Covering health has always been a big part of 5280’s DNA. Way back in 1993, we put “Denver’s Top Doctors” on our very first cover. That issue sold out four times at the Tattered Cover Book Store, and, ever since, “Top Docs” has been among the year’s best-selling issues.

Given that track record, my original idea for the magazine you’re now holding was quite simple: Pull together our annual Top Doctors and Top Dentists lists, add in some of our other health-related coverage, and assemble it all in one easy-to-reference guide. But as is their custom, our talented editorial team decided that 5280 Health offered an opportunity to go a whole lot further than simply repackaging articles from previous issues.

“Health care, medical trends, and personal well-being are such broad topics that it’s hard to really do them justice in a regular issue of 5280,” says managing editor Lindsey B. Koehler, who has headed up more of our annual Top Doctors surveys than either of us would care to admit. “We saw this special issue as a chance to dig into these vital topics, but to do it with the same voice, style, commitment to storytelling, and drive for excellence that we employ in every issue of 5280.”

Led by Koehler, our team has crafted an impressive resource for readers during a time when health care has become a focal point of national discussion. In addition to those ever-popular lists of the area’s best health-care professionals, this inaugural issue of 5280 Health also illuminates trends (“Outside the Network,” page 12), offers timely medical information (“Take a Shot,” page 14), and pulls back the curtain on a profession that remains mysterious to most Americans (“Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News,” page 22).

We hope that you’ll see 5280 Health as a worthy addition to the wellness coverage we’ve been providing to you for more than 17 years. As always, we’re eager to hear your feedback: Write to us at letters@5280.com or visit us on Facebook (facebook.com/5280Magazine).

This article was originally published in 5280 January 2011.
Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan is the founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of 5280 Publishing, Inc.