Looking Back While Looking Ahead

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Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of Wounds or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.

For many of us, December is often a time for celebration and cheer. It is also a time for reflection, and as I reflect upon this past year as Editor-in-Chief of Wounds, I personally have greatly benefitted from reading the entirety of this Journal for the 2024 publication year. I have been privileged to add my input and comments into articles to hopefully enhance their readability and relevance. As a result, I have learned a great deal from the manuscripts submitted. 

This year has marked a year of growth for the Journal. In part, some of the publication process was made smoother, owing to the fully digital nature of the publication. Although there was some concern early on about the move to an online-only presence, we have adapted to include additional educational content that complements the articles and topics covered by Wounds. For 2024, there has been a 20% increase in overall submissions, with a heavier emphasis on Original Research manuscripts, in comparison to the previous year. Additionally, the number of articles the Journal has published in 2024 outperformed the prior year as well. Even with this growth, the average time from submission to first decision in peer review has remained 8 weeks, and the time from acceptance to publication and indexing in MEDLINE/PubMed has stayed consistent at 60 days. This speaks to the dedication of our reviewers and the hard work of the editorial staff. 

Also new to the Journal this past year was our relationship with the Wound Care Collaborative Community (WCCC). Pieces earlier this year highlighted work done by the nonpartisan WCCC as to the utility and future expansion of imaging diagnostics, while an article in this issue outlines the exhaustive work the WCCC has done in evaluating the level of real-world evidence that is available to the wound care practitioner and the current impediments to obtaining such evidence. In order to facilitate manuscript submissions focusing on real-world evidence for these types of groups, the Journal created a real-world evidence article category for publishing these data. In the coming year, we look forward to many more submissions from the various working groups of the WCCC. 

We will also see increased publication of proceedings and panel discussions. The first of these will occur in April with the publication of proceedings focused on acquired microbial resistance. Further proceedings around the role of debridement and the treatment of hidradenitis suppurative will be published later in the year. These proceedings represent a significant amount of time on the part of the panelists and the editorial staff. I, for one, certainly look forward to reading these comprehensive works. 

While we look ahead to the new year and next chapter, we also want to recognize and appreciate the members of our esteemed editorial boards as well as those involved in peer reviewing manuscripts submitted to Wounds. Without the expertise and guidance of these individuals, the Journal would not be able to produce such high-quality articles. 

In closing, I hope you think the Journal has enhanced your knowledge in the past year. I think the upcoming year will provide us with even more knowledge in both clinical care and how we can best provide that care. I would like to personally thank the editorial staff, the reviewers, the publisher, and, most notably and importantly, the readers for making this Journal possible.