Aims and Scope
Management Strategies in Health System Journal (MSHSJ) has been continuously published since 2016 and is quarterly published by the Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. The aim of the journal is to publish the latest findings in the fields of health management, health economics, and health policy to develop their application in health system improvement. In addition, this journal tries to upgrade the scientific level of professors, researchers, and students within the health scope through timely dissemination of research achievements.
MSHSJ accepts the following research types:
- Original research
- Review research
- Book review
- Short communication
- Letter to the editor
- Policy brief
MSHSJ will consider manuscripts in the following fields:
- Management of Health Care Institutions
- Health Policy-Making and Analysis of Health Policy
- Health Economics
- Health Care Resource Management
- Evaluation and Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions
- Health and Development
- Health Technology Assessment
- Futures in Health
- Health Care Marketing
- Health Management in Disasters and Emergencies
- Case Studies in Health
- Comparative Studies in the Field of Health
Please note that this journal only publishes the manuscripts in Persian language, except the abstract, which is published in English language.
Legal and Ethical Standards in Publishing Articles
- The journal refuses to accept articles that have been published in domestic or foreign journals, or are under review, and the author(s) must indicate in their declaration that the manuscript has not been submitted simultaneously to another journal or published, and that it will not be submitted to another journal until a final response is received.
- Publishing the articles presented in conferences as a lecture, poster, or published in the articles' abstracts are permissible, but the conference exact date and specifications should be cited exactly.
- All authors should be informed about the manuscript's submission and the form of the submission should include all authors' signatures.
- The legal responsibility of not mentioning all authors’ first names or family names goes to the corresponding author.
- Authors are responsible for the correctness and accuracy of the manuscript content, order of authors’ names according to their cooperation, responding to the providers of the research financial resources if their names are not mentioned in the title page and responding to any legal claims for the author’s copyright or content.
- The journal has no responsibilities for disputes among the authors, and the authors’ disputes against other organizations.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
Ethical approval
Approval of the ethical committee should be mentioned in the manuscript content and also sent to the journal office. For policy briefs and review articles based solely on published evidence, official documents or publicly available data, without direct human participation, a statement to this effect in the Ethical Considerations section is sufficient; if primary data (e.g., interviews or questionnaires) are used, ethics approval is mandatory.
Informed consent
Authors should ensure that an informed consent was obtained from all participants before conducting survey, or, if participants are unable to provide it, informed consent should be obtained from their legal guardian.
Acknowledgements
- People and organizations that were not directly involved in the research can be appreciated.
- Include all the individuals who contributed in the study materially or spiritually (any kind of help).
- It is necessary to briefly mention the cause of appreciating people and the role they played.
Conditions of Authorship
- Significant Contribution
Authors must have made substantial contributions to the research, data collection, analysis of results, and manuscript writing. Key responsibilities and impactful roles in each stage of the research project should be undertaken by the authors
- Responsibility of Authors
Each author must take full responsibility for the content and accuracy of the manuscript. This includes ensuring the correctness of data, results, and analyses, and approving the final version of the manuscript before submission to the publisher.
- Joint Decision-Making.
All authors should agree on key decisions related to the research, including the choice of journal for submission, acceptance, and revisions.
Authors' Contribution
In this section, the contribution of each author should be mentioned. However, due to the blind review process, the authors' names should be written in abbreviations; the first letters of the first and family names should be written, such as S. A.
- Study design:
- Data collection:
- Data analysis:
- Manuscript's composition and edit:
Financial Support
- In the case of financial support for the research, should be mentioned the name of supporting organization or institute and grant numbers should be completed.
- If there was no support for the research, please write “Not Applicable”
Confidentiality
Confidentiality in the context of academic publishing refers to the protection of sensitive information during the review and publication process. Here are key aspects of confidentiality:
- Confidential Handling of Manuscripts: Manuscripts and any associated data must be kept confidential throughout the review process. This means that only authorized individuals (e.g., reviewers, editorial staff) should have access to the manuscript.
- Reviewer Confidentiality: Reviewers should not disclose any details of the manuscript or its content to anyone outside the review process. They must also not use information from the manuscript for personal gain or to benefit their own research.
- Editorial Confidentiality: Editors should handle all manuscript-related information discreetly. They should not share information about the manuscript or its status with anyone not directly involved in the review process.
- Data Protection: Any personal data related to the authors, reviewers, or the manuscript should be securely stored and handled in accordance with data protection regulations.
- Post-Publication Confidentiality: Even after publication, confidential aspects of the review process, such as reviewer identities (in double-blind reviews), should remain confidential unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Competing Interests
- The author(s) should state all of the affiliations that may be considered as competing interests and report any financial and non-financial supports as well as the possible competing interests.
