As 2021 draws to a close, we pause to reflect on this year’s launch of Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology (ASHE).  The journal is committed to the rapid dissemination of high quality, timely, evolving science in antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare epidemiology, in an open access model, to serve both developed and low and middle-income countries.  To do so, we are committed to diversity in professional background, nationality and gender across the editorial team, such that journal leadership reflects not only the membership of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), but the antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare epidemiology community at large. 

Although not yet a full year of age, ASHE was officially launched with an inaugural editorial publication on June 23, 2021. Since then we published 22 original investigations, 13 concise communications, 10 research briefs, 10 invited reviews, 3 commentaries, and 4 letters to the editor across a diversity of perspectives in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship.  In addition, we published the proceedings from SHEA Spring 2021. Last, our goal to serve colleagues in low and middle income countries is reflected by recently published manuscripts from North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.

The most immediate measures of success are the total number of submissions (167), the number of article downloads (14,208), Altmetric mentions (443) and the number of citations (3). As a new journal, we exceeded expectations on multiple fronts, including the number of papers published and the overall impact of content published.

We deliberately sought an editorial team that represented the diversity and background of not only SHEA membership, but that of the fields of antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare epidemiology.  This includes pharmacists, pediatricians, and nurses in a variety of geographic locations and healthcare settings. With this, we anticipate a growing diversity of voices and perspectives in ASHE. As ASHE is an Open Access journal, the version of record of every article is made freely available to all immediately upon publication, with additional usage rights. Whilst most authors have access to funding to cover Article Processing Charges (APCs), or are at institutions, which have signed a Read & Publish agreement with Cambridge University Press, we strongly believe that there should be no financial barrier to publication in ASHE and as such have a comprehensive waiver policy. We have an automatic waiver scheme for World Bank designated Low and Middle Income Countries, and any other authors who are unable to pay the APC in full or in part can request a discount or waiver from Cambridge University Press. SHEA members are entitled to a 50% discount of the APC.

Importantly, the successful launch of ASHE is reflection of multiple elements, of which the support of SHEA Leadership was hugely influential. Coupled with the Cambridge University Press partnership, the collaborations with Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology (ICHE) and SHEA Publications Committee and the overwhelming enthusiasm and content contributions from SHEA membership and the healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship community at large, the inaugural year of ASHE was destined to succeed.

Last, we are deeply grateful for all the contributors, reviewers and readers who continue to grow the scope, relevance and impact of ASHE as an influential open access journal.