No Article Processing Charges
AJHCS charges no submission fees, no article processing charges (APCs), and no publication fees. Your research is published at zero cost to you.
Join a growing community of healthcare leaders, researchers, and policymakers advancing evidence-based strategy.
AJHCS charges no submission fees, no article processing charges (APCs), and no publication fees. Your research is published at zero cost to you.
All articles are freely available to readers worldwide under CC-BY 4.0. Maximize your impact without paywalls.
Average time from submission to publication is 9-16 weeks — significantly faster than many peer-reviewed journals in the field.
Your work reaches healthcare executives, administrators, policymakers, and researchers across our growing professional network.
Published articles are promoted across our podcast (85,000+ total downloads), newsletter (56% open rate), and social media channels.
You keep full copyright of your work. CC-BY 4.0 licensing lets you share, adapt, and build on your published research.
The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy invites original research, reviews, and commentaries in healthcare strategy and policy. Review the guidelines below, then submit your manuscript through our online portal.
Start Submission ProcessQuestions? Contact our editorial team at submissions@ajhcs.org
Our editorial workflow is designed for clarity, quality, and timely publication.
Estimated total: 9-16 weeks from submission to publication
Authors submit manuscripts through our online portal for initial processing.
1-2 daysThe editorial team assesses scope, completeness, and methodological soundness.
1-2 weeksManuscripts passing screening undergo single-blind peer review by subject-matter experts.
4-6 weeksAuthors receive one of four outcomes — accept, minor revisions, major revisions, or reject — with detailed reviewer feedback.
1 weekAuthors address reviewer comments and resubmit with a point-by-point response letter.
2-4 weeksAccepted articles undergo copyediting, receive a DOI, and are published open-access with promotion across platforms.
1-2 weeksAJHCS accepts the following manuscript types. Please review the requirements for your article type before submitting.
Empirical studies presenting original data and findings in healthcare strategy
Systematic, scoping, or narrative reviews synthesizing existing literature
Detailed reports of individual patient cases or clinical scenarios with educational value
In-depth analyses of specific healthcare organizations or strategic initiatives
Expert perspectives on current healthcare strategy issues
Invited pieces from the editorial board or distinguished contributors
Concise reports of preliminary findings, novel methods, or emerging trends
Transcripts of AJHCS podcast episodes with accompanying YouTube video link
Document Format
Microsoft Word (.docx) or PDF
Spacing & Font
Double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial
Abstract
Structured abstract (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions), up to 250 words
Keywords
4-6 keywords listed below the abstract
Citation Style
AMA Manual of Style (American Medical Association), numbered sequential references
Figures & Tables
Minimum 300 DPI resolution; TIFF, EPS, or PNG format; maximum 6 figures and tables combined
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary materials accepted as separate files with descriptive captions
Authors must follow the appropriate reporting guideline for their study design. AJHCS endorses the EQUATOR Network guidelines.
CONSORT
Randomized controlled trials
STROBE
Observational studies
PRISMA
Systematic reviews
CARE
Case reports
SQUIRE
Quality improvement studies
Follow these formatting requirements when preparing your manuscript. Properly formatted submissions move through peer review faster.
The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy (AJHCS) is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to practical, evidence-based thought leadership in healthcare strategy.
Exploring policy changes, regulatory impacts, and the effects of healthcare legislation on systems and populations.
Offering insights into best practices, leadership models, and innovative management strategies in healthcare organizations.
Analyzing economic trends, cost management, and financial strategies within healthcare systems.
Addressing ethical considerations in clinical practices, healthcare delivery, and decision-making processes.
Covering advancements in digital health, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and other technologies shaping healthcare delivery.
Exploring strategies for training the next generation of healthcare professionals and enhancing workforce effectiveness.
AJHCS is committed to the highest standards of integrity in scholarly publishing. We follow the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki.
All published content adheres to rigorous ethical guidelines. Potential conflicts of interest must be fully disclosed.
AJHCS employs single-blind peer review. Content is evaluated on methodological rigor, originality, and relevance. We follow COPE guidelines.
All submissions are treated with strict confidentiality. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors.
All manuscripts are screened for originality. Plagiarism constitutes a serious violation of publication ethics.
AJHCS adheres to the Declaration of Helsinki. Research involving human subjects must have IRB approval. Informed consent must be obtained.
Authors must provide accurate data and be transparent about methods. Fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation is prohibited.
Authors retain copyright under CC-BY 4.0. Authors may distribute, adapt, and build upon their work with appropriate credit.
Errors in published content will be addressed through corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions, following COPE guidelines.
AJHCS follows the ICMJE criteria. All listed authors must meet ALL four criteria:
Authors who use AI-assisted tools (e.g., large language models, machine learning tools) in the preparation of their manuscript must disclose this usage in the Methods or Acknowledgments section, specifying the tool used, the version, and the nature of its contribution. In accordance with ICMJE and COPE guidelines, AI tools cannot fulfill authorship criteria and must not be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, including any text, data, or analyses generated with AI assistance.
Duplicate Submission
Manuscripts submitted to AJHCS must not be under consideration by another journal. Simultaneous submission is grounds for immediate rejection.
Preprint Policy
AJHCS permits submission of manuscripts previously posted on recognized preprint servers (e.g., medRxiv, SSRN). Authors must disclose any preprint posting at submission and provide the DOI or URL.
Data Availability
Authors must include a Data Availability Statement indicating where supporting data can be accessed, or explaining why data cannot be shared.
Funding Disclosure
All sources of financial support must be disclosed, including grant numbers and funding agencies. The role of funders in study design, data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation must be described.
Clinical Trial Registration
All clinical trials must be registered prospectively in a public registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) before participant enrollment.
For complete details on our policies, visit the dedicated policy pages:
AJHCS operates under a fully open-access model, providing unrestricted access to published content. All articles are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0), while authors retain copyright.
No Article Processing Charges
AJHCS charges no submission fees, no APCs, and no publication fees. Publishing with us is completely free for authors.
CC-BY 4.0 License: You may share and adapt published content for any purpose, including commercially, when appropriate author attribution, AJHCS citation, and change disclosures are provided.
Ensure you have prepared the following materials before starting the submission process.
Review the guidelines above, prepare your materials using our submission checklist, and start the process.
Start Submission ProcessQuestions? Contact our editorial team at submissions@ajhcs.org