Plum Health Blog
Plum Health Featured on Fox 2 News Detroit for Lowering the Cost of Insulin
Plum Health Featured on Fox 2 News Detroit for Lowering the Cost of Insulin
Yesterday, Plum Health DPC was featured on Fox 2 News Detroit for lowering the cost of insulin in Detroit and beyond.
MANAGING DIABETES IN DETROIT
Diabetes care can be difficult and expensive, especially if you’re uninsured. If you’re uninsured and trying to access diabetes care, patients can face the following costs:
$150 for a primary care visit
$150 to check hemoglobin a1c
$150 to check blood sugar via a comprehensive metabolic panel
$300 for insulin at the pharmacy
$10 for Metformin (Glucophage) at the pharmacy
At our Plum Health office, we dramatically lower the cost of these vital services to help our diabetic patients manage their blood sugar.
$55 to $75 monthly for as many primary care visits as it takes to manage your diabetes
$6 to check hemoglobin a1c
$6 to check blood sugar via a comprehensive metabolic panel
$0 for insulin at our Plum Health clinic as we get several free samples from industry
$0.30 to $0.60 for Metformin (Glucophage) at our Plum Health clinic
What makes this pricing difference even more important is that folks with diabetes need to check their hemoglobin a1c every 3 to 6 months to ensure that they are managing their diabetes effectively.
Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC being interviewed by Fox 2 News about the high cost of insulin in Detroit and beyond. People routinely pay $125 for 1 pen of long-acting insulin like Tresiba. At our Plum Health DPC office, we are able to get free samples so that the cost is $0 for our members at Plum Health. Our mission is to make health care affordable and accessible, and lowering the cost of insulin is just one way that we achieve that mission.
Here’s our social media post about Insulin Costs in Detroit:
These insulin pens are $125 a piece at your local pharmacy. 🤑 💰
They should be capped at $35 a piece, but that protection was removed by Congress this week. 🤯😭🤢🤮
Fortunately, we get free samples from industry to help our patients at Plum Health DPC ✅
Tune in to Fox 2 News at 6 pm with Veronica Meadows as we talk about what’s broken in our healthcare system and what we’re doing to fix it 💯
#PlumHealth #DirectPrimaryCare #FamilyMedicine #insulin #drugprices #healthcare
Here’s what Fox 2 News Detroit wrote on their webpage about the story:
FOX 2 - For those who have diabetes, many know the struggle of paying for insulin.
"This can be $125 per pen at the pharmacy," said Dr. Paul Thomas. "In the United States there’s seven million people who need to take insulin and 25 percent of those cannot afford the insulin, they need to manage their diabetes."
For Raphael Wright, that stress hits close to home. A Detroit entrepreneur — Wright says at first he didn't have health insurance. He says his out-of-pocket cost for insulin used to be around $300 a month.
"It was a punch in the gut, I did not feel good," he said. "I am on the fringe because now I'm worried about getting my lights cut out. You need electricity to keep insulin cold."
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) says starting in January the inflation reduction act will help more than three million in the US afford insulin.
"If you receive your health care through Medicare your insulin medicine will be capped your cost at $35 a month," she said.
But Senate Republicans stripped a provision that would have capped the price of insulin in the private marketplace. That cap also doesn't apply to people who don't have insurance.
"I think we should have a $35 cap for all Americans because there are a lot of people who are uninsured - they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid and not enough money to buy private insurance," said Dr. Thomas. "And even if you have private insurance your deductible could be $7,000."
Thomas is the founder of Plum Health Direct Primary Care in Corktown. He says thanks to free samples, his patients don't pay for insulin.
Thomas says his mission is to make healthcare accessible to everyone — especially diabetes patients. He says the results are devastating for those who are priced out of insulin.
"They’re going without, because of that high cost, and essentially this leads to really bad outcomes: Diabetic retinopathy which can cause blindness, diabetes does damage to your blood vessels, which can lead to early heart attacks and strokes," he said.
Thomas says diabetes is the number one cause of amputations and blindness in the United States. He says that is one more reason why insulin needs to be affordable for everyone.
Plum Health DPC Lowers the Cost of Prescription Drugs via Channel 7 Action News
Plum Health DPC Lowers the Cost of Prescriptions Drugs in Detroit and Beyond
This evening we were featured on Channel 7 Action news for lowering the cost of medications in Detroit. We started Plum Health DPC in 2016 with a mission: to make health care more affordable and accessible in Detroit and beyond. One part of that broader mission is to lower the cost of medications for our patients.
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health on Channel 7 Action News
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC is on Channel 7 Action News with Jennifer Ann Wilson, discussing how we lower the cost of medications in Detroit and beyond.
We buy the most common medications at wholesale and sell them to our patients directly - without a mark up. That’s why our service is called Plum Health DPC, the DPC stands for Direct Primary Care - we deliver primary care services directly to our patients.
By delivering care directly to our patients, we remove the profit takers, pharmacy benefit managers, and retail pharmacies between you and your medications, effectively lowering the cost of those prescriptions by 50% to 90%. Here’s the cost of our seven most commonly used medications:
Metformin 500 mg 1.2 cents/pill or $0.36 for a 1 month supply
Ibuprofen 600 mg 7 cents/pill or $2.10 for a 1 month supply
Lisinopril 10 mg 2.3 cents/pill or $0.66 for a 1 month supply
Amlodipine 5 mg 1.1 cents/pill or $0.33 for a 1 month supply
Sertraline/Zoloft 50 mg 4.8 cents/pill or $1.44 for a 1 month supply
Cetirizine/Zyrtec 10 mg 5.2 cents/pill or $1.52 for a 1 month supply
Loratadine/Claritin 10 mg 3.4 cents/pill or $1.02 for a 1 month supply
We do this work because we know that the cost of medications continues to climb and that people in our community need a fair shake when it comes to getting the medications that they need to stay healthy.
Here’s what Detroit’s Channel 7 Action News (WXYZ Detroit) had to say:
Dr. Paul Thomas started Plum Health Direct Primary Care four years ago in Detroit with a mission.
"We believe that medication should be affordable and accessible," Dr. Thomas said.
His membership-based business model eliminates the pharmacy and prescription benefit managers by getting medications directly from the wholesalers then selling it to his patients at cost.
Here’s the full interview from Channel 7 Action News:
Thanks for reading and watching, and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit, Michigan
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC on Channel 7 Action News
Dr. Paul Thomas on Channel 7 Action News discusses how Plum Health DPC lowers the cost of medications for patients in Detroit and beyond.
Plum Health DPC Featured on PBS Nationally
Plum Health featured on PBS’ Start Up Show
Plum Health DPC was featured on the PBS show Start Up - we filmed this in July 2020 and it was a great opportunity to share about our mission to deliver affordable and accessible healthcare services in Detroit and beyond. The host Gary Bredow and his team interviewed our staff and our patients, including our doctors Raquel Orlich, DO and Jamie Qualls, DO.
Plum Health Start Up show Episode Overview
Here’s what PBS had to say about the episode:
Dr. Paul Thomas knew what he wanted to do with his life since the age of 17. After completing medical school, residency and a short stint at an Urgent Care facility, he founded Plum Health. Plum Health offers direct primary care services based on a subscription model. Rather than charge patients for each visit, patients pay a set fee each month, gaining direct access to doctors as needed.
