For Reviewers

Reviewing for HSR is a great way to alert editors of your interest in the journal. Candidates for the HSR Editorial Board include those who accepted most reviewer requests and provided high quality, timely reviews.

If you're interested in reviewing for HSR:

• Please send an email to hsr@aha.org with your contact information and areas of expertise.
• Create or update your account in our ScholarOne manuscript system.
• Be sure your account has your current email address and all your areas of expertise so we can match manuscripts to your knowledge.

We're grateful for all reviewers who respond promptly, suggest others if they can't accept a review invitation, and return their review on deadline—thank you. To help you write a helpful review, we developed these guidelines. Your feedback is welcome at hsr@aha.org.

GETTING THE MANUSCRIPT: TWO OPTIONS

• URL in the email from hsr@aha.org with subject, "Invitation to review - HSR-XX-XXXX."
• Review tab of your account in the ScholarOne system.

WRITING YOUR REVIEW

• Aim for 500-1000 words.
• Be respectful.
• Put accept/reject recommendations in Confidential Comments to the EIC, not to Authors.
• Use these questions as an overall guide:
  • What is this study about, in 2-3 sentences?
  • What are the main strengths and weakness?
  • What are your top suggestions for major revisions (typically at least 3-5)?
    • Consider organizing these by manuscript section (Introduction, Methods, etc.).
  • What minor revisions would improve clarity, readability, and methodological rigor?
• Use these questions as a more detailed guide:
  • Is it appropriate for HSR? Does the study:
    • Provide new knowledge about methods, concepts, and results on health services financing, organization, delivery, evaluation, and outcomes?
    • Inform researchers, health care providers, health system managers, and/or policymakers?
    • Expand understanding of health care and improvement of individual and community health through U.S. clinical practice, management and policy?
  • Does the study meet HSR standards?
    • Is it original, important, and relevant?
    • Are the background and study objective up-to-date?
    • Are the research question, methods, and results clearly, consistently described?
    • Do results support the conclusions and reflect the research question?
    • Does the Discussion give context to results including a literature comparison and implications for research, policy, or practice?
    • Are exhibits and supplemental material clear, with relevant, understandable data?
    • Does it adhere to guidelines on disparities, particularly for race and ethnicity (AHA/ASA Journals Disparities Research Guidelines, CDC Preferred Terms)?

SUBMITTING YOUR REVIEW

• From the Review tab of your ScholarOne account, use checkboxes to rate the manuscript.
• Use the Confidential Comments to the EIC box to recommend reject, accept, or revise.
• Use the Comments to the Author box for your detailed, specific critique and suggestions.

Resources: author instructions, submission checklist, example papers, Wiley tips

Need help or have feedback? Email hsr@aha.org. Thank you!