SPMC Journal of Health Care Services

SUBMISSION PREPARATION CHECKLIST

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, RTF, or WordPerfect document file format.
Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines, which is found in About the Journal.
If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.
If submitting a Case Report or Clinical Image, the properly accomplished Affidavit of Consent to Publish is available for uploading as a supplementary file (in Step 4 of the five-step submission process).
If submitting a Research Report, the Ethics Review Committee/Institutional Review Committee Certificate of Approval is available for uploading as a supplementary file (in Step 4 of the five-step submission process).

AUTHOR GUIDELINES

All article submissions, including commissioned ones, should be sent using the submission feature of the SPMC Journal of Health Care Services website (https://submissions.spmcjournal.com). The journal does not collect article submission charges or article processing charges.

The SPMC Journal of Health Care Services adopts the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals:Â Sample References and the research reporting guidelines of the EQUATOR Network.

A. Case Reports

Authors should follow the CARE Checklist in preparing the manuscript for a case report.

Case report submissions should contain the following sections:

Title: should state the final diagnosis
Authors and affiliations
Abstract: up to 250 words (refer to the CARE Checklist for specific contents)
Keywords: 2 to 5 words or phrases that do not repeat the title
Introduction
Clinical features
Diagnostic approaches
Therapeutic approaches
Outcomes
Discussion
References
Acknowledgments

Please use 2000 words or less for the main text of the report (excluding title, abstract, tables, figures, references, and acknowledgments).

Every attempt should be made in order to obtain an affidavit of consent to publish the article or photos that describe a patient. The affidavit should be duly executed by the patient or by the patient's legally acceptable representative. You may use the SPMC template provided by the Research Utilization and Publication Unit for this purpose. Please submit a copy of the affidavit along with the case report and/or photos of the patient.

B. Research reports

Authors should follow the appropriate EQUATOR Network checklist for reporting research results. Listed below are the common study types and their corresponding checklists. Listed in the table below are the common study types and their corresponding checklists. Please visit the EQUATOR Network website for a complete list of the reporting guidelines and checklists.

Checklists and diagrams

Randomized controlled trials
CONSORT Checklist
CONSORT Flow Diagram
Observational studies (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)
STROBE Checklist
Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
PRISMA Checklist
PRISMA Flow Diagram
Diagnostic accuracy studies
STARD Checklist
STARD Flow Diagram
Prediction model for individual prognosis or diagnosis
TRIPOD
Qualitative studies
COREQ
Economic evaluation
CHEERS

Research report submissions should contain the following sections:

Title
Authors and affiliations
Abstract: up to 250 words; should (generally) include, as applicable, the sub-headings: Background, Objectives, Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions (if any), Main Outcome Measures, Main Results, and Conclusion; for sub-headings of abstracts of specific study types, please refer to the reporting checklists
Keywords: 2 to 5 words or phrases that do not repeat the title
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Acknowledgments

Please use 5000 words or less for the main text of the report (excluding title, abstract, tables, figures, references, and acknowledgments).

Ethics approval

The conduct of research involving humans must have been approved or favorably endorsed by an Institutional Review Board or Ethics Review Committee. Please submit a copy of the Certificate of Approval or Certificate of Favorable Endorsement to conduct the research along with the research report.

Data availability

SPMC Journal of Health Care Services requires, as a condition for publication, that data supporting the results in the paper should be archived in an appropriate public archive. SPMC Journal of Health Care Services recommends the Harvard Dataverse, which is free and open to all researchers worldwide to share, cite, reuse and archive research data.

1. Definition of data that must be shared
A minimal dataset can be defined to consist of the dataset used to reach the conclusions drawn in the manuscript with related metadata and methods, and any additional data required to replicate the reported study findings in their entirety. Include sufficient information for a researcher to understand data, and any citations to data from which the replication set is derived. Core descriptive data, methods, and study results should be included within the main paper, regardless of data deposition. Authors who have datasets too large for sharing via repositories or uploaded files should contact SPMC Journal of Health Care Services for advice. (Adapted from PLOS™ Data Policy)

