Plum Health Blog
Paul Thomas MD Featured in Michigan Academy of Family Physicians Magazine
Paul Thomas MD Featured in Michigan Academy of Family Physicians Magazine
A big thank you to the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians for featuring me and our family medicine colleagues with their recent cover story!
I love being a family medicine doctor - I get to take care of patients of all ages and stages, I get to manage a broad spectrum of medical conditions, and I get to build long-lasting relationships with amazing people in my community.
Family medicine is a medical speciality that requires 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3 years of residency training. With this 11 years of training, we're Family Medicine specialists!
Here's my quote from the recent publication:
“Starting and growing a direct primary care practice has changed my life. I’ve been able to serve people in my community with a high value family medicine service, advocate for causes that I feel passionate about, and be creative in my approach to solving people’s healthcare challenges.
"In short, I’ve been able to become the doctor I’m meant to be. The direct primary care model simplifies healthcare delivery in that our patients are able to text, email, or call us anytime.
"This takes a lot of the anxiety and stress out of the healthcare experience and our patients can seamlessly access the care that they need, when they need it.” - Paul Thomas, MD (Detroit)
#PlumHealth #DirectPrimaryCare #FamilyMedicine #HealthCare #Detroit #PrimaryCare #FamilyMedicineSpecialty #MAFP #AAFP #Corktown
What kind of medical conditions do Family Medicine Doctors take care of?
Family medicine doctors are primary care physicians who treat a wide range of medical conditions in patients of all ages. This can include common conditions such as the flu, colds, and injuries, as well as chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma.
Family doctors also provide preventive care, including routine check-ups, immunizations, and screenings for conditions such as cancer and heart disease. In addition to treating physical health conditions, family medicine doctors may also provide care for mental health conditions and may coordinate care with specialists as needed.
Can Family Doctors take care of Mental Health Concerns?
Yes, family medicine doctors can treat mental health conditions. While they may not have the same level of training as a psychiatrist or psychologist, they are often the first point of contact for patients seeking help for mental health concerns. They can provide a range of services, including counseling, medication management, and referrals to specialists as needed. It is important to note that the specific mental health services provided by a family medicine doctor may vary depending on their training and experience.
Fortunately, our family medicine doctors at Plum Health DPC have robust training in primary care mental health concerns, like depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and others.
If you’d like this type of Family medicine service for yourself or for your family, you can sign up here:
Laceration Repair and Other Urgent Care Services at Plum Health DPC
Laceration Repair and Other Urgent Care Services at Plum Health DPC
At Plum Health DPC, we understand that accidents and injuries can happen at any time, and we are here to help our patients when they need it most. Our team is equipped to handle a wide range of urgent care needs, including laceration repair.
Lacerations, or cuts, can range in severity from small, shallow wounds to deep, jagged injuries that require surgical repair. No matter the severity of the laceration, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent infection and minimize scarring.
At Plum Health DPC, our team is skilled in laceration repair and can provide the necessary care to help our patients heal quickly and properly. Depending on the location and severity of the laceration, we may use sutures (stitches) or adhesive skin closures to close the wound. We will also clean the wound and provide any necessary antibiotics to prevent infection.
Furthermore, if you haven’t had a recent TDaP booster (a tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine), we will provide you with this necessary protection. If dirt or debris gets into the wound, tetanus can result. Getting the TDaP vaccine at the time of the laceration repair can prevent tetanus from occurring.
In addition to laceration repair, we also offer a range of other urgent care services at Plum Health DPC. These may include treatment for minor injuries, such as sprains and fractures, as well as management of acute illnesses, such as colds and flu.
If you or a loved one is in need of urgent care, don't hesitate to contact us at Plum Health DPC. Our team is here to provide the care you need, when you need it most.
Paul Thomas MD in the USA Today
Back in 2013, Dr. Paul Thomas helped start an organization called Street Medicine Detroit.
Street Medicine Detroit is a student-run organization that delivers primary care medical services to homeless and uninsured people on the streets of Detroit, in parks and in church basements, warming centers and homeless shelters. Street Medicine Detroit is a lifeline for folks who are living on the streets.
Medical Students from Wayne State University School of Medicine run the Street Medicine Detroit program and deliver medical care and compassion to people who are homeless, unsheltered, or without permanent housing.
When I was a fourth year medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2013, I helped a second year medical student named Johnny Wong start the organization. We went on "street runs" to deliver medical care to homeless people.
During one of those runs, a journalist named John Wisely followed our work and wrote about it in the USA Today.
I've been reflecting about the meaning of our work at Plum Health DPC and it has deep roots in the advocacy and volunteering that I engaged in before, during, and after medical school.
I turned the newspaper article from the USA Today into a plaque that I hang in my office as a reminder to keep meeting people where they are at, to keep delivering compassionate care, and to keep striving to make health care affordable and accessible for everyone.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.
- Paul Thomas, MD with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Leslie Rabaut is a Family Medicine Physician Accepting New Patients in Detroit Michigan
Dr. Leslie Rabaut is a Family Medicine Physician Accepting New Patients in Detroit Michigan
Dr. Leslie Rabaut is a Family Medicine Physician Accepting New Patients in Detroit Michigan - she is an excellent physician who delivers excellent care for her patients and the broader community. We are lucky to have her as a part of our service here at Plum Health DPC.
With that being said, she has about 261 patients at this time, and she has garnered that number of patients over the last 1 year. Dr. Rabaut started at our clinic on February 1st, 2021, and through the pandemic, she has gained 261 patients. She takes care of a diverse group of people from many different backgrounds.
