Society of Hospital Medicine to Launch New Medical Journal; Wiley Selected as Publisher

The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) has announced plans to launch a new peer-reviewed medical journal, The Journal of Hospital Medicine, in 2006 to promote the science and practice of hospital medicine and the enhancement of inpatient care.

In addition, SHM has signed an agreement with global publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. to publish the journal. The agreement represents the second phase of a dual publishing contract between SHM and Wiley following last month’s announcement that Wiley had assumed publishing responsibilities for the Society’s newsletter, The Hospitalist, beginning in January 2005.

The chief objective of the new Journal will be "to publish original, important, well-documented, peer-reviewed articles on a diverse range of hospital medicine topics," according to Laurence Wellikson, M.D., chief executive officer of SHM. In addition, the Journal will provide hospital medicine physicians with continuing education in basic and clinical science to support informed clinical decision-making, better educate all clinical practitioners about the value of and processes inherent in hospital medicine and foster responsible and balanced debate on medical issues or healthcare trends that affect hospital medicine and patient care.

"The journal will also inform readers about non-clinical aspects of hospital medicine and public health, including the political, philosophic, ethical, legal, environmental, economic, historical, and cultural issues surrounding healthcare," said Dr. Wellikson.

"Hospitalists are rapidly changing the way physicians care for hospitalized patients by encouraging working together in teams within the hospital setting," Dr. Wellikson continued. "That makes it imperative for our Society to take a larger education and leadership role by publishing landmark hospitalist research and promoting industry education. Wiley will provide us invaluable expertise at this critical phase of the planning and launch of the journal."

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Society on the launch of the new journal and the ongoing publication of their Hospitalist member newsletter," said Shawn Morton, vice president and publishing director, Medicine, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Currently the SHM produces only the member newsletter, The Hospitalist, which contains the latest in Hospital Medicine research, news and industry issues, along with updates on recent or upcoming Society-sponsored programs, activities and educational opportunities. Launched in 1997, the newsletter is produced six times a year and has been provided free to approximately 10,000 hospitalists in the U.S.

Hospital Medicine is the nation’s fastest growing medical specialty. Hospitalists are physicians whose primary focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. There are at present approximately 12,000 hospitalists nationwide, and this number is projected to more than triple by the end of the decade.

For more information about the Society of Hospital Medicine, the role of hospitalists and The Hospitalist newsletter, please visit www.hospitalmedicine.org.


About the Society of Hospital Medicine
The SHM is the premier medical society representing hospitalists – physicians whose primary professional focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. Hospitalists’ activities include: patient care, research, teaching and leadership related to hospital care. The Society was established in 1997 specifically to support and enhance the practices of hospital doctors and the patients they serve. The SHM serves as the leading resource and voice for hospitalists across the nation.

About John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., provides must-have content and services to customers worldwide. Our core businesses include scientific, technical, and medical journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb. Visit Wiley at www.wiley.com.