2. Guidance on sharing datasets that derive from work involving human participants
SPMC Journal of Health Care Services recognizes that there are cases where for reasons of privacy, national security and commercial confidentiality the full data cannot be made openly available. In such cases researchers should share their data analysis under the least restrictive terms consistent with legal requirements, and abiding by the research ethics and guidelines of their community. This should include opening up non-sensitive data, summary data, metadata and code; and facilitating access if the owner of the original data grants other researchers permission to use the data. (Adapted from OKF™s Open Economics Principles)

3. Guidance on Data Citation
If your research data is deposited at the same time as your manuscript using OJS™ article submission form then a Data Citation will automatically be generated by the Harvard Dataverse. However, if your research data is already in a repository then here is the suggested Data Citation format to include when you submit your manuscript:

Author(s), Year, Dataset Title, Global Persistent Identifier, Data Repository or Archive, version and subset.

For more information on Data Citation best practices please review Force11™s Data Citation Principles.

Information contained in the SPMC Journal of Health Care Services is intended for professionals and students of health care disciplines. Contents made available in this publication are contributions of individuals or organizations. SPMC is not responsible for the accuracy of any data used in coming up with the contents reported in the articles.

The views and opinions expressed by the authors of individual articles in the SPMC Journal of Health Care Services are their own and do not reflect the official position of SPMC. Contents in this publication shall not be used to disregard or replace the advise of a qualified medical professional. SPMC shall not be held liable for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the contents of the SPMC Journal of Health Care Services.

C. Book reviews

Reviews of books relevant in health care services and the health professions may be submitted for publication. Book review submissions should contain the following:

Book details: title and author/s or editor/s of the book, ISBN
Author of the book review and affiliation
General contents and scope of the book
Significance of the book to its readers
(Optional) comparison of the book with other books within the same area or topic
References
Acknowledgments

Please use 2000 words or less for the main text of the report (excluding title and references, and acknowledgments).

D. Clinical images

Images of unreported, unexpected or unusual physical examination, intra-operative, histopathologic, radiographic or other medical imaging findings may be submitted for publication. Up to four photos can be used to describe a condition.

Clinical images submissions should contain the following sections:

Title: should state the final diagnosis
Authors and affiliations
Brief clinical description, which should include:
     Patient's age and sex
     Chief complaint, brief history, physical examination findings
     Relevant diagnostics
     Final diagnosis
     Relevant therapeutics
     Outcomes
     Description of the individual photo
     Acknowledgments

Please use 300 words or less for the brief clinical description.

Every attempt should be made in order to obtain an affidavit of consent to publish the article and photos that describe a patient. The affidavit should be duly executed by the patient or by the patient's legally acceptable representative. You may use the SPMC template provided by the Hospital Research and Publication Office or the SPMC Legal Office for this purpose. Please submit a copy of the affidavit along with the photos and brief clinical description of the patient.

E. Editorials

These articles are usually commissioned, but we welcome submitted editorials on topics relevant to health care services. Please use 1000 words or less for the main text of the article (excluding title, and references). In the submission, include a list of authors and their affiliations, statements of competing interests and, as appropriate, an acknowledgment section.

F. Perspectives

These are brief essays based on personal experiences with health care services. We welcome submissions from different stakeholders of health care. Please use 1000 words or less for the main text of the article (excluding title and references). In the submission, include a list of authors and their affiliations, statements of competing interests and, as appropriate, an acknowledgment section.

POLICIES AND ETHICS

Privacy

The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Conflict of Interest

The Southern Philippines Medical Center Journal of Health Care Services adheres to the uniform disclosure of competing interests in accordance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines.

Authors are required to disclose the following information:

Identifying information of the author(s) and the submitted work
The work under consideration for publication
Relevant financial activities outside the submitted work
Intellectual property, including patents and copyrights
Relationships or activities not covered above that could be perceived as potential conflicts of interest

All submitting authors and coauthors are required to complete and submit a Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure form prior to the publication of the article.

Animal rights

The Southern Philippines Medical Center Journal of Health Care Services (SPMC JHCS) is committed to upholding internationally accepted standards for the ethical use and welfare of animals in research. While the journal has not routinely published animal-based studies, it is prepared to consider such submissions in the future, provided they meet established ethical requirements.

For manuscripts reporting animal research, authors must confirm that all procedures were reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent ethics body and were conducted in accordance with internationally recognized guidelines for animal care and use, as well as applicable national and institutional regulations.

