Public Health and Primary Care: In Need of One Another

Public health and primary care need one another; patients and communities need both. The primary care clinician is a necessary part of the public health infrastructure by providing primary care to patients, pursuing health equity, participating in disease surveillance, contributing to population health initiatives, and encouraging and training future primary care clinicians. Primary care practice can also benefit from the use of public health skills and knowledge, including the use of public health numeracy and research skills, the improvement of their own clinical programs, and their ability to more effectively advocate for patients and engage with community partners.