Implementation Science: review time and acceptance speed
ISSN 1748-5908 · BioMed Central · Health Professions
Half of the articles Implementation Science accepted in 2025 were accepted within 143 days of submission (n = 62); the middle half took 99–186 days.
Accepted articles only · dates deposited by the publisher in PubMed · data as of Sep 15, 2026
How long does Implementation Science take to accept a paper?
| Year | Articles (n) | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Accepted <14 days | Have a revised date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 62 | 99 | 143 | 186 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2024 | 72 | 67 | 129 | 204 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2023 | 68 | 71 | 122 | 188 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2022 | 65 | 82 | 133 | 181 | — | 1.5% | 0% |
| 2021 | 95 | 108 | 140 | 199 | — | 4.2% | 0% |
| 2020 | 104 | 71 | 124 | 167 | — | 7.7% | 0% |
- 2026: not shown yet — a year is reported once late-indexed articles have arrived (at least 180 days after it ends).
Distribution in 2025
Show as a table
| Days | Articles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–29 | 1 | 1.6% |
| 30–59 | 5 | 8.1% |
| 60–89 | 7 | 11.3% |
| 90–119 | 9 | 14.5% |
| 120–149 | 13 | 21.0% |
| 150–179 | 8 | 12.9% |
| 180–209 | 9 | 14.5% |
| 210–239 | 1 | 1.6% |
| 240–269 | 3 | 4.8% |
| 270–299 | 1 | 1.6% |
| 300–329 | 3 | 4.8% |
| 330–359 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 360+ | 2 | 3.2% |
From acceptance to online publication
After acceptance, half of the 2025 articles appeared online within 29 days (middle half 23–49 days, n = 62).
From submission to online publication, the median was 172 days (middle half 133–227 days, n = 62).
Read these numbers carefully
- These times describe articles the journal accepted. Rejected manuscripts never appear in public data, so they cannot tell you how long a rejection takes.
- Dates are the ones the publisher deposited with PubMed. Some publishers record the date a revised manuscript arrived as the submission date, which makes review look faster.
- Invited articles and special issues can move faster than regular submissions.
Open access status and publishing fees
Open access (listed in DOAJ). Listed APC: $3,490 (DOAJ).
OpenAPC has fewer than 5 reported payments for this journal in 2023–2025, so no typical amount is shown.
Many journals waive or reduce fees for authors from eligible countries or institutions with publishing agreements — check with the journal and your library.
Integrity and indexing signals
Facts from public records, shown without judgement. See the methodology for why each can be worth a closer look.
| Listed in DOAJ | Yes (DOAJ record) |
|---|---|
| Articles indexed for MEDLINE in 2025 | Yes |
| Retractions | 0 retracted articles among 380 added to PubMed in 2021–2025 (0.00 per 1,000), per the Retraction Watch Database. |
| Accepted within 14 days of submission | 0.0% of 2025 articles |
| Publication volume | 65 articles added to PubMed in 2025 (-13% vs 2024). |
Topics and scope
- Health Policy Implementation Science (36% of indexed topics)
- Mental Health and Patient Involvement (8% of indexed topics)
- Health Sciences Research and Education (6% of indexed topics)
- Clinical practice guidelines implementation (6% of indexed topics)
- Primary Care and Health Outcomes (5% of indexed topics)
- Community Health and Development (5% of indexed topics)
Health Professions journalsGeneral Health Professions journals
Similar journals — faster or cheaper, side by side
Journals publishing on the most similar topics (OpenAlex), ordered by similarity. Only 2025 figures are compared with the 2025 median of Implementation Science, 143 days.
| Paid APC median | DOAJ | MEDLINE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Science Communications | 188 (2025, n = 154) | $2,390 | $2,030 (5 payments) | Yes | No |
| Health Research Policy and Systems | 188 (2025, n = 148) | $3,590 | $3,059 (7 payments) | Yes | Yes |
| Frontiers in Health Services | 102 (2025, n = 301) | ≈$3,117 | $2,103 (13 payments) | Yes | No |
| Research Involvement and Engagement | 132 (2025, n = 104) | $2,590 | — | Yes | No |
| Translational Behavioral Medicine | 163 (2025, n = 58) | ≈$4,253 | — | No | Yes |
| Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing | 158 (2025, n = 127) | ≈$3,640 | — | No | Yes |
| Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice | 172 (2025, n = 343) | ≈$4,430 | — | No | Yes |
| Systematic Reviews | 236 (2025, n = 293) | $3,190 | $2,619 (15 payments) | Yes | Yes |
| Evaluation and Program Planning | 352 (2025, n = 154) | ≈$3,370 | — | No | Yes |
No journals match these filters.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Implementation Science take to accept a paper?
Half of the articles Implementation Science accepted in 2025 were accepted within 143 days of submission (n = 62); the middle half took 99–186 days. Based on dates in PubMed for accepted articles only.
How long after acceptance are Implementation Science articles published online?
Half of the articles accepted in 2025 appeared online within 29 days of acceptance (n = 62).
Does Implementation Science charge an article processing charge (APC)?
Listed APC: $3,490 (DOAJ).
Sources and method
Journal identity: ISSN-L 1748-5908; NLM ID 101258411; OpenAlex record. Speed figures use 62 articles accepted in 2025 with valid dates; excluded records for that year: none.
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Data sources. Submission, acceptance and publication dates: Courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (PubMed, entries through Sep 15, 2026). NLM does not endorse Journal Clock, and these figures may not reflect the most current PubMed data. Journal fees and open-access listing: DOAJ (CC0, retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Fees paid by institutions: OpenAPC (Open Database License, retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Retractions: Retraction Watch Database via Crossref (retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Journal identifiers and topics: OpenAlex (CC0). Currency conversion: ECB reference rates (Sep 15, 2026). How these numbers are calculated · For organisations.