Transcript So You Want to be a Medical Writer/Editor?

JUCM: Author Opportunity Forum
Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP, Editor-in-Chief
Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, ELS, Managing Editor
Alan Ayers, MBA, Practice Management Editor
JUCM: Author Opportunity Forum
Upon completion of the course, attendees will be able
to:
1. Define time commitment and steps for authors
submitting clinical review articles
2. Outline the structure and format of all clinical review
articles
3. Define Practice Management submission criteria and
guidelines (including commercial interest)
4. Define the requirements, outline, and time
commitment for case reports and insights in images
5. Discuss topics of interest for all departments and
current pipeline/needs
JUCM: Author Opportunity Forum
• Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, ELS, Managing
Editor
– 10 Steps to publishing in JUCM
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How to suggest topics
How to submit articles
How to use track changes and respond to comments
How to reference and source materials
How to avoid plagiarism
How to find images
JUCM: Author Opportunity Forum
• Lee A. Resnick, MD, Editor-in-Chief
– How to submit clinical articles
• Review articles
• Case reports
• Images
– Topic suggestions
– Article outlines
– Clinical writing pearls
JUCM: Author Opportunity Forum
• Alan Ayers, MBA, Practice Management Editor
– How to submit practice management articles
– Topic suggestions
– Article outlines
– Pearls and pitfalls
10 Steps to Publishing
in JUCM
Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, ELS, Managing Editor
JUCM—The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine
#1 Choose From One of Our JUCMApproved Formats
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Imaging Challenge
Case Report
Clinical Article
Practice Management Article
#2 Select a Topic Relevant
to Urgent Care
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Common presentation in urgent care
Easily missed but frequent diagnosis
Emerging disorder/disease/adverse effect
Unusual presentation of a common diagnosis
Technology, tactic, or business add-on that
helps build practice value
#3 Vet Topic With JUCM’s Editors
• General inquiries to [email protected]
• Clinical topics reviewed by Dr. Resnick
• Practice Management topics reviewed by Alan
Ayers
• Process aimed at ensuring that you don’t
spend time on a topic already in JUCM’s
pipeline
#4 Review JUCM’s Instructions
for Authors
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Limit Word Count to 2,600 to 3,200 words
Respect copyright
Focus on practical information
Cite references for single studies or statements
readers will question, find unusual, or want to
follow up on
• Add graphics and/or high-resolution photos
• Understand that articles are subject to peer
review and editing
#5 Identify Scholarly
Source Material
• Urgent care–specific textbooks
• National guidelines
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic
http://www.guideline.gov
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
• Recent relevant citations in PubMed
#6 Create An Article Outline
• Follow JUCM-provided outline if available
• Introduction (what, why, and challenge)
• Condition overview:
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Medical history and physical exam
Initial treatment
Red flags
Diagnostics
Diagnosis
Medical decision-making
Disposition
Home treatment
Follow-up
• Conclusion (what, why)
#7 Compose Article in MS Word
• Any version of Word acceptable
• Do use track changes to add comments for
JUCM’s editors
• Do use track changes to respond to edits
made by peer reviewers or JUCM’s editors
• Do not use the embedded footnotes feature
How to Use Track Changes
• Turn track changes on by pressing Ctrl+Shift+e
• Turn track changes off by clicking Ctrl+Shift+e
• View redlining and take action
Right click “Accept” and scroll to choose an option
Rick click “Reject” and scroll to choose an option
• Remember to save the document!
A Word About Copyright
• Copyright protects "original works of authorship" that
are fixed in "a tangible form of expression“
• Applies to printed/published material, graphics, photographs,
and Internet postings
• Reuse of copyrighted material without the owner’s
permission (copyright infringement)—even with a reference—
could result in criminal penalties
• Do not copy and paste sentences or paragraphs
• Always seek permission from original source to reuse
previously published/posted tables, photos, graphics
(managing editor has a request template)
How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Plagiarism is “taking over the ideas, methods, or
written words of another, without acknowledgement
and with the intention that they be taken as the work
of the deceiver.”
