagnosed conditions requiring coordinated diagnostic efforts.

Rationale for Selection: These diagnoses are characterized by -

• The need for input from multiple specialties (e.g., medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, rehabilitation, nutrition)
• Complexity in management, often involving both physical and mental health considerations
• The importance of care coordination to improve outcomes and reduce fragmentation.

Covering these diagnoses aligns with the journal’s mission to highlight research and practice that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries, ultimately improving patient care through integrated, team-based approaches. The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare is published as an open-access journal to allow practical, patient relevant research to be available to practitioners who can access and use it immediately upon publication. In line with the multidisciplinary nature of the journal, authors are recommended to include a statement in the Discussion Section of their manuscripts. The statement should specify that findings of the study are applicable to healthcare provided by at least two disciplines. The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare will not consider meta-analyses, case reports, public database studies, bibliometric studies or mendelian randomization studies for publication. When considering submission of a paper utilizing publicly available data (e.g. SEER/GWAS/TCGA/GEO etc.), authors should ensure that such studies add significantly to the body of knowledge of the journal and they are validated using the author’s own data through replication in an independent sample set and functional follow-up. Bioinformatics studies should also conform to these criteria. Case reports/series submitted to the Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare will be diverted to the International Medical Case Reports Journal.