Last year’s BMJ Future Health Conference brought together clinicians, researchers and clinical leaders for a vital discussion on the role of digital innovation in healthcare.

This year we’re back for more. With a new venue, a new line-up of incredible speakers, and a growing community, passionate about making the most of digital technology to drive improvements for patients, staff and everyone who comes into contact.

Among the most exciting developments: the launch of the new BMJ Digital Health and AI journal – a new home for research on the role of digital technology in healthcare. As part of the launch, expect to see the journal’s new editor, associate editors and contributors playing a key part in shaping this year’s BMJ Future Health conference and Community.

To mark the launch, we spoke to Chris Paton, Editor-in-Chief of BMJ Digital Health and AI to find out more about the journal and how members of the Future Health community can get involved.

Hi Chris, tell us about BMJ Digital Health & AI and your plans for the journal in its first years?
With this journal, we’re aiming to publish a range of high-impact articles addressing the need for robust evaluation and scientific assessment of digital health technologies used in healthcare (including AI systems), and to become a destination for authors and researchers working in this space.

We’re building out an international editorial board with expertise in the range of topics and methodologies that are now used in digital health and AI research.  We’ve announced our associate editors and they’re a really brilliant mix of people from a range of fields and backgrounds.

I’m also keen that the journal links up with other exciting initiatives the BMJ Group are developing in the area of digital health including the Future Health Conference, and I’m looking forward to getting involved in this year’s event, podcasts and other activities you’ve got planned.

Why is now the right time to launch this  journal?
Healthcare is rapidly adopting digital technologies and there is an urgent need to assess and regulate the safety and effectiveness of any tools that can be used to influence patient care. 

For example, new AI systems can spot cancers and make risk assessments, and that could reshape care, and have a huge impact for patients and those who treat them. For that reason, these tools should be rigorously evaluated, and our journal will be able to publish the results of this kind of research to ensure health organisations and regulators have the evidence they need to support adoption.

Who is this journal aimed at and why should they read it?
Keeping up to date with technological developments in healthcare is important for clinicians, technologists and academic researchers. The journal will aim to publish a range of papers that will both inform clinical practice and update technologists and researchers about new technologies.

If we’re talking specialties, I think the topics we’re discussing are going to be relevant to a wide range of clinicians, but I think those working in General Practice, Radiology, Cardiology and public health – as well as secondary specialties like Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Surgery – are going to really see the benefit of this resource as technology moves these areas forward.

What are your views on the potential global impact of research published in BMJ Digital Health & AI; where is this research going to be most valuable?
I think the topics we’ll be publishing on have relevance to clinicians globally. Digital health isn’t going to be limited by geographical boundaries, and research on its efficacy and safety is going to be valuable everywhere.  

That said, I’m really looking forward to building an audience and contributor base in places like South-East Asia, New Zealand and Australia as well as the UK, Europe and USA. Hong Kong (and China more widely) and Singapore are centres of digital health research. 

There’s also lots of research coming out of Stanford (Silicon Valley) as well, and the journal’s already represented there with a Stanford-based Associate Editor.

Final question from us Chris: If I’m a researcher thinking of submitting to BMJ Digital Health & AI, what do I need to know?
We’re looking for good quality original research articles on how well digital health and AI applications work in clinical environments (i.e. are they safe and effective). 

We also want to publish basic research on new AI techniques and models used in healthcare and reviews of the current evidence base for digital health and AI.

This journal will be a good venue for researchers to submit to as we are focusing on the category of digital health and AI and will aim to publish high quality research papers that will establish the journal as a reputable source of evidence in the field.

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Chris Paton and other members of the BMJ DHAI editorial board will be taking part in BMJ Future Health events and activities throughout the year, starting with BMJ Future Health Conference India at the end of this month (March 2025). 

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If you’re interested to find out more about how to submit, visit the author information pages or to find out about the latest content sign up to our e-alerts.