Health
The 9 Best Publications for Health Care Professionals to Read
Guest Blogger: Kelly Reynolds 
Reading good industry publications is a great idea for health care professionals. With the wide variety of options, especially when you consider online publications and blogs, you might not know where to start. Read this article to find out what most people in health care read to keep up with the latest trends and industry news.
Why Health Care Professionals Should Read Industry Publications
It’s a great idea for all health care professionals to read quality, up-to-date publications in order to stay connected with the industry and current events, as well as to learn more about the industry and the changes facing it.
Publications to Read
These are the top nine publications that most medical professionals read — the best of the best. There are also countless more magazines and publications specializing in the different areas of medicine. For example, if you’re getting your health care administration degree, then you might want to read AMN Health Care and HealthLeaders. Different publications also exist depending on where health care professionals work and other distinctions. Most of these publications require subscriptions.
- The New England Journal of Medicine. This weekly, peer-reviewed journal has information on diseases, prescription drugs, medical advances and current health events. It covers many specialties and topics. Expert physicians and medical professionals write all the articles. The NEJM website also has videos and weekly audio summaries. Sample article: “Should Blood Be an Essential Medicine?”
- Journal of the American Medical Association. This magazine publishes issues 48 times per year and is the world’s most widely circulated medical journal. This is truly an informative publication for health care professionals. Review current or past issues on the website, or subscribe to the print version. Expect articles on surgery, aging, dermatology, genetics, and much more. Sample article: “U.S. Health Disadvantage Relative to Other High-Income Countries.”
- The Lancet. This magazine is published for physicians, health care professionals, medical students and clinical specialists, and it has three editions: The Lancet Infectious Diseases, The Lancet Neurology, and The Lancet Oncology. Get information on treatments, conditions and symptoms of diseases and cancers. Read past issues online and listen to audio content. Sample article: a feature on pneumonia and cardiac disease.
- The New York Times. The New York Times has a health news section as well as a health-care reform section, which you can follow. You can also follow different topics, many of which are related to health issues. Some Web content is free, while all-access subscriptions cost money. Sample article: “A Health Insurance Detective Story.”
- Harvard Business Review. This is a highly respected business publication, but it also has articles about public policy, health and health care. Some content is available for free online, but most content requires a subscription. Sample article: “Megatrends in Global Health Care.”
- MedPage Today. A CE- and CME-accredited medical news service that provides free, daily coverage of developments that impact clinical practice. Calls itself “the only service for physicians that provides clinical perspective on the breaking medical news that their parents are reading.” The website includes information broken down by specialty and political news affecting health care. Sample article: “Childhood Vaccine Schedule Safe, IMO Says.”
- Fierce Healthcare. This free site is another great source of medical industry news. It also has several sister websites covering the pharmaceutical industry, the health care IT industry, biotech, and more. It offers webinars and e-books, as well as a free, daily email briefing. Sample article: “Time to Make Patient Experience Surveys Matter.”
- Modern Healthcare. This top publication covers heath-care industry news on a weekly basis. Ranked #1 by health care executives, it offers breaking news, opinions and coverage of a variety of industry topics. You’ll also find research, blogs, videos, and webinars. Sample article: “10 Overlooked Opportunities for Significant Performance Improvement and Cost Savings.”
- SmartBrief publications. SmartBrief offers a variety of health-care-related publications. The editors read and select the most relevant and important news and information out there and put it all together in a newsletter. E-newsletters are free, so you can get a free, daily summary of health care industry news sent right to your inbox.
Reading good health care publications will help you stay ahead of the curve. Why not pick a few to check out today?
About the Author
Kelly Reynolds writes regularly about health care and health-related issues. She is working to become a doctor of physical therapy.
