Ethical Policy

This policy outlines the requirements for ethical conduct and reporting for all submissions to the Journal of Healthcare Systems and Innovations (JHSI). As a journal dedicated to advancing research, policy, and practice in healthcare systems, JHSI is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, particularly concerning patient data privacy, clinical governance, and the ethical deployment of health technologies.

1. Ethical Approval for Studies Involving Human Subjects and Data

JHSI requires that all research involving human participants, human material (e.g., patient data, tissue samples), or healthcare systems must have been conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible institutional or national research committee and with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013).

1.1. Human Subjects and Clinical Research

•       Mandatory Approval: Authors must confirm that all procedures were approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee. The manuscript must include a statement identifying the approving body and the relevant approval number.

•       Informed Consent: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all human participants.

•       Clinical Trial Registration: All prospective clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible database (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP) prior to the enrollment of the first participant. The registration number must be included in the manuscript.

1.2. Data Ethics and Health Informatics

•       Patient Privacy: Patient anonymity and privacy must be protected. Research involving health data must comply with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR).

•       Ethical AI/Digital Health: Studies on digital health, telemedicine, or AI in healthcare must include a discussion of the ethical implications, including data security, algorithmic bias, and equitable access to care.

2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Registration (PRISMA)

For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, JHSI strongly encourages authors to register their protocol in a publicly accessible registry (e.g., PROSPERO) prior to commencing the review. Furthermore, authors must adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of their methodology and findings. Adherence to PRISMA, including the use of the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram, is a mandatory requirement for submission.

3. Conflict of Interest and Funding

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial, personal, or other relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work. All sources of funding for the research must be explicitly stated in the manuscript.