Why Direct primary care is appealing for Patients
During the episode, the host Gary Bredow interviews a few of our patients. He talks with Will Langford and he talks about being seen by his doctors, and understood by his doctors. Will says that “I believe that Plum Health is the future of medicine.” He goes on to say that, “for people who’ve never experienced direct primary care - it’s worth it. If you’ve ever felt that a doctor didn’t see you, or didn’t hear you, or didn’t believe you, anybody who’s just wanted help, and they haven’t gotten it from people who were supposed to help, try direct primary care.”
Will “The Poet” Langford discusses why he’s a part of Plum Health DPC with Gary Bredow, the host of the Start Up show on PBS.
Why Direct primary care is appealing for Doctors
During the episode at about the 10 minute mark, Gary Bredow sits down with Dr. Raquel Orlich and asks “what do you find attractive or appealing about this model versus the traditional model?” Dr. Orlich discusses the importance of talking with patients and getting to know them, and the ease of communication via in-person appointments, text messages, and emails. She also discusses the importance of having enough time to work through all of the factors that are affecting her patients’ health, and this can lead to patients feeling heard and being able to get to the root of their health care problems.
Raquel Orlich, DO of Plum Health DPC during the filming of Start Up with Gary Bredow on PBS. Plum Health DPC is a direct primary care practice in Detroit and Farmington Hills that delivers affordable and accessible health care services.
Dr. Jamie Qualls is working with Plum Health out of our Farmington Hills, Michigan location and she joined our practice because she can “go out and be the doctor I really wanted to be.” She goes on to say that this direct primary care model is growing rapidly not only across the country, but locally, and patients are loving the experience of being a part of Plum Health and a part of direct primary care practices in general. The direct relationship between doctors and patients is really appealing to patients in our practice.
Dr. Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH of Plum Health DPC talks with the host Gary Bredow about why the direct primary care model works for both patients and doctors.
“Maybe the direct primary care model is the future.”
There were so many memorable moments from this episode, but perhaps the most powerful sentiment was communicated in the closing remarks of the host of the show, Gary Bredow. He said:
“After speaking with several of his patients, his model is working. Throughout our conversation, I couldn’t help but wonder why a common-sense approach to health care seemed so foreign to me. Dealing with insurance companies is all that many of us have ever known. Waiting on hold for hours at a time trying to speak with someone and trying to decode confusing bills has always been synonymous with healthcare for me. I just assumed that it’s a part of the wellness process.
“But this is something entirely different. Individuals pay an affordable monthly rate for the service, the doctor gets to spend more time with patients, which possibly leads to better preventative care and you don’t have to wonder what your next visit is going to cost, or have to deal with co-pays, deductibles, or out of pocket expenses. To me, the health care system is not working for everyone equally with millions of people uninsured or underinsured. Maybe the direct primary care model is the future. Either way, it’s nice to know that there’s options available.”
We agree - direct primary care is the future, or at least a part of it. While direct primary care will never replace catastrophic insurance or some form of insurance coverage that serves as a financial tool to prevent bankruptcy, insurance can never give to patients what direct primary care gives to patients - a straightforward and trusting relationship between doctors and their patients.
How to Sign Up
If you want this type of care for yourself or your loved ones, your business or your family, you can enroll here.
Thanks for reading and watching this segment, and we are happy to help you in your journey to better health!
-Drs. Paul Thomas, MD, Raquel Orlich, DO, Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH, and Leslie Rabaut, DO
Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC during the filming of Start Up with Gary Bredow on PBS. Plum Health DPC is a direct primary care practice in Detroit and Farmington Hills that delivers affordable and accessible health care services.
Open Enrollment in Detroit Michigan
We wrote an Opinion on open enrollment, and how it upholds the bottom line for insurance companies, rather than protecting the health of every day Americans.
You see, if you miss the open enrollment period, you can be excluded from health insurance coverage for 12 months, which will reduce your ability to have access to healthcare resources.
Plus health insurance plan prices are often exorbitant, forcing folks to pay hefty deductibles before any "coverage" from the health insurance company kicks in.
Finally, it's a mistake to tie health insurance coverage to employment - as we've seen with this pandemic, millions of job losses lead to millions more uninsured, and this is horrible considering that the job losses are due to a pandemic that leaves folks vulnerable to high cost hospitalizations.
I have to give a big thank you to my co-author Geoffrey Ginter a 3rd year medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Also a big thank you to the editorial staff at The Detroit News for featuring our opinion.
START UP TV Show Featuring Plum Health DPC Airing Sunday at 1:30 pm on PBS
START UP TV Show Featuring Plum Health DPC Airing Sunday at 1:30 pm on PBS
Sunday November 15th at 1:30 pm in the Detroit market and Sunday November 22nd nationally, Plum Health DPC will be featured on the START UP TV Show on PBS. They’re focusing on how we’re lowering the cost of healthcare in Detroit and beyond. If you didn’t know, the number one reason for bankruptcy in the US is medical debt. 🏥 💰This is wrong and it needs to be fixed. 🛠
As doctors 🥼 , we took an oath to “first do no harm”, and that oath needs to include financial harm. Join us as we work towards a more just and equitable health care delivery system. 💊 💉
Here’s what they had to say about us:
Dr. Paul Thomas knew what he wanted to do with his life since the age of 17. After completing medical school, residency and a short stint at an urgent care facility, he founded Plum Health. Plum Health offers direct primary care services based on a subscription model. Rather than charge patients for each visit, patients pay a set fee each month, gaining direct access to doctors as needed, including access to wholesale medications, imaging services and lab work. This is a story about disruption, and being the change that you wish to see.
Here’s the description of START UP TV Show from their website:
What does it really take to follow your dreams? Learn from the people who've done it.
Join host Gary Bredow as he travels across America interviewing small business owners to hear their personal stories and find out what it really takes to start a successful business from the ground up. Energetic, inspirational, and educational, START UP is a fast paced series that captures the heart and imagination of anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business.
The filming process for this episode took a lot of time, effort, and energy, so we’re grateful to the START UP TV Show team.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Jamie Qualls uses an osteopathic manual medicine technique for one of our patients. Dr. Jamie Qualls is a board certified family medicine physician who practices out of our Plum Health DPC location in Farmington Hills. You can learn more about Dr. Jamie Qualls, here.
Dr. Raquel Orlich counts out medications, getting ready to dispense them from our in-house pharmacy at our Plum Health DPC location in Corktown, Detroit. Dr. Raquel Orlich is a board certified family physician taking care of patients in our Corktown Location. You can learn more about Dr. Raquel Orlich, here.
Plum Health DPC Featured in Start Up TV Show on PBS This Fall
Exciting news! We’re going to be on a TV 📺 show called @startuptvshow on @pbs this fall 🍁 🍁 Our episode airs November 8th at 1:30 pm 🙌🏼 🙌🏼
Here’s what they said:
“😱 🤯 What if we told you that there is a direct primary care physician 👨⚕️ in Detroit that does house calls and offers books 📚 about how to start your own practice?
Awesome, right? You will learn more about Plum Health and their desire to provide affordable and accessible health care 💉 💊 🥼 on this season of START UP, premiering October 18th!”
Tune in every Sunday, as the show will be featuring some amazing business in Detroit 💯
Filming this episode was a multi-day process at our office in Corktown Detroit. We got to work with a very talented film crew with an amazing creative vision. The crew put a ton of effort and energy into the filming process and we hope that energy will be reflected in the final product.