- Should be noted that journal will have the right to make any decision about the manuscript that do not mention the conflicts and will not be responsive to the authors and supporters’ conflicts and complaints on this subject.
- If there is no Competing Interests, please state "The authors have declared that there is no competing interests."
- Given the recommendation-oriented nature of policy briefs, authors must disclose any organizational, financial or executive affiliations related to the policies or options discussed.
Conflict of Interest for the Publisher
The publisher does not benefit financially from the publication of articles. Additionally, the publisher does not exert commercial pressure on reviewers to accept specific articles.
Conflict of Interest for Reviewers
- If a reviewer has professional or personal relationships with the authors of a manuscript, they should report this to the Journal.
Author Misconduct
It refers to unethical or dishonest behavior by authors in the process of writing and publishing academic or professional work.
Plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification are considered as the author misconducts in this journal.
In general, if there are instances of author misconduct, we will address them in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.
Plagiarism
- The manuscripts' contents should not be copied from other studies. The authors should mention their resources in the case of using a part of another research or ideas of another researcher.
- We use standard and reliable plagiarism detection software to evaluate all submitted manuscripts after submission and before publication.
Fabrication
Fabrication is defined as making up data, results and reporting them.
Falsification
It is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes or changing or omitting data or results that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
Journal policy for each of them: The manuscript will be forwarded to the university's ethics committee, which will make a final decision based on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) rules.
Ethics in Human and Animal Research
This journal does not consider any research that does not adhere to ethical standards regarding human and animal subjects. All studies involving human participants must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics review board and must ensure that informed consent is obtained from all participants. Research involving animals must comply with relevant regulations and guidelines to ensure humane treatment and welfare. Any research submitted to this journal must include a statement confirming adherence to these ethical standards.
To adhere to international ethical standards, research must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. For more information and to ensure compliance with ethical principles, please refer to the Declaration of Helsinki.
Committee on Publication Ethics
MSHSJ still is not a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), but we are committed to implementing the principles of it. We are trying to be a member in the future. Please follow the guidelines of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), for information on this matter in publishing and ethical guidelines please visit COPE.
Open Access Policy
The journal is committed to providing its scientific content through open access, meaning that all articles published in the journal are freely available to readers without the need for a subscription or payment.
Fee
The journal does not charge any fees for publishing articles. Additionally, Loading, submission, and access to all published articles are completely free of charge.
Preprints
The journal allows the acceptance of articles that have been published as preprints. This means that researchers can publish their article as a preprint and then submit the final version to the journal.
Guidelines for Selecting Editor(S)
When selecting editors for the journal, several criteria are considered to ensure they are qualified and capable of maintaining the journal's standards.
- Expertise in the Field: Editors should have substantial expertise and experience in the specific field or subject area of the journal.
- Editorial Experience: Previous experience in editorial roles is valuable.
- Commitment to Quality: Editors should demonstrate a commitment to maintaining high standards of academic quality and integrity.
- Availability and Responsiveness: Editors should be available to manage the review process efficiently and respond to inquiries in a timely manner
- Ethical Standards: Editors should adhere to high ethical standards and best practices in academic publishing.
Peer-Review Procedure
- Initial Screening by the Journal Office: After the manuscript is submitted, the journal office conducts an initial screening to ensure that the manuscript complies with the journal's policies and guidelines.
- Sending to a Reviewer: If the manuscript aligns with the journal's policies, it will be sent confidentially to two or three referees for evaluation. These referees will not be members of the journal’s editorial board and will not know the authors’ identities. Reviewers will provide comments in 2 weeks.
- Reviewers should have substantial expertise and experience in the relevant field of study. They should possess the knowledge necessary to critically evaluate the manuscript’s methodology, data analysis, and conclusions.
- Reviewers must be impartial. They should evaluate the manuscript based on its scientific merit and not be influenced by personal biases, relationships, or conflicts of interest
- Reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality regarding the manuscript and its content. They should not share or discuss the manuscript with anyone outside the review process or use the information for personal gain or to benefit their own research.
- Reviewers are expected to complete their evaluations in a timely manner to facilitate the efficient processing of manuscripts.
- Reviewers have the responsibility to evaluate the manuscript thoroughly and provide an unbiased assessment.
- Sending Reviewer Comments to the Corresponding Author: After the review process is completed, the reviewer's comments are sent to the corresponding author. The corresponding author is responsible for making the necessary revisions in one week.
- The average time of manuscript revision to Final admission is 4 to 6 months (Review Process of Manuscript).
