Closing the Implementation Gap
Call for Submissions of an Expression of Interest for an Adv Clin Exp Med Special Collection on
Closing the Implementation Gap in Cardiometabolic Prevention in Primary Care
Handling Editors
Dr. Michał Czapla, Assoc. Prof., PhD, RD, EMT-P, FESC (1. Division of Scientific Research and Innovation in Emergency Medical Service, Department of Emergency Medical Service, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; 2. Group of Research in Care (GRUPAC), Faculty of Health Science, University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain; ORCID 0000-0002-4245-5420) michal.czapla@umw.edu.pl
Prof. Robert Śmigiel (Department and Clinic of Paediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland; ORCID 0000-0003-2930-9549) robert.smigiel@umw.edu.pl
Prof. Ferdinando Petrazzuoli MD, MSc, PhD (1. WONCA Europe; 2. EURIPA; 3. School of Specialization in Community Medicine and Primary Care, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy; 4. Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; ORCID 0000-0003-1058-492X) ferdinando.petrazzuoli@gmail.com
Dr. Elena Chover-Sierra, PhD, RN (1. Nursing Care and Education Research Group (GRIECE), Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, Spain; 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Consortium General University Hospital of Valencia, Spain; ORCID 0000-0002-4141-6956) elena.chover@uv.es
Dr. Joanna Popiołek-Kalisz, Assoc. Prof., MD, RD, FESC (1. Department of Clinical Dietetics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 2. Department of Cardiology, Cardinal Wyszynski Hospital in Lublin, Lublin, Poland; ORCID 0000-0001-9108-8391) joanna.popiolek-kalisz@umlub.edu.pl
Dr. Mateusz Biela, PhD (Clinical Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases. Faculty of Medicine Home page: Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland; ORCID 0000-0002-3461-193X) mateusz.biela@umw.edu.pl
Outline
Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines, the implementation of cardiometabolic prevention strategies in routine clinical practice remains suboptimal. Persistent gaps between recommended standards of care and real-world management of cardiovascular and metabolic risk have been consistently reported, particularly in primary care and general internal medicine settings.
This Special Issue of Adv Clin Exp Med aims to explore the scope, determinants, and consequences of the implementation gap in cardiometabolic prevention, as well as evidence-based strategies to address it. We invite original research and high-quality reviews that examine how preventive recommendations are translated into everyday practice, and which factors influence successful or failed implementation.
Scope of the special collection
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Real-world adherence to cardiovascular and cardiometabolic prevention guidelines
- System-, organizational-, and physician-level determinants of preventive care
- Barriers and facilitators of risk factor control in primary care settings
- Application of implementation science frameworks in general and internal medicine
- Population-based studies, registry analyses, and real-world data on prevention outcomes
- Comparative analyses of implementation strategies across healthcare systems or regions
We particularly welcome multidisciplinary contributions integrating clinical medicine, epidemiology, public health, and health services research. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches, including mixed-methods studies, are encouraged.
Keywords
preventive cardiology; cardiometabolic risk factors; evidence-based guidelines; healthcare delivery; quality of care; health system performance
Submission process
Authors should first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) with a working title and structured abstract of the proposed original article or review to the managing editor: marek.misiak@umw.edu.pl. All EOIs will be reviewed by the Guest Editors and Editor-in-Chief, and selected authors will be invited to submit full manuscripts via the standard ACEM editorial platform.
All accepted papers will undergo full peer review by at least two independent reviewers.
Dates and fees
Expression of interest deadline: August 31, 2026
Invitation for full paper submission: October 31, 2026
Full manuscript submission deadline: December 31, 2026
Article processing charges apply as per the standard policy: https://advances.umw.edu.pl/en/article-processing-charges
In exceptional cases (e.g., outstanding invited submissions), fees may be reduced or waived.
By bringing together evidence from clinical practice and implementation research, this Special Issue aims to support more effective translation of preventive knowledge into sustainable improvements in patient care.