This is our first time being featured for an extended interview, so there was a lengthy sit-down interview process and a great deal of B-roll footage, from us performing physical exam maneuvers on our patients in our office, to us counting out meds, and even a scene of Dr. Paul Thomas on a bicycle!
The episode will air on November 8th at 1:30 pm Eastern Time, so mark your calendars!
If you’d like to become a member of Plum Health, you can sign up here:
Thanks for reading and setting your DVRs!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
More about the Start Up TV Show
Crain’s Detroit Business did a nice write up on the show, and described it as follows:
"Start Up," in its eighth season, gives viewers a look inside the world of the American entrepreneur. This season, with the first episode set to air at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 18, will feature 13 entrepreneurs — 12 of them based in Michigan. The season, according to show creator Gary Bredow, will center on how small-business owners and entrepreneurs have adapted to and navigated their way through what has been a turbulent 2020. The show will air on more than 350 PBS stations nationwide.
Start up season 8 teaser trailer
The Start Up crew put together a fantastic teaser trailer for Season 8, and you can see that teaser here:
Plum Health DPC Featured in the Farmington Voice
Dr. Jamie Qualls of Plum Health DPC in Farmington Hills, Michigan was featured by the Farmington Voice this week. The Farmington Voice is a local paper that covers local news in the Farmington and Farmington Hills communities and Dr. Jamie Qualls and the arrival of her new primary care office therein received some nice coverage:
For a monthly membership fee, Plum Health Direct Primary Care (DPC) offers wholesale prices on medication and deeply discounted fees for x-rays and other tests. In addition, Dr. Jamie Qualls is available to patients anytime by text, email, or phone .
Having completed her residency in June, Qualls said this is the kind of medicine she has always wanted to practice. She chose the office in Civic Center Office Plaza, 25882 Orchard Lake Road, because of the central location and easy access to the freeway.
Here’s a link to the full article.
Dr. Jamie Qualls at her family medicine office in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor, using the direct primary care model, and is accepting new patients.
Plum Health Featured in The Jewish News
Plum Health DPC Featured in The Jewish News
This week, Plum Health DPC was featured in The Jewish News by writer Ben Falik. My favorite excerpts are as follows:
It’s simpler to describe how direct primary care works than how — let me count the ways — traditional fee-for-service, even with “good” insurance, does not:
I am a member of Plum Health Direct Primary Care. Membership costs $49 a month. Raquel Orlich is my doctor.
I guess she’s other people’s doctor too. But I can call, email or text (from my $50/month phone) Dr. Orlich anytime I’m having an issue and, if she can’t solve it remotely, she can always see me that day or the following.
At one point, there were some balloons celebrating Dr. Orlich’s 300th patient. Ultimately, she’ll have around 500. That seems like a lot, I thought, especially compared to my prior impression that I was her only patient.
The writer, Ben Falik, discusses when his daughter got a splinter in her finger and she was brought to our Plum Health DPC office for care:
Phoebe got a splinter in her finger recently. We texted “Dr. Raquel.” She wrote me right back with her availability. I brought Phoebe to the office at Michigan and Trumbull. Free street parking. Splinter gone. Respectable Band-Aid selection. No charge. And now Phoebe wants to be either a doctor or Great Dane when she grows up.
Dr. Raquel Orlich removes a splinter within 24 hours of being notified of said splinter.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Plum Health grows with a second location in Farmington Hills, hires a third physician
Plum Health grows with a second location in Farmington Hills, hires a third physician
Detroit, Michigan, June 23, 2020 - Plum Health DPC is pleased to announce that they have expanded access to primary care resources in Metro Detroit by creating a second clinic location in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Plum Health DPC currently operates a thriving location in Corktown Detroit with Doctors Paul Thomas, MD and Raquel Orlich, DO. Plum Health has selected Farmington Hills for its second location because of the increasing demand for Plum Health’s innovative services and the desire to be more easily accessible to patients throughout Metro Detroit.
Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH will start with Plum Health DPC at their new office location in Farmington Hills, Michigan on July 1st, 2020.
The Farmington Hills location opens on July 1st, 2020 and will be led by Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH who is passionate about forming strong relationships with her patients. Her clinical interests include community health, chronic disease prevention and reversal using food as medicine, LGBTQ-friendly medicine, and osteopathic manual medicine for chronic musculoskeletal issues.
Dr. Qualls is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Ascension Providence Hospital. Further, she is excited about expanding access to primary care in Metro Detroit.
“Direct Primary Care gives me enough time to work with my patients to address the root cause of chronic illness. In short, I have enough time in the DPC model to be comprehensive in my care,” noted Dr. Qualls when asked why she chose to join a direct primary care practice over a traditional fee-for-service model.
"We believe that healthcare should be affordable and accessible for everyone, that’s why we’re growing into this second location – to expand access to care," says Dr. Paul Thomas, who for the last three-and-a-half years, has been serving residents in Detroit and beyond from Plum Health's Corktown office.
There are currently 750 members in the practice who are cared for by Drs. Paul Thomas and Raquel Orlich. Dr. Qualls' arrival will allow Plum Health to care for an additional 500 patients.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) physicians do not bill or use insurance, which means they can provide their patients with steeply discounted medications, labs, imaging services, and procedures. This practice model allows patients to have a direct relationship with their primary care physician by enrolling in an affordable subscription-based service.
A Plum Health subscription is between $10 and $89 per month. Further, DPC doctors like Dr. Qualls make themselves available by phone, text message, or video call. This connectivity makes getting care even more convenient for their patients.
The new office is located at 25882 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 200B, Farmington Hills, MI 48336.
Media Contact
Dr. Paul Thomas, MD
Founder & Physician
Plum Health DPC
(313) 444 - 5630
More about Plum Health DPC
At Plum Health, we believe that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone. Members of the practice can call, text, or email the doctor anytime they need health care services. We guarantee same-day/next-day appointments. Additionally, patients have access to wholesale medications, at-cost imaging services, and at-cost lab work. Plum Health began in November 2016 with 8 patients, and now has 750 active patients, spanning in age from 4 months to 101 years of age. Our vision is to provide the best healthcare experience in Detroit and beyond.
More about Paul Thomas, MD and Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH
Dr. Paul Thomas is a board-certified family medicine physician practicing in Southwest Detroit. His practice is Plum Health DPC, a Direct Primary Care service that is the first of its kind in Detroit and Wayne County. His mission is to deliver affordable, accessible health care services in Detroit and beyond. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He served as Chief Resident at Oakwood Family Medicine Residency Program. He has been featured on WDIV-TV Channel 4, WXYZ Channel 7, Crain's Detroit Business and CBS Radio. He has been a speaker at TEDxDetroit and is an author of the book Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System.
Dr. Jamie Qualls, MD, MPH is both a family medicine physician and a master of public health. She is able to take care of patients individually and the greater community with her additional training. She is passionate about forming strong relationships with her patients. Her clinical interests include community and public health, chronic disease prevention and reversal using a food as medicine approach, LGBTQ-friendly medicine, and osteopathic manual medicine for chronic musculoskeletal issues. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Ascension Providence Hospital.
More about Direct Primary Care
The direct primary care (DPC) model gives family physicians a meaningful alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing, typically by charging patients a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee (i.e., a retainer) that covers all or most primary care services including clinical, laboratory, and consultative services, and care coordination and comprehensive care management. Because some services are not covered by a retainer, DPC practices often suggest that patients acquire a high-deductible wraparound policy to cover emergencies.