Complaints Procedures
We hope no complaints will be made. If it happens, we will try to put it on the agenda immediately. The complainant must be aware that the matter cannot be investigated unless the corresponding author or author and possibly the institution or company at which the research took place is informed about the complaint. Finally, we follow the COPE guidelines.
How to Make a Complaint
- The best way to contact us is by email. Complaints should clearly contain the topic, person, or event related to the MSHSJ.
- Whenever possible, complaints will be processed by the relevant member of the editorial board. If that person cannot deal with the complaint, it will be referred to the editorial board of MSHSJ.
- Complaints that are not under the control of the MSHSJ's editorial board will be sent to Shahid Sadoughi University Research Ethics Committee.
- If possible, a full response will be made within about four weeks. If this is not possible, an interim response will be given within four weeks.
Copyright
All articles published in MSHSJ are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution -NonCommercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 International Public License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
Retraction, withdrawal, Correction, and Corrigendum Policies
A retraction occurs when an article has fundamental issues such as serious scientific errors, research misconduct (such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical violations) that undermine the validity of the article. In this case, the article is retracted from the journal (COPE).
A withdrawal occurs when an article is removed before its final publication in the journal, either by the authors or the editors. This usually happens for reasons similar to those leading to a retraction, but before the article is officially published.
If the errors in the article are significant enough to potentially affect the interpretation or credibility of the results but do not warrant a retraction, the journal will issue a correction.
A corrigendum is issued when a mistake is identified in a published article, which may be reported by the authors, editors, or even readers. This mistake is usually minor and does not significantly affect the conclusions of the article.
In general, the journal adheres to COPE flowchart for each of them.
Submit an Appeal
The journal's policy regarding Submit an Appeal allows authors to request a reconsideration if their manuscript is rejected or if they believe there were errors in the review or evaluation process. The process is as follows:
1. Submitting an Appeal:
Authors may submit an appeal after receiving the journal's final decision. This appeal must be in writing and accompanied by specific reasons and supporting evidence. The appeal should include explanations as to why the authors believe their Manuscript was unfairly rejected or that there were issues with the review process.
2. Review of the Appeal by the Editor:
The journal's editor will review the appeal. At this stage, the editor may reassess the reviewers' comments or assign the manuscript to new reviewers for evaluation. The editor may also request additional explanations and supporting documentation from the authors.
3. Final Decision:
After reviewing the appeal, the editor will make a final decision and communicate it to the corresponding author. The decision could be to uphold the initial rejection, to have the Manuscript re-reviewed, or to accept the manuscript. The editor's final decision at this stage is conclusive and cannot be contested further.
4. Timing and Compliance:
Authors must submit their appeal within the timeframe specified by the journal (two weeks) and adhere to all related requirements and guidelines. Appeals submitted outside of this framework may not be considered.
Author Order Correction Process
Regarding the process for correcting the author order, any changes to the list of authors after the submission of the manuscript must be made with the agreement of all authors, and the reasons for the changes should be clearly explained. Requests for changes should be formally submitted to the journal editor, and necessary documentation to justify the changes must be attached.
Data Sharing Policy
The journal encourages authors to share raw data upon reasonable request.
Artificial Intelligence Policy
If artificial intelligence tools were used for writing or editing the manuscript, authors must transparently disclose this in the manuscript.
Archiving Policy
Archiving policy refers to the management and long-term preservation of published scientific articles and associated data. These policies are crucial for maintaining permanent access to articles and ensuring the retrieval of information in the future.
The journal maintains articles digitally, and access to them is open.
Google Scholar
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
Index Copernicus
ISC (Islamic World Science Citation Center)
Others
Advertising Policy
The journal does not carry advertising, neither print nor online.
Main Body
- On the first page, includes type of manuscript, title, names, scientific rank of author (s), affiliations, and ORCID codes of authors and corresponding author.
- Type of manuscript: Original research, Review research, Book review, Short communication, Letter to Editor, and Policy Brief.
- Title: should be clear and reflects the objectives, and must be written without abbreviation. It includes maximum 20 words. For policy briefs, the title should reflect the policy problem.
- Names of authors: * denote corresponding authors.
- The address of the corresponding author: including the exact postal address, e-mail, and telephone numbers.
Original research
Should be set in the following order: Abstract; Keywords; Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion; Conclusion; Ethical Considerations; Acknowledgments; Authors’ Contributions; Funding; Competing Interests; Artificial Intelligence Policy; References.
- Should be no more than 3000 words, without the title page, abstract, references.
- Should contain a structured abstract lower than 300 words and the abstract should include: Background, Methods, Results and Conclusion.
- The number of keywords should be between 3 and 6, and selected based on the MeSH.
