The Journal of Medical Internet Research is pleased to announce a call for papers for the theme issue The Emergence of Medical Futures Studies. This is the first ever call for papers on this topic.
The rapid progress of technology in health care, combined with significant cultural shifts toward digital health and the urgent need for preparedness, highlighted by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, have brought about an increased emphasis on the future of medicine and health care within medical journals and the life science community.
This call for papers aims to shift the paradigm: traditionally medical- and health care–focused journals have featured insights and opinions about the future from professors and key opinion leaders who often do not utilize futures methods that have been widely accepted in economics and business management for over four decades.
Each clinician, researcher, policymaker, and health care decision-maker has the potential to professionally analyze, forecast, and envision the future of their respective fields by using established futures methodologies.
Traditional or past approaches are insufficient to address these challenges and take advantage of opportunities, necessitating the adoption of futures research methods and tools to navigate the evolving landscape effectively.
This theme issue seeks to popularize these methodologies and provide comprehensive guidelines for their application, empowering a broader range of voices to contribute informed, methodically sound visions of the future in medicine and health care.
Despite the demonstrated effectiveness of foresight applications in diverse fields like national strategies, policy development, and global threat preparedness, their utilization in health care remains limited. Of the more than 50 available futures methods, only 8 are currently employed in this sector, indicating a significant underutilization of foresight's potential in health care [1]. By integrating these futures methods into health care planning and decision-making, we could identify emerging trends, mitigate risks, and capitalize on new opportunities, ultimately leading to the potential of better health outcomes.This underutilization presents a compelling case for establishing medical futures studies as a distinct scientific subfield. This subfield would concentrate on analyzing emerging technological trends, assessing policy implications, and proactively anticipating and mitigating potential challenges in health care. To cultivate a new research community in this vital area, this call for papers and theme issue is dedicated to medical futures studies.
Additionally, integrating futures methods into medical education and involving dedicated futurists in strategic decision-making could significantly enhance development in the field. It is crucial that futures methods are made accessible and understandable to all health care stakeholders. Through targeted education and training programs, we can empower professionals with the skills needed to implement these strategies effectively.
This call for papers aims to gather contributions that will deepen the interdisciplinary dialog, promote democratic participation—including from patient scholars—and help shape alternative futures in medical science. The future of health care depends on the collaboration between medical professionals, technologists, and futurists. This approach will enable us to address complex challenges and drive innovation in the field.
We invite original contributions in the form of original studies, review articles, and viewpoint articles that delve into the various facets of medical futures studies.
Papers submitted to the theme issue for consideration may explore, but are not limited to, the following topics (sample titles):
- The history and future of using futures methods in medicine and health care
- Specific examples and case studies of using futures methods in these domains
- Foresight’s role in preparing for the social impacts of advanced technologies
- The role of specific futures methods, like the Delphi method and scenario planning, in preparing health care systems for pandemics and other global health emergencies
- Exploring how horizon scanning can aid in the early detection and development of new medical treatments and technologies
- Implementing Futures Literacy Laboratories (FLL) in medical and health care domains
- Application of futures methods to explore the impacts of AI integration into medicine
- Using backcasting methods to develop strategic pathways towards a future where personalized medicine is widely available
- How futures methods can help formulate strategy and plan for the social and economic effects of digital health
How to submit
Please submit to the Journal of Medical Internet Research by selecting “The Emergence of Medical Futures Studies” in the “Section” drop-down list. See the article How do I submit to a theme issue? in our Knowledge Base and consult our Instructions for Authors for more information.
Submission Guidelines:
All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and accepted articles will be published as part of a special issue “The Emergence of Medical Futures Studies.”
A 20% discount is available for papers that are published as a part of this theme issue.
Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025
Submissions not reviewed or accepted for publication in this theme issue in the Journal of Medical Internet Research may be offered cascading peer review or transfer to other JMIR Publications journals, according to standard publisher policies. For example, early-stage formative work that informs the design of future interventions or research may better fit the scope for JMIR Formative Research. Authors are encouraged to submit study protocols or grant proposals to JMIR Research Protocols before data acquisition to preregister the study (Registered Reports—subsequent acceptance in one of the JMIR Publications journals is then guaranteed).
All articles submitted to this theme issue will be shared and published rapidly through the following mechanisms:
- All peer-reviewed articles in this theme issue will be immediately and permanently made open access. This is the standard for all titles within the JMIR Publications portfolio.
- Articles can be made immediately available in JMIR Preprints (with a DOI) after submission if authors select the preprint option at submission to enable this service.
Guest Editors
Dr Bertalan Meskó, PhD
The Medical Futurist Institute and Kálmán Laki Doctoral School of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
Dr Tamás Kristóf, PhD
Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Contact information for questions and presubmission enquiries:
Dr Bertalan Meskó, PhD
berci@medicalfuturist.com
References
[1] Meskó B, Kristóf T, Dhunnoo P, Árvai N, Katonai G. Exploring the Need for Medical Futures Studies: Insights From a Scoping Review of Health Care Foresight. J Med Internet Res 2024;26:e57148. URL: https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e57148 DOI: 10.2196/57148