Direct primary care benefits patients by providing substantial savings and a greater degree of access to, and time with, physicians.
Taken from the American Academy of Family Physicians website.
Paul Thomas MD Interviewed on Model D Media
On April 7th, 2020, Dr. Paul Thomas was interviewed by Dorothy Hernandez during Model D Media’s Facebook Live stream. The topic was Coronavirus and how we are managing this pandemic in the Detroit community.
Here’s what Model D Media wrote about this:
Editor’s note: This guest column by Dr. Paul Thomas, a family medicine doctor and founder of Plum Health Direct Primary Care, has been adapted from this blog post on the health center's website. Click here for the full post published on April 4.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an overload of information — and there's a lot of misinformation out there. Do you have a question for Dr. Thomas about coronavirus? Join us on our Facebook page for a Facebook Live Q&A at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, with Dr. Thomas.
Q: Which counties nationwide have been impacted the most by coronavirus?
A: From the perspective of the number of cases and the number of deaths, the following counties/areas have been impacted the most by the coronavirus:
New York City (Queens, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island)
Wayne County, Michigan
King County, Washington
Orleans County, Louisiana
Cook County, Illinois
Oakland County, Michigan
Bergen County, New Jersey
This comes from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and it's notable that Michigan has two neighboring counties in the top six hardest-hit counties: Wayne County and Oakland County.
Q: Why has Michigan and Southeast Michigan been hit so hard by the coronavirus?
A: Bridge Magazine wrote an excellent article on this and I agree with their assessment with one addition that we haven't been talking about.
In the article, Bridge Magazine talks about the following factors causing Michigan to be more susceptible to the virus:
Automotive trade with suppliers in Wuhan China
Detroit Metro Airport with Direct Flights to Wuhan, China
Michigan’s March 10th Presidential Primary
Ties between Detroit and Italy via Fiat Chrysler (FCA)
In addition to these factors, I would want to add a few others, including higher rates of overweight and obesity in Detroit and Michigan - rate of overweight is 47.5% in Detroit (34% in NYC) and rate of obesity is 34.6% in Detroit (22% in NYC).
All of these factors have led to a higher case fatality rate here in Detroit and Michigan than the national case fatality rate:
National case fatality rate is 2.47%
Michigan case fatality rate is 3.75%
Detroit case fatality rate is 3.29%
Q: What are the comorbid conditions increasing the risk of mortality in COVID-19 positive patients?
A: [Last] week, I spoke with a physician colleague at one of the nearby regional hospital systems and we discussed the conditions that lead to a higher mortality rate. These comorbid conditions are as follows:
Cardiovascular disease (High blood pressure)
Diabetes
Pulmonary Disease
Obesity
Cancer
These factors that we discussed were similar to those studied in Wuhan, China.
While it’s still too early to state exactly why this is the case, I have a few theories. First, African American folks have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity than their white counterparts here in Detroit and in Michigan. As we stated above, these are risk factors for higher mortality from the coronavirus. Next, African American people may be more likely to depend on low and minimum wage jobs that put them at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Q: Should I wear a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus?
A: Yes, the CDC now recommends that all Americans wear a mask when in a place where they have a higher chance of contracting the Coronavirus, like grocery stores. This can be a cloth or fabric mask. Please wash these each day if you wear them. Please do not hoard surgical or N95 masks as these are needed at hospitals at this time.
Q: What can you do to slow down the coronavirus?
A:
Stay at home
Donate extra supplies to hospitals or your primary care doctor’s office
Unused N95 masks
Unused nitrile gloves
Donate blood
DO NOT congregate in large groups
DO NOT visit elderly or vulnerable relatives, even if you feel fine
Act as though you have the virus
Detroit Doctor Answers Questions about Coronavirus on WDET's Detroit Today
Dr. Paul Thomas, MD, a family medicine doctor in Detroit answers many questions that Detroiters have about the Coronavirus and its impact on our community.
From WDET:
Dr. Paul Thomas is a primary care physician at Plum Health direct primary care in Corktown, an office that utilizes a monthly membership to treat patients rather than through insurance. He says that with job security threatened and instability on the horizon it is important to have comprehensive health care not tied to employer-based insurance.
His tips:
Keep a pair of gloves in the car to use at the gas station or grocery store to prevent touching contaminated surfaces when running essential errands.
The virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours. For this reason, leave mail out for roughly two days before picking it up.
Swap Tylenol for ibuprofen (based on an evolving scientific study).
To boost your immune system get eight hours of sleep, get some vitamin D when the sun is out and take a long (isolated) walk once a day.
If you are experiencing fever or shortness of breath seek medical treatment at the hospital.
Listen to the full episode, here.
Thanks for reading and listening!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit Michigan
Plum Health in Crain's Detroit Business
This week, we were featured in Crain’s Detroit Business under a special section regarding the Caring for Kids radio program. Here’s the part about Plum Health DPC, our membership model family medicine service in Detroit:
Caring for kids: Advocating for the mental and physical care of children
On his monthly radio program, The Children’s Foundation President and CEO Larry Burns talks to community, government and business leaders about issues related to children’s health and wellness.
Guests for this discussion were Dr. Stephen Bloom, Medical Director of Rehabilitation, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Rehabilitation, Ann Arbor; Dr. Paul Thomas, Family Medicine Doctor, Plum Health DPC; and David Coulter, County Executive, Oakland County.
The hourlong show typically airs at 7 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month on WJR 760AM. Here’s a summary of the show that aired December 31st; listen to the entire episode, and archived episodes, at yourchildrensfoundation.org/caring-for-kids.
Larry Burns and Dr. Paul Thomas discuss Plum Health DPC
Larry Burns: Plum Health DPC (Direct Primary Care) is the first practice of its kind in Detroit and Wayne Country. Tell us more about your mission.
Dr. Paul Thomas: We believe that health care should be affordable and accessible. We’ve lowered the cost of health care and allowed people to be more proactive in taking care of themselves. With this direct care model, my patients—or members—pay me directly. It’s $10 a month for kids and then it starts at $49 a month for adults. They can come see me any time they need to. They also have my cell phone number so they can call or text me anytime.
Burns: What might a parent get for that $10 kid membership?
Thomas: You have a doctor on call for you. You might send me a photo of a rash and I could walk you through that. Or you might be concerned about an ear infection and I’d want you to come in to be seen for that. Or you have your well visit.
Burns: If somebody has insurance can they still be a member?
Thomas: Yes. We see people who are uninsured, under-insured, and fully insured.
Burns: What are the membership advantages for adults?
Thomas: Again, you have me on speed dial. We also do in-house labs and medications for all of our patients at significantly lower cost. For example, for a cholesterol panel at the hospital, you might be charged $100; at our office it’s $6. Or, if you came in to manage your blood pressure and you’re taking Lisinopril, that tablet might be $10 at the pharmacy for a one-month supply. At our office it’s 1 cent per pill, so your blood pressure medications now cost 30 cents a month.
Burns: How’s the practice going?
Thomas: We initially launched in 2016 as a house call practice. I had a small office in Southwest Detroit with about eight members. We’ve now grown to about 580 members. We hired a second doctor to help with the demand and we moved into a larger office in Corktown.
Burns: What is in the future for Plum Health?
Thomas: We want to continue to grow and bring on a new doctor perhaps every year to meet the demand. There are only 100 primary care physicians practicing in Detroit for 600,000 residents. That’s one doctor for every 6,000 residents. If you go north of Eight Mile into Oakland County there’s one primary care physician for every 600 residents. That’s a 10x disparity in primary care access.
