About the Journal

About the Journal

Georgian Medical Journal

Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · ISSN 3088-4322 · DOI prefix: 10.66636 · Open Access · CC BY 4.0 · gmj.ge

The Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) is an independent, peer-reviewed, open-access journal publishing original research, reviews, brief reports, case reports, guidelines, and editorials across the full spectrum of medicine — from clinical and surgical sciences to social medicine, health management, quality and patient safety, public and international health, and traditional and complementary medicine in line with World Health Organization (WHO) frameworks.

Established by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) and led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD, GMJ maintains full editorial independence from its publisher, sponsors, and advertisers.

Editorial Standards

 

Peer Review

Double-anonymised peer review with clear reporting standards — CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, CARE, SQUIRE — and transparent disclosure of funding, competing interests, data availability, and AI use.
 

Languages and Submissions

Submissions welcomed in both Georgian and English. GMJ actively supports early-career researchers through structured guidance including checklists, reporting templates, and mentorship.
 

Digital Object Identifiers

Persistent DOIs assigned via Crossref (prefix 10.66636, from 9 April 2026) to all accepted articles, with responsible data sharing encouraged where feasible.
 

Open Access and Archiving

All content is open access under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), preserved via PKP Preservation Network, LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, and equivalent networks, and optimized for discoverability.

Scope and Impact

To broaden impact, GMJ hosts commentary, explainers, and blogs for clinicians, managers, and the general public, as well as conference outputs — abstracts, seminar summaries, posters, and recorded talks — that translate evidence into practice.

GMJ is actively pursuing inclusion in major indexing databases including DOAJ, PubMed Central/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science to maximize visibility and citations, while fostering constructive, evidence-based debate that advances clinical practice, education, health management, and health policy in Georgia and beyond.

Indexing and Standards

 

Indexed in 21 International Scholarly Databases

Crossref · Google Scholar · OpenAlex · BASE · Scilit · CORE · The Lens · OpenAIRE · ERIH+ · ETH Library / swisscovery · Index Copernicus · EuroPub · Zenodo · OpenDOAR · ROAD · ISSN Portal · Wikidata · ISIndexing · ResearchBib · ASCI · OAI-PMH

Applications submitted

DOAJ · SHERPA RoMEO

Strategic Roadmap (2027+)

PMC · MEDLINE · Scopus · Web of Science · EBSCO · ProQuest

→ Full details: Indexing & Discoverability
 

Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) · Published by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · ISSN 3088-4322 · DOI prefix: 10.66636 · Open Access · CC BY 4.0 · gmj.ge

Announcements

Current Issue

Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026): Health Systems Performance and Quality of Care
Cover of the Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ), Volume 1, Issue 2 (2026), titled “Health Systems Performance and Quality of Care: Measurement, Improvement, and Outcomes,” with a blue world map background representing global health connectivity. Includes the themes “Quality, Safety, Results” and the publisher Public Health Institute of Georgia.

Georgian Medical Journal  ·  Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026)   ·  Open Access  ·  DOI prefix: 10.66636  ·  CC BY 4.0

Published by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)

This main issue of the Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) focuses on health systems performance and quality of care, addressing key dimensions of measurement, improvement, and outcomes across healthcare systems.

The issue brings together research and analytical contributions examining patient safety, quality improvement, system efficiency, and performance evaluation frameworks. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based approaches to strengthening healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes at both national and global levels.

By integrating research, policy analysis, and practical perspectives, this issue contributes to a deeper understanding of how health systems can achieve sustainable improvements in quality, effectiveness, and accountability.

Scope of This Issue

— Health systems performance measurement and evaluation frameworks
— Patient safety and quality improvement in healthcare settings
— System efficiency and accountability mechanisms
— Evidence-based approaches to healthcare delivery strengthening
— National and global health outcomes assessment
— Governance and institutional frameworks for quality of care

Call for Contributions

The Georgian Medical Journal invites submissions from researchers, clinicians, public health professionals, health system managers, policymakers, and institutional partners working in health systems performance, quality of care, and related fields.