Review research
- Systematic review
The structure of systematic review is similar to original research.
- Review
- Should be written in the following order: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Main Features, Conclusion; Acknowledgments; Authors’ Contributions; Funding; Competing Interests; Artificial Intelligence Policy; References.
- Should be no more than 4000 words, without the title page, abstract, references.
- Should contain a structured abstract lower than 300 words and the abstract should include: Objective, Information Resources and Selected Methods for Study, Results, Conclusions, Keywords.
- The number of keywords should be between 3 and 6, and developed based on the MeSH.
Book review
- Should be written in the following order: Title; Body; Conclusion; Artificial Intelligence Policy; References.
- Should be no more than 3500 words.
- Should contain an abstract lower than 125 words.
Short communication
- The structure of a short article is similar to that of an original article, and the word count for a short article is a maximum of 2,000 words.
- The number of references used for short articles should not exceed 15.
Letter to editor
- Should be written with topics of interest to the MSHSJ readership.
- Should be no more than 1000 words.
- These articles should include title, abstract, key words, main text, Artificial Intelligence Policy; and references.
Policy brief
- A policy brief is a concise, evidence-based and decision-oriented paper that analyses a specific health system problem and presents feasible policy options for decision-makers.
- Should be written in the following order: Abstract; Keywords; Problem and Current Situation; Evidence and Existing Policies; Policy Options; Implementation Considerations and Stakeholders; Policy Message and Monitoring; Ethical Considerations; Acknowledgments; Authors’ Contributions; Funding; Competing Interests; Artificial Intelligence Policy; References.
- Should be no more than 1500 words, without the title page, abstract and references.
- Should contain an unstructured abstract of no more than 250 words, summarizing the problem, key evidence, policy options and main message.
- The number of keywords should be between 3 and 6, and selected based on the MeSH.
References
- All articles should have the relevant and up-dated references.
- All the article references should be written in Vancouver format and in English language.
- Authors can refer to Persian guidelines of the journal for the article's arrangements and settings.
Text formatting
General guide to arranging articles
- The text of the article should be typed in Word software in A4 size with 12-point B Nazanin font with a line spacing of 1 cm and a margin of 3 cm from the top and bottom, and 2.5 cm from the left and right. Also, the English text should be typed in 12 Times New Roman font.
- The photos should be in TIF, JPEG or GIF format to have the clearest image in the website version of the article.
- If the Persian equivalent or English Idioms is used, the original words should be defined in parentheses.
- Abbreviations should not be used in the title and abstract of the article.
- In the text of the article, the abbreviations should be presented in full at the first use and in the following cases can be used as abbreviation.
- Names of international authors should be given in the text in Persian.
- Percentage should be written in letters (for example, 29 percentage instead of 29%) and decimal numbers should be presented in Persian, for example, 06/15 and the decimal number should be the same in the whole text of the article, for example, up to 2 digits.
- All numbers in the text, tables and labels in the chart should be in Persian and written in mathematics.
- All tables should be designed in Persian format and language (from right to left) and the table and chart should be white and the chart guide should be on the right side of the chart.
- The quotation mark (ie, quotation mark" ") should be used in Persian,
- Footnotes and subtitles do not use in the text, and the content should be presented in the form of text.
- The author's ORCID should be mentioned after the authors' names and affiliation.
Table setting guide
- The total number of tables should be proportional to the number of article words
- The title of tables and its number should be given at the top, and each one should have a Persian title, clear and complete.
Example: Table 1: Table title (tables should be in the middle of the line)
- Avoid duplication of findings. The contents of tables, etc. should not be repeated in the text.
- All tables should be mentioned in the text
- The format of tables should be like the sample articles on the journal site.
- The text of tables should be B Nazanin font, 10 points.
- At the bottom of tables, the name of test and level of significance should be mentioned as subtitles.
- Tables should be completely clear as their understanding should not depend on reading the full text.
- Table cells should not be empty.
- Abbreviations should be presented in full in the footnote.
- The exact amount of “p-value” (for example, p = 0.01) should be written in the whole article, except for cases where p-value is less than 0.001 (the value of P should be mentioned in the tables (
- Write zero in the tables instead of p > 0.001
- Distance is required before and after mathematical symbols (=> <+ -)
Example (p = 0.01)
- Average and standard deviation in the tables and text should be written as follows, Mean±SD.
Example, 25.04 ± 4.04
General guide to shapes and diagrams
- Graphs must be of high quality and resolution.
- The title of diagrams and its figures should be given below, and each of them should have a Persian title, clear and complete and centered
- Graphs and figures should be perfectly expressive regardless of the text of the article: their understanding should not depend on reading the full text.
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