Burns: How can someone become a member?
Thomas: Go to plumhealthdpc.com.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day, - Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
This week, we were featured in a special section of Crain’s Detroit Business.
This week, Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC was featured in Crain’s Detroit Business with Larry Burns, CEO of the Children’s Foundation.
Detroit Doctors Cut the Ribbon on a New Corktown Office with Mayor Duggan
Plum Health DPC Cuts the Ribbon on Corktown Office with Mayor Duggan
DETROIT (Dec. 14, 2019) – On Thursday, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), Mayor Mike Duggan and community members of Corktown joined Motor City Match (MCM) awardee Dr. Paul Thomas at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of his Direct Primary Care practice, Plum Health DPC.
The Ribbon is Cut with Mayor Mike Duggan, Paul Thomas, MD, Raquel Orlich, DO, and Chris Lake, medical assistant at Plum Health DPC in Corktown, Detroit.
Photo Credit to Nadir Ali at https://www.3andathird.com/
Plum Health DPC has expanded its presence in Detroit, moving into a new 1,700 square foot retail space at The Corner - a mixed-use development on the site of the former Tiger Stadium at Michigan Avenue and Trumbull.
The health care office, previously located in Southwest Detroit, moved to Corktown after a significant increase in demand for Plum Health’s innovative services. The new location in Corktown allows for a much larger, more tailored, and community-oriented space with easy access for patients.
Mayor Mike Duggan speaks about Plum Health DPC and the importance of primary care services in Detroit with Paul Thomas, MD and Raquel Orlich, DO.
Photo Credit to Nadir Ali at https://www.3andathird.com/
“It is crucial for Detroit residents to have access to healthcare facilities in their communities without having to travel outside of the City,” said Duggan. “We are thankful to Dr. Thomas for his commitment to the wellness of Corktown and nearby residents. I’d like to encourage more health care providers to open throughout the City so that Detroiter’s are able to receive the medical services they so richly deserve.”
Wayne State University School of Medicine alumnus, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Plum Health DPC owner Dr. Paul Thomas started his business as a house-call only practice in 2016, recognizing the need for affordable and accessible healthcare in Detroit. His physical practice began in a one-room office located inside the Detroit School of Digital Technology, at the former Third Precinct police station in Southwest Detroit. At peak capacity in the old location, Dr. Thomas and his team were serving roughly 500 patients.
“We believe that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone, and we are very grateful to our many community partners for assisting us in expanding our services, and therefore access to vital primary care resources,” said Dr. Thomas. “First we need to thank our patients for trusting us with their health care. Next, we need to thank Mayor Mike Duggan, the Motor City Match Program, the DEGC, Quicken Loans Demo Day, TechTown’s Retail Boot Camp, and the Build Institute. So many people and organizations have helped us get to where we are today.”
Today, Plum Health DPC has expanded to a team of two physicians, adding Dr. Raquel Orlich, a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, to the practice in July 2019. The two physicians and a newly-hired medical assistant currently serve 600 patients out of the Corktown office.
Dr. Raquel Orlich greets Mayor Mike Duggan at Plum Health DPC in Corktown, Detroit. Paul Thomas, MD and other members of the Detroit business community look on.
Photo Credit Shawn Lee at https://www.shawnleestudios.com/
The expansion also enables Plum Health to add a third physician to their team in the future, providing the center with the means to serve more than 1,500 patients in Detroit and beyond. It’s convenient location in the growing and bustling Corktown neighborhood and its low-cost membership model are further addressing Detroit’s primary care shortage.
"From the first moment I met Dr. Thomas I knew his business reflected the genuine values of the Corktown community as well as our efforts to embrace small, local, innovative, Detroit businesses," said Eric Larson, President/CEO of Larson Realty Group. "I am thrilled to welcome Plum Health to The Corner."
Plum Health’s move to Corktown and the build-out for their new space was supported by a $50,000 grant from Motor City Match and a $50,000 award from Quicken Loans Detroit Demo Day. Plum Health has also received technical support from TechTown and Build Institute.
“Quicken Loans Detroit Demo Day exists to bring capital and exposure to businesses in Detroit – especially those with innovative products or services that are creating amenities and jobs in the city. Seeing Plum Health deploy that capital to scale their operations and serve more patients is exactly the kind of outcome we hope for,” said Lauren Hoffman, Director of Entrepreneurship, Quicken Loans Community Fund.
Plum Health DPC uses a membership model for healthcare, charging patients a monthly fee, and billing them directly for specific services. Dr. Thomas said that by eliminating insurance claims for primary care services, he can offer his patients an up to 90 percent reduction in costs. For example, while a hospital might charge $3,000 for an MRI, Dr. Thomas charges only $297 for the same service. A $150 Comprehensive Metabolic Panel costs $6 at Plum Health; a $10 pharmacy charge for blood pressure medication is only $0.36 for patients there.
“Winning an MCM space and cash award allowed Dr. Thomas to build a world-class primary care office in an underserved neighborhood,” said Batton. “With high local demand for the professional health services Plum Health provides, this business is positioned for success and future growth. MCM is pleased to support business owners like Dr. Thomas who are committed to Detroit’s residents and neighborhoods that are providing the type of services that create long-term stability in communities.”
Plum Health’s new location at 1620 Michigan Avenue serves patients of all ages from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Those interested in the innovative subscription service, a full list of included procedures, and pricing can find more information here.
Dr. Paul Thomas addresses the media at the Plum Health DPC family medicine office in Corktown, Detroit.
Photo Credit Shawn Lee at https://www.shawnleestudios.com/
Media Contact:
Paul Thomas, MD | 313.444.5630 | paul@plumhealthdpc.com
Plum Health DPC, 1620 Michigan Ave, Suite 125, Detroit, MI 48216
About Plum Health DPC
Plum Health DPC is a Direct Primary Care service that is the first of its kind in Detroit and Wayne County. The family medicine service has a mission of delivering affordable, accessible health care in Detroit and beyond. This is achieved through on-time appointments, same-day/next-day appointments guaranteed, and 50- to 90-percent savings on procedures, medications, labs and imaging services. Plum Health DPC is located at 1620 Michigan Ave., Suite 125, Detroit, MI 48216. The hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To learn more, visit www.plumhealthdpc.com or call 313.444.5630.
About Paul Thomas, MD
Dr. Paul Thomas is a board-certified family medicine physician practicing in Corktown Detroit. His practice is Plum Health DPC, a Direct Primary Care service that is the first of its kind in Detroit and Wayne County. His mission is to deliver affordable, accessible health care services in Detroit and beyond. He has been featured on WDIV-TV Channel 4, WXYZ Channel 7, Crain's Detroit Business and CBS Radio. He has been a speaker at TEDxDetroit. He is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine and now a Clinical Assistant Professor. Finally, he is an author of the book Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System.
About Raquel Orlich, DO
Dr. Raquel Orlich, DO is a board certified family physician. She is excited to join the mission of bringing affordable and accessible health care to Detroit. She is passionate about quality patient-centered care and establishing strong doctor-patient relationships. Her clinical interests include osteopathic manipulative medicine for chronic musculoskeletal issues, women’s health, and preventative health. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital.
