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Call for papers - Allied health professional (AHP) research

Guest Editors

Olivia King, PhD, Grad Cert. Diabetes Education, B.Pod (Hons), Western Alliance Research Translation Centre, Deakin University, Monash University, Australia
Lucylynn Lizarondo, PhD, University of Adelaide, Australia

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 30 August 2025

BMC Health Services Research is calling for submissions to our Collection on Allied Health Professional (AHP) research. AHPs are essential to comprehensive healthcare delivery, yet their contributions are often underrepresented in research. This Collection seeks pioneering studies that explore the diverse roles, practices, and impacts of AHPs in healthcare. We welcome submissions that enhance our understanding of AHPs' influence on patient outcomes, policy decisions, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Topics include AHP integration in care teams, the efficacy of training, telehealth, health equity, and innovations in chronic disease management.

New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Olivia King, PhD, Grad Cert. Diabetes Education, B.Pod (Hons), Western Alliance Research Translation Centre, Deakin University, Monash University, Australia

Dr King is an allied health researcher and educator. Dr King is Manager of Research Capability Building for Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre. Olivia holds an Adjunct Research Associate position with the Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education and an Affiliate Senior Lecturer role with Deakin Rural Health. Dr King is passionate about developing research capability in the health sector and promoting the translation of research into practice, particularly in rural health settings. Her research interests include interprofessional role boundaries, allied health workforce, sociology of the professions, qualitative methods, and health professions education.

Lucylynn Lizarondo, PhD, University of Adelaide, Australia

Dr Lizarondo is a senior researcher in JBI, University of Adelaide. Dr Lizarondo is a dedicated and accomplished health service researcher with a passion for advancing evidence-based practices in healthcare. Dr Lizarondo's expertise extends not only in developing evidence synthesis methodologies and conducting reviews but also in leading evidence implementation initiatives collaboratively with clinicians. Lucy’s commitment to enhancing healthcare quality extends beyond Australia, and have worked closely with clinicians from China, India, Philippines and Papua New Guinea to improve their health services. This global perspective enriches her understanding of healthcare challenges, driving to contribute meaningfully to the improvement of healthcare practices on an international scale.

About the Collection

BMC Health Services Research is calling for submissions to our Collection on Allied Health Professional (AHP) research.

Allied Health Professionals play pivotal roles in delivering comprehensive healthcare services, yet their contributions are often underrepresented in research literature. Understanding and highlighting the significant roles of AHPs is crucial for optimizing healthcare delivery, enhancing patient outcomes, and informing policy decisions. This Collection aims to present pioneering research elucidating the multifaceted roles, practices, and impacts of allied health professionals within the healthcare landscape.

This Collection invites submissions to propel knowledge dissemination, inform policy formulation, and enhance AHP practice through evidence-based insights, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing healthcare delivery approaches. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The role and influence of AHPs in primary care settings
  • Integration of AHPs into multidisciplinary healthcare teams
  • Assessment of the efficacy of AHP training and educational initiatives
  • AHP perspectives on patient-centered care and shared decision-making
  • Addressing workforce challenges and developments within allied health professions
  • Leveraging telehealth and digital technologies in AHP practice
  • Considerations of health equity and diversity in AHP service provision
  • AHP roles in population health management and public health initiatives
  • Innovations in AHP-led interventions for chronic disease management
  • Quality improvement efforts led by AHPs within healthcare institutions


This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Image credit: © bluecinema / Getty Images / iStock

  1. Allied health student placements in healthcare settings are complex, constantly evolving, and tailored to real-life environments. The value of student placements in acute and primary healthcare settings is ref...

    Authors: Mohammad Hamiduzzaman, Vanette McLennan, Gillian Nisbet, Shruti Jindal, Sarah Miles, Sarah Crook, Karn Nelson, Christopher Williams and Victoria Flood
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:601
    Content type: Systematic Review Published on:

  2. In Australia, access to primary health care (PHC) services is limited in comparison to major cities. Allied health professionals play a pivotal role in providing necessary PHC in rural and remote areas. Howeve...

    Authors: Alison Brown, Alexandra Cant, Rebecca Wolfgang, Robyn Ramsden, Susan Heaney and Leanne J. Brown
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:573
    Content type: Systematic Review Published on:

  3. Despite the growing popularity of osteopathy in France, little is known about how French osteopaths conceptualise key aspects of their practice, including skills, knowledge, and decision-making. This study aim...

    Authors: Oliver P. Thomson, Loïc Treffel, Agathe Wagner, Erwann Jacquot, Jerry Draper-Rodi, Chantal Morin and Brett Vaughan
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:451
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Sustainability in healthcare, particularly in medical imaging, is increasingly important as healthcare operations contribute significantly to global emissions. Radiographers, as integral members of imaging dep...

    Authors: Mohamed Abuzaid, Nora Almuqbil, Christian Ven Emery, Wiam Elshami, Manal Ibham, Naifah Alsubaie, Zuhal Hamd and Mohamed Aljamal
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:392
    Content type: Research Published on:

  5. Engaging health services in research is important for ensuring a strong practice-relevant evidence base. To achieve this, health service staff must be equipped with the necessary research capabilities. Despite...

    Authors: Caitlin Brandenburg, Elizabeth C. Ward, Susan Stoikov, Rachelle Pitt and Liza-Jane McBride
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:231
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. The evolving healthcare landscape emphasizes the need for health systems to adapt to growing complexities, with new models of care enabling healthcare providers to optimize their scope of practice and coordina...

    Authors: Patrick Teixeira Machado, Manuela Eicher, Aurélie Delouane-Abinal, Sarah Kupferschmid and Marie-José Roulin
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2025 25:119
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. In cancer care, the use of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) has been shown to improve the quality and effectiveness of medical services. To facilitate physicians’ adherence to these guidelines, Taiwan estab...

    Authors: Yu Hsuan Lin and Tzu Chun Chen
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2024 24:1653
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. Effective communication between healthcare providers and patients is essential for high-quality care and patient satisfaction. Barriers to communication can lead to misunderstandings and poorer health outcomes...

    Authors: Turki Aljuhani, Abrar M. Al-Mutairi, Abdullah Alfraih, Mohammed Alharbi, Turki AlAmri, Ali Alahmari, Abdulaziz Alotaibi and Mohammed Senitan
    Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2024 24:1597
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Allied health professional (AHP) research" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.