Authors must also state that appropriate measures were taken to minimize animal suffering and to use the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve scientific objectives. Manuscripts that fail to demonstrate compliance with these ethical standards will not be considered for publication.

Informed consent

The Southern Philippines Medical Center Journal of Health Care Services (SPMC JHCS) publishes only research that has received prior approval from a duly constituted Research Ethics Committee (REC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB).

For studies involving human participants, authors must state that informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legally authorized representatives, in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards and applicable regulations. Authors must identify the approving REC or IRB and provide the corresponding ethics approval reference number or protocol code. Where informed consent was waived, authors must state the justification for the waiver.

Authors must ensure the protection of participants’ privacy, confidentiality, and dignity. Manuscripts that fail to document ethical approval and informed consent procedures will not be considered for publication.

Revenue Sources, Advertising, and Direct Marketing

SPMC Journal of Health Care Services (SPMC JHCS) is published and fully funded by the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) as part of its institutional mandate to support research and knowledge dissemination. The journal does not charge submission, processing, or publication fees, does not provide financial remuneration to authors, and does not derive income from subscriptions, advertising, reprints, or other commercial sources.

SPMC JHCS does not accept advertising in any form. Accordingly, there are no advertisements linked to journal content, reader behavior, or website display, and no advertising-related decisions are made by the editorial office. Funding support and operational oversight by SPMC do not influence editorial decision-making. All editorial decisions are based solely on the scholarly merit, scientific quality, ethical soundness, and relevance of submitted manuscripts.

Any direct marketing or solicitation of manuscripts conducted on behalf of the journal is limited to appropriate, professional, and non-commercial academic communication. Information provided about the journal and its publisher is factual, accurate, and not misleading, and such activities have no influence on editorial decision-making or publication outcomes.

Open Access

All publications will have a Creative Commons BY-NC license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) by default. This means that you will retain the ownership of the copyright of your work. The license automatically gives permission to others to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, make derivatives of, archive and distribute your work noncommercially, link to the full texts of articles, as long as appropriate credit is given to you as the author of the work, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose. This also ensures that your work will be available to a wide readership. After publication with us, you are still free to submit your work to academic societies for presentation in conventions or to other publishers for possible publication.

This open access statement fulfills the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) definition of open access.

We can NOT guarantee the eventual publication of your submitted paper. We will invite issue editors, who will manage the preparations for publication. All submitted and commissioned articles will go through our double-blind peer review process. Invited peer reviewers, who are experts in their own fields and whose expertise match the topics of the submitted papers, will assess the submissions and make content suggestions in order to ensure the quality of the articles considered for publication. We will run your submission through Turnitin OriginalityCheck™ to detect plagiarism. Based on the results of the plagiarism scan, editors will decide whether you will be required to make further revisions in your submitted article. Extremely high similarity index in plagiarism scanning may be grounds for rejection of submission. The editors will decide to publish a submission or not based on their own assessment of the submission and on the recommendations of the peer reviewers. The editors reserve the right to withhold submissions for publication.

Once your submission is accepted for publication, it will go through copyediting and proofreading. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for accuracy, grammar, clarity, style, punctuation, format and length. Prior to publication, we will send you the copyedited article for your comments and provide you a softcopy of the galley proof of your article for proofreading.

Digital archiving policy: Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe (LOCKSS) and Controlled LOCKSS (CLOCKSS)

Article identifiers: Archival Resource Key (ARK)

Deposit policy: SHERPA/RoMeo (http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/2012-3183/)

For any concerns regarding submissions, email us at spmcpapers@gmail.com or rupu@spmcdvo.net.

For authors who are new to this site, please also refer to the Public Knowledge Project - Open Journal Systems User Guide for Authors.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Submissions must not have been published in the past or concurrently submitted to other publications.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work for non-commercial purposes with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional, non-commercial contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors grant the journal permission to rewrite, edit, modify, store and/or publish the submission in any medium or format a version or abstract forming part thereof, all associated supplemental materials, and subsequent errata, if necessary, in a publicly available publication or database.

Authors warrant that the submission is original with the authors and does not infringe or transfer any copyright or violate any other right of any third parties.