About Direct Primary Care
The direct primary care (DPC) model gives family physicians a meaningful alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing, typically by charging patients a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee (i.e., a retainer) that covers all or most primary care services including clinical, laboratory, and consultative services, and care coordination and comprehensive care management. Because some services are not covered by a retainer, DPC practices often suggest that patients acquire a high-deductible wraparound policy to cover emergencies.
Direct primary care benefits patients by providing substantial savings and a greater degree of access to, and time with, physicians. Taken from the American Academy of Family Physicians website: https://www.aafp.org/practice-management/payment/dpc.htm
About Motor City Match
Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, DEGC, the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Through 16 rounds, the program has granted $7.75 million in cash awards and leveraged a total investment of $42 million in Detroit neighborhoods. MCM also awards support in space, business plan, design and building categories. Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations. Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) is a non-profit organization that serves as the lead implementing agency for business retention, attraction and economic development initiatives in Detroit.
Plum Health Featured in Model D Media
This week, the growth and expansion at Plum Health DPC was featured in Model D Media, under their Development News section. Here’s what they said:
Plum Health, the direct primary care practice founded in 2016 by Dr. Paul Thomas, has left its Southwest Detroit beginnings for one of the most high-profile developments in the city: The Corner mixed-use development located at the site of the old Tiger Stadium.
The move to the 1,700-square-foot space results from a significant increase in the amount of patients Thomas serves, from 8 in November 2016 to more than 550 active patients today.
Thomas hired Dr. Raquel Orlich this summer and, with the move, a third physician will be hired, meaning that Plum Health will eventually be able to serve more than 1,500 patients from their new Corktown offices.
"We believe that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone, and this new office takes us one step closer to that goal," says Thomas.
"Our new family medicine office is warm and inviting, and we look forward to serving the medical needs of our community from this space for many years to come."
In June 2018, Model D wrote that Dr. Thomas "could disrupt the field of primary care" because Plum Health offers direct primary care services based on a subscription model. Rather than charge patients for each visit and service rendered, patients pay a set fee each month, gaining direct access to doctors as needed.
Patients also have access to wholesale medications, at-cost imaging services, and at-cost lab work.
No health insurance is required for Plum Health services.
Plum Health is located in Ste. 125 of 1620 Michigan Ave. in Corktown.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
We’re grateful to Model D Media for the continuing coverage and very excited to continue to serve people in this way. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.
Drs. Paul Thomas and Raquel Orlich
Press Coverage for Direct Primary Care in Detroit and Michigan
This was a big week for press coverage for Direct Primary Care in Detroit and Michigan. The bottom line is this: people are hearing more and more about this Direct Primary Care movement and we’re getting more and better coverage as the DPC movement grows.
Plum Health DPC Interview on The Craig Fahle Show
First off, we had a fabulous interview with Craig Fahle of Deadline Detroit. Craig Fahle is the former host of the Craig Fahle Show on WDET and he currently hosts the Craig Fahle Show on Deadline Detroit:
A mix of interviews and commentary, The Craig Fahle Show is a daily 30 minute podcast telling the important political, business, and cultural stories that matter to Detroit and Michigan. Hosted by Craig Fahle, an award winning journalist and talk show host who for years hosted his eponymous talk show on WDET, Detroit's Public Radio station.
Craig Fahle’s coverage of our story at Plum Health DPC was insightful and robust. He brought a really well thought out, professional approach to this interview. You can listen to the full episode here:
Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC interviewed by Craig Fahle of Deadline Detroit on the Craig Fahle Show. The conversation focused on the Direct Primary Care model and the impact that it is having in the Detroit market.
Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health Mentioned During WDET’s Detroit Today
Second, during WDET’s Detroit Today radio program with Stephen Henderson, a caller rang in and asked if there was a health care model similar to the Green Bay Packers, where everyone buys in and benefits from the system. Start listening to the interview at the 34:30 mark to hear the question and answer. Additionally, I’ve taken the time to transcribe the conversation here:
Kevin in Grosse Pointe Park: “My idea may be a little simplistic, but I’d love to see something modeled off of the Green Bay Packers. As in, all of us pay our premiums to a hospital on a monthly basis, so the doctors, and the nurses, and the hospitals get our premiums. Let’s eliminate the insurance companies and the in-betweens. The doctors and nurses own the hospitals and we own shares in the hospitals and have an interest in this possibility.”
Stephen Henderson, Host of Detroit Today: “Hmm. Kevin it’s simplistic but it does get to a fundamental issue in the healthcare system. What role do the insurance companies play, and how much money do they add to the cost of things in the system and is there a way to eliminate them all-together. Abdul El-Sayed, we had a physician on the program a few months ago, Paul Thomas here in the City of Detroit, who is treating patients by eliminating insurance. He doesn’t take insurance, he has them pay into kind of a share system like Kevin is talking about. He deals with pharmaceutical companies directly to lower the cost of the meds and it seems like he’s got kind of a solution to some of the problems we see in the system now. The idea of dealing directly with physicians and hospital systems rather than insurance companies. Is that maybe a way forward?
Abdul El-Sayed, MD, MPH: “So, I love Paul’s model and I think it’s a great model for primary care. You pay him, he takes care of you, it’s simple, you eliminate the middle man. In fact though, Kevin’s idea, that’s how insurance companies started.”
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed goes on to talk about the founding of Blue Cross with Baylor’s Hospital System. When I heard this conversation, I was absolutely floored! It’s amazing that Stephen Henderson recalled our conversation and offered our model as a solution to our current health care problems.
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC was mentioned by Stephen Henderson of WDET and Abdul El-Sayed during a comprehensive conversation of healthcare costs during the Detroit Today radio program.
Direct Primary Care Physician on Michigan Radio
Finally, a friend and colleague of mine, Matthew Falkiewicz, MD Of Nova Direct Primary Care in Grand Rapids was interviewed on Michigan Radio with Cynthia Canty.
“Before insurance companies, and co-pays, and filing claims, the relationship between doctors and patients was simple. Those who needed medical care would visit their doctor’s office or request a house call. Once that care was provided, the doctor was paid directly.
“Some physicians are bringing that model into the 21st century by offering direct primary care to their patients on a subscription basis.
“Dr. Matt Falkiewicz is a physician with Nova Direct Primary Care in Grand Rapids. His practice offers a membership-based model where patients pay a monthly fee”
All told, three big mentions of Direct Primary Care in Detroit and Michigan over the last 1 week. This tells me that there’s a growing momentum for Direct Primary Care in our state. When I first started in 2016, I was an early adopter, perhaps the second doctor in the state of Michigan with a pure Direct Primary Care practice. Now, there’s over 10 doctors practicing in the DPC model in Michigan.
I believe in this model and these doctors - Direct Primary Care allows us to serve our patients on their own terms, and not at the dictates or mandates of an insurance company. The DPC model allows us to develop caring relationships with our patients and to deliver the best service possible to our patients.
I’m really excited for this growing movement - thanks for reading!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit, Michigan
Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC. Direct Primary Care allows doctors and patients to develop deeper, more trusting relationships that can result in better health for both patients and doctors.
Detroit Doctor Lowers the Cost of Prescription Medications
Medication prices are unsustainably high, putting a huge financial burden on every day Americans. In a recent survey, 8% of adult Americans don’t take their medicines as prescribed because they can’t afford them.
In addition, the cost of insulin for an average patient with Type 1 Diabetes doubled from 2012 to 2016. In fact, the cost of medications like insulin are inflating at higher rates than college tuition, college textbooks, and hospital services.
The cost of insulin is increasing at rates far above overall inflation, even outpacing the cost of college tuition and college textbooks.