• Give credit for use of
(American Association of University Professors, Sept/Oct 1989)
 Another person’s idea, opinion, or theory
 Any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of
information—that are not common knowledge
 Quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written
words
 Paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words
(What Is Plagiarism? Montana Department of Labor & Industry; http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/)
Examples of Paraphrasing
Original Sentence from Lizzie Borden:
A Case Book of Family and Crimes in the 1890s
The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the population
were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history.
Unacceptable Paraphrase
The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the population
were three large factors of nineteenth century America.
Acceptable Paraphrase
Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial
cities of the nineteen century. (Williams 1)
Source: (What is Plagiarism? Montana Department of Labor & Industry; http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/)
#8 Create Tables, Graphics, Photos
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Boxes highlighting keys to evaluation
Flow diagrams of medical decision-making
Discharge-planning examples
Photos of clinical presentations/procedures
Tables of red flags and stable vs unstable
Tables of treatment options
See https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/quick-
reference-card-RZ001200716.aspx?section=30&mode=print for
Microsoft Quick Reference Card for creating
tables
Dos and Don’ts For Images
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Do submit photos in JPG or GIF format
Do submit photos with resolution ≥300 dpi
Do not submit photos of photos
Do not submit photos embedded in Word files
(must be individual image files)
• Images original to you are preferred
Source for Potentially Copyright-Free
Images
• Wikimedia Commons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Pa
ge
• Wikimedia Commons “request a picture”:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Common
s:Picture_requests
• Wikimedia information on reuse:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Common
s:Reusing_content_outside_Wikimedia
What to Look for in Wikimedia
Public Domain License
Typical Image Page
#9 Pare Down References for Citation
• Limit to ≤15
• Use to document arguments, theses,
recommendations
• Use to credit work of other authors
• Use to direct readers to other sources
• Use to avoid plagiarism
#10 Cite and Format Specific
References
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At end of sentences
At end of paragraphs
In numerical order in text
In complete reference list
Following AMA style
 Smith J, Jones A, Walker P. Title of the paper. JAMA.
2014;3:1–100.
 Solensky R. Drug allergy. In: Smith J, ed. Allergens. 3rd ed.
New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2004;585-606.
 International Society for Infectious Diseases. ProMED-mail
website. http://www.promedmail.org. Accessed April 29,
2004.
Congratulations! You’re Done.
Submit your article as an
attachment in an e-mail to
[email protected]
Pearls for Submitting Clinical Articles
Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP
Editor-in-Chief
JUCM—The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine
General Pearls
• General Pearls:
Submit topic ideas prior to beginning your work
Review the JUCM app or online for quick look back
at recent topics
Stay organized
Submit an outline for peer review by our clinical
editor
General Pearls
• General Pearls (cont’d):
Stick to the outline provided unless your topic does
not fit
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e.g., procedure articles
Identify a common clinical problem
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What do I struggle with, and what would I want to
know?
The goal is to highlight the keys to evaluation and
management of each clinical challenge
Reference clinical guidelines wherever available
Clinical Review Articles
• These are the lead articles for each issue
• These are more comprehensive than case reports
• These focus on presenting best practices and a
literature review for common presenting
problems in urgent care
• These typically follow the encounter from initial
presentation through discharge
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Identify keys to evaluation and management at each
step of the encounter
Clinical Review Article: Outline
• Introduction to topic
What are you covering?
Why is it relevant to urgent care?
Brief overview of the clinical challenge (always
considering the urgent care setting)
Clinical Review Article: Outline
For each problem or condition, cover the following:
Keys to medical history and physical exam
Red flags
Stable vs unstable (if applicable)
Diagnostics (lab/radiology, etc.)
