We hope you all enjoyed National Primary Care Week (NPCW) and the attention it garnered from both the national media and public at large from October 8-12. Missed it? Just Google “National Primary Care Week” and specify “news” and you’ll get… almost nothing.

With apologies to Rodney Dangerfield, here again is more proof that primary care “don’t get no respect.” Never mind that primary care physicians average a quarter of the compensation that their specialty peers pull down, or that the efficacy and viability of practices are regularly threatened by reimbursement schemes that make it nearly impossible to invest time in patients. We can’t even have a week that effectively promotes its virtues or lends even cursory public support to current medical students.

Medical homes, care coordination and preventive services are key to a more sustainable health system future, and they’re all powered by primary care. Do yourself, and medicine’s future, a favor. Make your contribution to elevating the primacy of primary care. Perhaps by this time next year we can really celebrate.