All of this data is presented to make the point: health care and specifically prescription medications have become more and more unaffordable for average Americans.
Fortunately, there is a better way to get prescription medications. One way is to develop a relationship with a Direct Primary Care physician, who focuses on improving access to affordable health care services, medications, and lab work.
The medications provided by Direct Primary Care doctors are typically given to patients at-cost or at a small markup to cover shipping, bottles, and labels. Direct Primary Care doctors do this because they believe that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone.
Our Direct Primary Care practice here in Detroit is called Plum Health DPC and we pride ourselves on lowering the cost of medications for our patients. A partial list of these medications and their prices can be found on our Pricing Page as well as by following this link to our PDF of medication prices.
For example, we had a young lady come in to our clinic with an outbreak of HSV or Herpes Simplex Virus that was affecting her genitals. She went to the local pharmacy and requested a course of Valtrex, and she was told that the medication would cost $100. She heard about our clinic, signed up for our services and now is able to get a course of treatment with Valtrex for $1.49.
As another example, we had a diabetic patient who was not actively managing his diabetes because he was scared about how much the medication might cost. He was not seeking medical attention and was not taking any medication at all for his diabetes. Unfortunately, he developed a severe skin infection that required hospitalization. The nursing staff directed him to our clinic and we were able to get his diabetic medication for free through a pharmaceutical program. Additionally, we are able to manage his high blood pressure and high cholesterol for under $5/month.
Because of this type of work that we do for our patients everyday, we have the privilege of being interviewed on WDET’s Detroit Today. This segment will air at 9:00 am on Wednesday May 22nd. Please tune in or share the podcast link to spread the word about how we’re actively lowering the cost of health care and prescription medications in Detroit and beyond.
Thank you for reading and listening,
Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
For more information on this topic, read our previous blog post, titled: How to Find the Best Prescription Drug Prices in Detroit
Detroit doctor, Paul Thomas MD, is using the Direct Primary Care model to the lower the cost of prescription medications in Detroit and beyond
This is an addendum to the Original Post, from WDET’s post:
Henderson also speaks with Dr. Paul Thomas, a primary care physician at Plum Health in Southwest Detroit. Since 2016, Thomas has had his patients pay an affordable monthly membership fee for healthcare and then he gets them their necessary medication at cost. A common blood pressure medication that would normally cost between $5 and $10 when billed through insurance and filled at a pharmacy, is instead costing patients just 27 cents for a month supply.
WDET’s coverage of Stephen Henderson’s conversation with Paul Thomas, MD on Detroit Today.
Interview on Small Talk with Mark S. Lee
This week, we were featured on Small Talk with Mark S. Lee! Mark S. Lee is a good friend, and a champion of entrepreneurship in Detroit, so it was a privilege to be on the show. Here’s what we talked about:
Intro (01:45)
Dr. Paul Thomas is introduced by Mark S. Lee. Paul Thomas, MD is a board-certified family medicine physician practicing in Southwest Detroit. His practice is Plum Health DPC, a Direct Primary Care service that is the first of its kind in Detroit and Wayne County. His mission is to deliver affordable, accessible health care services in Detroit and beyond. He has been featured on WDIV-TV Channel 4, WXYZ Channel 7, Crain's Detroit Business and CBS Radio. He has been a speaker at TEDxDetroit. He is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine and now a Clinical Assistant Professor.
Flashpoint Interview (02:30)
Two weeks ago, we were featured on Flashpoint with Devin Scillian and Dr. Frank McGeorge. We were able to discuss the Direct Primary Care model and what’s included in a membership with Plum Health DPC. At Plum Health, we believe that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone. We also believe in the power of a personal relationship with your physician. To that end, all of my patients have my cell phone number, and can contact me at any time, and they can have an appointment in our office same-day or next-day guaranteed. People are choosing Direct Primary Care services because they are looking at rising premiums for health insurance and seeing less and less value from these insurance plans. We also discuss how to differentiate health care from health insurance.
The beginnings of Plum Health DPC in Southwest Detroit (04:00)
The beginnings of Plum Health DPC and the growth of the practice - we’ve met and exceeded our growth goals for Plum Health. We currently have 425 to 430 active members in our practice. People choose Plum Health because they want to have a personalized relationship with their doctor.
Why the current health care system is broken (05:30)
People are over-insuring, or insuring everything from Flu Shots to ICU care, and this drives up the prices of everything in between. When you remove the third party payers, you can lower the cost of care.
The Direct Primary Care book (06:00)
Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System - I wrote the book because our health care ecosystem is so complicated, and I wanted to write a book that could guide folks to understanding the Direct Primary Care movement and our practice. I broke up the book up into three chapters: the current crisis in our primary care system, defining direct primary care, and showing the impact that we’re having in our practice, Plum Health DPC, in Southwest Detroit.
REcent media appearances (07:00)
With the recent media appearances, there are more and more primary care doctors starting Direct Primary Care practices. There’s been a groundswell of physicians taking up this DPC model, because there’s been a groundswell of patients standing up and demanding excellent primary care services from a physician that they can trust.
Clinical Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine (08:30)
I love speaking with students because they are really excited to learn about Direct Primary Care. Medical students are looking for a way to become primary care physicians without the insurance headaches like prior authorizations. When I speak with students, the lightbulb goes off, and they understand the model and get excited about practicing primary care. I love this because our country and our communities need excellent primary care physicians - they save communities money, they prevent hospitalizations and ER visits, and reduce unnecessary surgeries. From the American Academy of Family Physicians:
An increase of one primary care doctor per 10,000 people has been shown to result in:
5% decrease in outpatient visits
5.5% decrease in inpatient admissions
10.9% decrease in ER visits
7.2% decrease in surgeries
TedxDetroit Talk (09:30)
We spoke at TEDxDetroit in November of 2017 and, looking back, there have been several key events that helped us grow. The TEDxTalk, the Crain’s Detroit business profile, the Channel 4 WDIV story and the Channel 7 WXYZ story all contributed to our success.
Future Plans for Plum Health (10:30)
As we’re growing, more and more patients are spreading the word about Plum Health DPC via word of mouth. We’ve had some great reviews from our members! Excitingly, we’re growing and planning to add another doctor to our practice this year to be able to care for the next 500 patients who want to join.
Listen to the full interview here:
Thank you so much for reading and listening, and have a great week!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
If you want to meet your goals for 2019, please reach out at paul@plumhealthdpc.com or 313.444.5630
Family Doctor on Flashpoint with Devin Scillian
Today, we were featured on Flashpoint on WDIV with Devin Scillian. The conversation focused on Direct Primary Care, and our clinic in Southwest Detroit called Plum Health DPC, which is making healthcare affordable and accessible in Detroit and beyond.
Devin Scillian is the host of Flashpoint, and a highly respected journalist in Detroit, so it was a tremendous honor to be invited onto the program to discuss this important issue. Flanking Devin Scillian was Frank McGeorge, MD, an emergency room physician and the Good Health reporter for WDIV. Dr. McGeorge was brought in to provide an additional layer of insight into health care and ask questions about Direct Primary Care from the lens of a physician/health care insider.
We also discussed our book, Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System.
