As a father of four, I knew the day would come when one of them would be moving on. As my wife and I watched our eldest son walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma, I was reminded of how fast life moves and how important it is to have a strong network of support to help embrace that change. Change is inevitable, and although it is sometimes met with trepidation, remaining open to whatever comes enables us to grow in ways we never imagined. With this month also marking LER’s third anniversary, the theme of change and support is incredibly relevant.
As I reflect on the past year, it impresses me how the practitioner community continues to engage and support our mission. It is this support that has enabled LER to grow and mature. Given all the changes in healthcare and the impact these changes have on your individual practices, I am continually encouraged by the collaboration among practitioners that I see within the LER platform. This platform is very different from what is currently available in the market and, through your active participation and LER’s multidisciplinary editorial content, we are bridging the specialty gap between clinicians and increasing your referral network.
Another major change is the way we communicate and interact with one another. Today, almost everyone has a smart phone, and connecting with others is instantaneous and easy. LER has embraced this change with a mobile-friendly, content-rich website that is not cluttered with ads. We are completely connected to our readership through our website and a host of social media platforms, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn. All of this promotes collaboration and socialization in the lower extremity healthcare community.
So much is changing within the research community as well, with more key findings presented outside of the US. LER has also embraced this change, opening doors that I did not even imagine when we started the magazine three years ago. LER was the only US publication in attendance in Monaco for the International Olympic Committee World Congress on the Prevention of Illness & Injury in Sport as well as the Orthotic Technology Forum in the UK and, most recently, the International Foot & Ankle Biomechanics meeting in Australia. The excellent editorial coverage of these events, thanks to editor Jordana Foster, continues to elevate the content and position of LER. We have also sent publications to India for the Diabetic Update Foot Congress and will be producing custom content for the Canadian market. This is all possible because of the engaged readership and high quality, thought-provoking content that further raises awareness of the LER brand. LER was recognized by The American Society of Healthcare Publications Editors with two awards this past year; a silver award for the best special report and a bronze award for the best cover.
All of this is a result of staying connected, having a strong network of support, and remaining open to embrace change.
Richard Dubin, Publisher