Medical decision-making/pearls
Diagnosis
Clinical Review Article: Outline
Initial treatment (staying relevant to the urgent
care setting)
Home-going treatment
Prevention (if relevant)
Disposition management/referral
rules/transfer rules
Follow-up (again, relevant to our setting)
Tables and Flow Charts
• Tables and flow diagrams are often useful for
highlighting the following:
Keys to evaluation
Red flags and stable vs unstable
Treatment options
Medical decision-making
Disposition
Risk Management
• Risk management can be woven in
throughout the article where relevant
Identify the risk
Medical liability
o Patient safety
o Medical error
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 Assess the frequency and severity of the risk
Identify what can be done to reduce or eliminate
the risk
Conclusion
• Conclusion/Discussion
Restate the clinical challenge
Review the keys to evaluation and management of
your topic
Summarize the importance relevance to the
urgent care setting
Identify the opportunity for improving clinical
practice
Clinical Review Topics
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Geriatric falls
Weakness and fatigue
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Hypertension (stable vs urgent vs emergency)
Electrolyte disturbances
 Hypo- or hypernatremia
 Hypo- or hyperkalemia
 Others
• Joint pain—the urgent care evaluation
Clinical Review Topics
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Constipation
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Epididymitis/orchitis/prostatitis
Common soft-tissue injuries
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Fishhook
Foreign bodies
Bites (animal, human)
Envenomation (stings, bites: bees, ants, spiders, marine, snakes,
scorpions)
Clinical Review Topics
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Pancreatitis/hepatitis
Burns (chemical, thermal)
Complications of malignancy
Neck pain/trauma
Shoulder pain/injury
Elbow pain/injury
Case Reports
• Used to present an actual clinical case that demonstrates
an unusual or important clinical principle that has
relevance in the urgent care setting
• Provide readers with an opportunity to improve their
practice
• Identify keys to the evaluation and management of the
condition
• Highlight the important features that help guide
clinicians
Case Reports
• Introduction
• Case presentation
 History
 Physical
 Differential/decision-making
 Testing
 Diagnosis
 Initial treatment
 Disposition
 Follow-up
Case Reports
• Discussion
 Now that the case has been “solved,” a discussion around
the diagnosis is needed
 Highlight the keys to evaluation and diagnosis
o What not to miss
o How not to miss it
 General discussion around clinical entity
o Epidemiology
o Typical presentation
o Diagnosis pearls
o Disposition and follow-up pearls for the urgent care setting
Case Reports
• Conclusion
Review the case challenge
Restate the important features
Review the relevance to urgent care
Case Reports
• Images
Most case reports have unique diagnostic
findings, often radiographic or ECG images
Follow the previous guidance for reproducing and
submitting images
If you are unsure how to save and submit images,
contact the managing editor first: Katharine
O’Moore-Klopf, [email protected]
Practice Management
Practice Management Topics
• Focus on the day-to-day needs of the practice:
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Building volume through marketing and repeat visits
Patient satisfaction, loyalty, and word-of-mouth
Front-line delivery, recruiting and retention, and culture
Reimbursement, contracting/credentialing, and coding
Billing and collections
Enhancing revenue through lab, x-ray and ancillary services
Ensuring compliance and patient privacy
Running the urgent care business
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Human resources
Reporting, budgeting, and cash management
Facilities management
Information technology
 Strategic planning, growth, and succession
Practice Management Guidelines
• 2,000–3,000 words
• Appeal to owners, operators, and providers
• Focus on execution and outcomes
What do readers do with this information?
• Include illustrations, tables, and flow charts
• Backed by data and examples of best practices
• Citations where appropriate
Maintain an “Idea File”
• If something helped you, it’s likely of value to
someone else
• Policies, procedures, forms, and best practices
• Magazine, newspaper, and journal articles
• PowerPoint presentations
• Book excerpts
• Personal notes
Engage Emotion
• What advice would you want someone to have
given you?
• Take the reader’s perspective
• Write from your own experience
Share from the heart; don’t lecture
• Tell stories that readers can relate to
• Channel your passion to help others
Questions?