The history of npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine

npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (npjPCRM) is owned jointly by the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) and Springer Nature (formerly Nature Publishing Group), and is also the official journal of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). It is an open access online-only international academic journal with a current Impact factor of 3.23 – its highest ever – and is the only fully-indexed special-interest primary care journal in the world. The PCRS can be justifiably proud of its flagship academic publication. There are many generalist primary care journals in the world, and npjPCRM is ranked third out of all primary care journals worldwide. There are a handful of special-interest primary care publications, but none of these has an Impact factor. In terms of respiratory medicine, npjPCRM is now ranked in the 2nd quartile of the top respiratory journals worldwide. No other special-interest primary care organisation in the world owns a journal of this calibre and academic pedigree. 

To celebrate the news of its highest ever Impact factor awarded last year, these pages recount the history and development of the journal from 1996 to the present day. Its aim is to demonstrate the dedication required to change what was a society newsletter in 1996 into a highly-regarded fully-indexed international academic journal, to emphasise the importance of npjPCRM as the flagship academic publication of PCRS, and to highlight the kudos which this bestows on PCRS.  

Readers can view milestones through the years using the menu on the right.

The PCRS can be justifiably proud of its flagship academic publication. So too, the IPCRG can be proud of having npjPCRM as its official journal. With its current Impact factor of 3.23, npjPCRM is ranked third out of all primary care journals worldwide. In terms of respiratory medicine, npjPCRM is now ranked in the 2nd quartile of the top respiratory journals worldwide. No other special-interest primary care organisation in the world owns a journal of this calibre and academic pedigree, and this is one of the main reasons why the PCRS ‘punches above its weight’. The journal is regularly cited at international respiratory meetings, and each citation (sometimes in front of audiences of up to 2,500 international delegates), raises the profile of primary care respiratory medicine. It is this academic pedigree, as well as the reputation of the PCRS acquired over the last 33 years, which provides the authority and kudos for the society’s activities. When the PCRS speaks out on matters of respiratory policy, or provides advice and guidance on the management of respiratory conditions in primary care, it is listened to by policy-makers, government, and primary, secondary and tertiary care clinicians, not only because of the high quality of its Executive and membership, but also because of the hard work, dedication and determination of those who have gone before. The journal is an important part of the PCRS’s heritage, and it has been a pleasure to document its history and to celebrate the award of its highest-ever Impact factor in 2020.  

This information has been written and compiled by Paul Stephenson

Former joint editor of npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine