Of course, as HIR has grown externally, its internal growth has also continued since 2010. This can be confirmed by the journal metrics provided by Scopus and ESCI. Scopus is the largest database of abstracts and citations of peer-reviewed literature [4]. Of all Scopus's journal metrics, h-index and SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) are the most widely used measures of journal quality. SJR is a citation index indicator that computes a value reflecting the topic, quality, and reputation of the journal by citing another specific journal [5]. In conclusion, citations from famous journals are very important, and each quotation yields other influencing factors [5]. As of 2016, HIR's h-index was 14, and its SJR increased from 0.123 in 2011 to 0.588 in 2016 [6]. Scopus divides the indexed journals into quadrants according to the SJR of each journal, with the highest being in Q1 and the lowest in Q4. HIR is classified into three categories: Biomedical Engineering, Health Informatics, and Health Information Management in Scopus. In 2016, HIR was placed in Q2 for all three categories [6]. In addition, such as the total number of citations, citations per document, and ratio of international collaborations, are steadily increasing.

Subsequent to HIR's major efforts to gain inclusion in SCIE quite some time ago, a recent achievement was being indexed among another critical database, ESCI. As a new index among the Web of Science (WoS) databases, ESCI expands the citation universe and reflects the growing global body of science and scholarly activity. ESCI complements the highly selective indexes by providing earlier visibility for sources under evaluation as part of SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded), SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index), and AHCI's (Arts & Humanities Citation Index) rigorous journal selection process. Inclusion in ESCI provides greater opportunities for exposure to the scientific community, which leads to measurable citations and more transparency [7]. Since HIR was included in ESCI in November 2015, it is now possible to calculate its 2-year impact factor (IF) in the Web of Science database. Although we are aware of various viewpoints and opinions in considering IFs, many would agree that the IF is still one of the most important indicators of the status of academic journals. The IF calculation for 2017 is performed using this method: cited items from 2015 to 2016 divided by citable publications from 2015 to 2016, and this has yielded an IF of 1.438.

As described above, this grand achievement has been made with remarkable speed. Moreover, at the beginning of 2018, the new online journal management system was initiated, completing the preparations for the second leap to scientific excellence in healthcare informatics that greatly enhanced HIR's capability for global outreach [8]. The transition to the new journal management system requires adaptation by authors and reviewers, but the transition is well underway. With the new system, HIR is expected to advance further and improve its citation metrics.

With the rapidly growing incorporation of information technologies in the healthcare setting, developments in healthcare informatics reach beyond academia and into facets of our everyday lives, and it is our vision to provide a forum in which healthcare researchers and health informaticians can come together to discuss the implications of this changing landscape. HIR's Editorial Board ascertains that these results are due to authors' quality manuscripts, reviewers' thoughtful comments, and loyal readers who contribute to HIR in one way or another. HIR will put forward its best effort to play an essential role in healthcare informatics through ongoing efforts to provide critical information by consistently producing high quality articles. Again, we sincerely appreciate all your great contributions to and interest in HIR. Together, we will keep moving forward for the advancement of healthcare informatics.