Below I will paraphrase parts of the show:
Direct primary care introduction
Devin Scillian: Should your doctor be subscription-based? A new model allows as many visits as needed, for one monthly rate. There was a discussion about new concepts in health care… For some time I’ve been wanting to talk about a new idea in Health Care, it’s called Direct Primary Care. It doesn’t come from your employer, or the government. It’s basically an agreement between you and your doctor - you pay a monthly fee to subscribe to your physician. All the visits that you might need that month are covered. You need medications? Well, they cut a deal on prescriptions, which you would pay out of pocket.
We’ve had a lot of debates about what to do with American Health care - there’s talk about single payer health care and a universal system. Getting less conversation, and we’ll correct that this morning, is the idea of Direct Primary Care, and the Author of a new book Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System, is with us this morning, Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC. And we have Dr. Frank McGeorge, our medical reporter from WDIV Local 4, who will ask better questions than I would.
So you can get rid of health insurance?
Devin Scillian: The first thing I want to get to, is to get rid of insurance and the government?
Paul Thomas, MD: I unequivocally recommend that folks have health insurance, but for your routine primary care services, the costs are much less if you purchase them directly through your doctor. You want to maintain a health insurance plan that you’re comfortable with, and use the free market or Direct Primary Care services to the lower the costs of your meds, labs, imaging services, and doctor visits.
So this is a club, basically? and what is your Pricing like?
Devin Scillian: So, I would kind of use you and your partners like I belong to a club, basically?
Paul Thomas, MD: Yes, it’s a membership model for health care, so you can come in and see us any time you need to. Visits are included in our pricing structure:
The 2018 pricing for Plum Health DPC, as shown during an interview between Paul Thomas MD, Devin Scillian, and Frank McGeorge MD on Flashpoint on WDIV, Local 4 News.
Devin Scillian: Unless your in a health plan that I’ve never heard of, this looks really reasonable, much less than you and I are paying, doc (Dr. Frank McGeorge).
Dr. Frank McGeorge: This is a very different way of doing things, clearly, and it does make sense. I have to say, I really applaud what you’re doing, because I think it’s wonderful that you are getting back to the most basic form of providing health care, that is directly to the patient, cutting out all of the bureaucratic nonsense as much as possible. You don’t need a biller and coder in your office, you save that money right off the top, and you pass that savings directly onto the patient.
Biggest concerns about the direct primary care model?
Devin Scillian: So your biggest concerns with it are what?
Dr. Frank McGeorge: Well what’s interesting to me, is that you’re doing what we used to do in Family Practice one hundred years ago, you were the small town doc. Everyone would come to you with all of their problems. But the problem now is that back then you could know all of medicine, but now, medicine is so much more complex. I guess, how do you deal with specialty referrals? The things that are out of your family practice domain.
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC on Flashpoint with Devin Scillian and Dr. Frank McGeorge of WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit, Michigan, discussing Direct Primary Care.
Paul Thomas MD: The typical scope of a family medicine doctor is 70 - 80% of anything that you might walk into the doctor’s office with. So I can handle 70 - 80% of your concerns, the rest you would typically refer to specialists. Now in my model, we use an e-consult platform called Rubicon, where we can write up your case history and send it to a Board Certified Ophthalmologist or Dermatologist or Cardiologist with a photo or a copy of your EKG, and get a second opinion at no charge to you the patient.
Devin Scillian: No charge to me, because you’ve developed a relationship with these specialists.
Paul Thomas MD: Exactly, it’s an e-consult platform called Rubicon that any primary care physician can use, and I use it because I actually have the time to listen to you fully, to take down copious notes about your condition, and send those over to the specialist and get a second opinion within about 12 hours.
How many patients can a direct primary care doctor handle?
Devin Scillian: Have you figured out where the sweet spot is for how many patients you can handle?
Paul Thomas MD on Flashpoint with Devin Scillian and Dr. Frank McGeorge of WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit, Michigan, discussing Direct Primary Care.
Paul Thomas MD: The typical number of patients per physician in the Direct Primary Care model is 500 - 600 patients. Now, contrast that with the typical family doctor who has to have 2,400 patients, so they’re seeing 1% of their panel each day or 24 patients each day. In our model, when we see 1% of our panel, we see 5 - 6 patients each day. And, that gives me an hour per patient to really sit down with you and understand what you’re going through, and help you through that situation.
What is the pricing like for medications and lab work?
Devin Scillian: You and I have been looking at these price lists (to Dr. McGeorge), because they cut deals on prescriptions and on lab tests. With your trained eye, and the time you spend in the Emergency Room, how does everything look?
Those forms for your reference: List of our laboratory prices. List of our medication prices.
Dr. Frank McGeorge: This is clearly the way it should be. One of the things I’ve always rallied against is the opaqueness of how billing and charging is done in the medical care system. Frankly, if you go into hospital A versus hospital B, you don’t know how much you’re going to be charged for any given test because it’s different in each hospital. This (pricing) is great because it’s all laid out in advance and it looks like it’s done, basically, at cost.
Paul Thomas MD: Exactly, because you’re already paying the membership, I want to give you as much value for your healthcare dollar as possible. So, we make all of our prices transparent, and we only charge the cost of the medication, or the lab, or the imaging service so you get the most value out of the service as possible.
Can Direct Primary Care Doctors make money in this system?
Devin Scillian: I don’t know how to ask this delicately, but is this lucrative for you? Do you make a fair amount - enough money? Or are you just messing with the system?
Paul Thomas MD: As the membership grows, as the doctor gets to full capacity, you earn about what you would make as an employed physician, maybe a little bit less. But, we have a saying in the Direct Primary Care movement that nothing pays like autonomy. I can be the physician I was meant to be. And, in this model, it’s really inspiring for other doctors who want to join this movement because you have the ability to practice medicine on your own terms, and not at the dictates of insurance companies or government heath care systems.
The full video can be seen above, and on the Flashpoint website.
Thank you so much for reading and watching,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Paul Thomas, MD with Devin Scillian and Dr. Frank McGeorge of WDIV Detroit on the set of Flashpoint. The discussion on Flashpoint this week centered around Direct Primary Care, a new model for health care that aims to improve the quality of healthcare while decreasing overall costs.
Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC, Devin Scillian of WDIV Channel 4 News in Detroit, and Dr. Frank McGeorge, an Emergency Medicine Physician and broadcaster with the Good Health segment on WDIV local 4. During Flashpoint this week, we discussed Direct Primary Care and the opportunity that it provides to change our healthcare system from the ground up. Devin Scillian was also kind enough to mention our book, Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System.
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health Receives the Vanguard Award
Last night, I had the incredible honor of receiving the Detroit Young Professionals Vanguard Award for our work with Plum Health DPC in Southwest Detroit. We believe in providing affordable, accessible health care in Detroit and our mission is resonating with people in the greater Detroit community. These sort of awards are meaningful in that they can bring greater attention and awareness to those underserved by our current health care system.
Thank you for reading, - Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Paul Thomas is a Detroit Young Professionals Vanguard Award Recipient
This week I am humbled to have been selected as a Detroit Young Professionals Vanguard Award Recipient along with an amazing class of movers and shakers. The winners are from various professional backgrounds and represent the next generation of leaders in Detroit and beyond.
Beyond being an award, this honor symbolizes that this idea is gaining traction. The idea that health care should be affordable and accessible for everyone. The idea that Detroit deserves excellent primary care services. The idea that we can make a tangible difference in people's lives by doing the right thing.
A sincere thank you to the Detroit Young Professionals organization for selecting me for this honor, and a heartfelt congratulations to my fellow awardees. See you October 24th at the Vanguard Awards!
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,
- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