Accepted submission types:

— Original research articles
— Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
— Policy analyses
— Analytical commentaries
— Case studies and country experiences
— Short communications and expert perspectives

All submissions undergo editorial assessment and peer review in accordance with GMJ standards, ensuring scientific rigor, methodological transparency, and open-access dissemination.

Submit via: gmj.ge/submissions →

Editorial Note. This issue is an independent academic publication of the Georgian Medical Journal, published by the Public Health Institute of Georgia. All content is peer-reviewed and published under open-access principles. Open Access  ·  CC BY 4.0  ·  DOI prefix: 10.66636.

Published: 05/03/2026

Original Research

Editorial & Policy Forum

Systematic Reviews & Analysis

  • Pharmacist-Led Interventions in the Management of Polypharmacy: A Systematic Review of Clinical Effectiveness, Prescribing Quality and Patient Safety Outcomes

    Nato Alavidze, Maka Javakhia, Nino Abuladze, Ketevani Gabunia, Nodar Sulashvili, Natia Chubinidze
    1-16
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a41

  • Microplastics, bottled water and science communication: an environmental health governance analysis in Georgia

    Ana Bolkvadze, Giorgi Pkhakadze
    1-10
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a34

  • Migration as a Structural Determinant of Health Systems Performance

    Sulkhan Inaishvili, Giorgi Pkhakadze, Irine Pkhakadze, Tamar Talakvadze, Salome Glonti
    1-6
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a30

  • Medical rehabilitation for osteoarthritis: a multimodal framework integrating contemporary evidence and Georgian rehabilitation practice

    Marina Shavianidze, Shorena Vashadze, Georgi Lomidze
    1-10
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a119

  • Microglia in multiple sclerosis: pathogenesis and therapeutic modulation

    Iryna Marazha, Daria Nazarova, Yuliia Barbashova
    1-10
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a40

  • Honey, apitherapy, and cardiovascular prevention claims: a case study of scientific transparency in commercial Tentorium® products

    Tamar Talakvadze, Giorgi Pkhakadze
    1-6
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.66636/gmj.v1.i2.a22

Case Reports

View All Issues

Welcome from the Editor-in-Chief

Dear colleagues, friends, and readers,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ)—an independent, peer-reviewed, open-access platform dedicated to advancing health and healthcare across Georgia and our wider region. Since our launch in January 2025, GMJ has grown rapidly into a globally connected scholarly journal, now indexed in 21 international databases and a full Crossref member (DOI prefix: 10.66636).

GMJ was founded by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) with a simple promise: rigour, integrity, and relevance. We publish across the full spectrum of medicine—clinical and surgical sciences; social medicine; health management; quality and patient safety; public/international (global) health; and traditional/complementary medicine aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) frameworks. Our editorial independence is non-negotiable; decisions are based solely on scientific merit and ethical standards.

From 5 January 2025 to 1 January 2027, all accepted articles are published under a 100% PHIG Publication Grant—completely free for every author, with no application required. From 1 January 2027, we maintain transparent, modest fees with strong waivers and an expanding PHIG Publication Grant programme to support unfunded and public-sector research.

We expect methodological clarity, ethical compliance, and transparency. Submissions should follow established reporting guidelines (CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, CARE, SQUIRE). Every published item receives a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) via Crossref (prefix 10.66636) and is preserved through trusted archiving networks including CLOCKSS and the PKP Preservation Network. We welcome manuscripts in Georgian and English and encourage plain-language summaries where appropriate to bridge research and practice.

GMJ is also a home for translation and dialogue: editorials, viewpoints, explainers for the public, and conference outputs that turn evidence into action. The GMJ Official Podcast, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, Castbox, Goodpods, and Pocket Casts, extends our scholarly conversations beyond the printed page. We aim to be a meeting point for clinicians, educators, managers, policymakers, and communities.

To early-career researchers, mentors, reviewers, and partners—thank you. Your curiosity, critical insight, and generosity continue to shape this journal's culture. I invite you to read, review, submit, and challenge us to do better.

On behalf of the editorial team, welcome to GMJ. Let us build a journal that measurably improves care, strengthens health systems, and elevates Georgia's voice in global medicine.

With respect,

Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ)
Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · editor@gmj.ge · gmj.ge