Dr. Rabaut will likely cap at 400 to 500 patients so that she can maintain this high level of care, service, and excellence for her patients. Dr. Rabaut will likely reach a full panel in 6 months to 12 months from this time, so if you’re looking for an excellent direct primary care doctor, please sign up to be one of Dr. Rabaut’s patients sooner than later, before her panel is full.
Our patients love Dr. Rabaut and they have given her high praise on our Google Review site. Here’s the most recent review for Dr. Rabaut:
Ohhh, the healthcare system. What an interesting collection of institutions! I wish more places were like Plum Health though. For a couple years, I was stuck with an insurance company that didn't have great PCPs and then had some job changes, which basically made relying upon insurance a complicated process. I remembered Plum Health from Demo Day and decided to reach out.
Absolutely loved the attention that I received from Dr. Rabaut. After having an experience with a PCP who rushed through my appointments and didn't actually listen to what I was saying about my own body, my experience with Plum Health was a breath of fresh air.
Here’s another review for Dr. Rabaut:
I have been Dr. Rabaut's patient for about a year now, and I have to say that she is HANDS DOWN the best doctor I have had. I email her dumb (and not so dumb) questions all the time and she always emails me back right away. Even on a Saturday. She is approachable and honest. When she listens, she is actually listening. I will be lucky if I get to be under her care for a very long time.
And here’s another recent review for Dr. Leslie Rabaut:
I have never had a visit to the doctor like this before. I have always had terrible amxiety going to the doctors. Here I didn't have to wait at all to see the doctor. Dr. Leslie Raubart came in and talked with me for 45 minutes!! (At my last doctor I would be lucky if I got 10 mintues) She was amazing and you can tell she truly cares. She is very good at asking you the right questions and getting all the details. When my blood results came back, she emailed me a very detailed message explaining what supplements and a plan of action for the future. I am so glad to have found this.
In summary, Dr. Leslie Rabaut is an excellent family medicine physician and she is accepting new patients at our Plum Health DPC office in Detroit, Michigan.
Plum Health DPC Highlighted in the Detroit Free Press
Plum Health DPC Highlighted in the Detroit Free Press
Today, Plum Health DPC was highlighted in an article by the Detroit Free Press. in 2017, we won $50,000 from the Motor City Match program and we used those funds to build out a beautiful, community-facing office in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. This clinic helps us deliver affordable and accessible healthcare services in Detroit and beyond.
It’s hard to measure the impact that we’ve had in the community beyond patients served, money saved on labs, money saved on medications, COVID test run, and COVID vaccines given. But, this article examines economic data and tries to discern if programs that support businesses like ours are worth it. You can read the full article, here.
Special thanks to Chanel Stitt on Twitter: @ByChanelStitt and photographs by Eric Seals with the Detroit Free Press.
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Paul Thomas at Plum Health in Detroit on Friday, August 27, 2021. Plum Health was a Motor City Match winner of $50,000 in March of 2017 and the direct primary care office located at the new row of businesses at The Corner where Tiger Stadium was and is rapidly growing with over 1,000 patients.
Photo credit to ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
Welcome Dr. Leslie Rabaut to Plum Health DPC!
Join us as we WElcome Dr. Leslie Rabaut
Join us as we celebrate Dr. Rabaut, as she is an integral part of our Plum Health team!
She joined us in February 2021, but we couldn't have a proper celebration due to the pandemic.
Come out to The Congregation on Thursday as we welcome her to our practice! Our celebration will start at 5:30 pm and go until 7:30 pm. The Congregation is located at 9321 Rosa Parks Blvd, Detroit, MI 48206. There are plenty of food and beverage options - coffee, water, sodas, tea, wine, beer, cocktails, etc… as well as sandwiches, salads, and snacks. Full menu is here.
No need to RSVP, we’ll see you there!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
More about dr. Leslie Rabaut
Leslie Rabaut, DO, is a board certified family medicine physician in Detroit. She practices high quality care that is individualized to each patient. Her interests include functional medicine, preventative medicine, and integrative therapies that work with a patient’s natural physiology to encourage healing. She enjoys working with patients on lifestyle factors that impact health and disease, such as stress, sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and social relationships. She believes in working together with patients as a team to help them achieve their personal health goals. Dr. Rabaut is fluent in Spanish and English.
Map for The Congregation Detroit for our celebration with Dr. Leslie Rabaut on Thursday June 24th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
Three Excellent Family Physicians in Detroit Michigan Accepting New Patients
Detroit Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Paul Thomas MD, Raquel Orlich DO, and Leslie Rabaut DO are family medicine doctors accepting new patients in Detroit, Michigan. Their practice is called Plum Health and they see patients using a membership model for health care. Patients pay a low monthly fee to be a part of Plum Health, and with that membership, receive excellent primary care services.
Patients can come into the office whenever they want to be seen - we guarantee a same-day or next-day appointment for our Plum Health members. We also offer easy communication, with phone calls, text message, and email access to the doctors.
To see what all the buzz is about, you can enroll yourself, your family, or your small business into the Plum Health service via this link.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!
The Doctors at Plum Health DPC are Raquel Orlich DO, Paul Thomas MD, and Leslie Rabaut DO. They are all board certified family medicine physicians and they are all accepting new patients.
Connect with Dr. Paul Thomas on LinkedIn
If you’d like to connect with Dr. Paul Thomas on LinkedIn, follow this link:
Why Have a Membership with Plum Health DPC
Why Have a Membership with Plum Health DPC?
Plum Health DPC is a relatively new business - we’ve been operating for the last 4.5 years - so we understand that people have questions about Plum Health and direct primary care in general. A lot of people ask us why they should sign up for this different kind of health care model.
Our patients choose our service at Plum Health for several reasons, but one of the biggest reasons why people trust us with their health care is because of reachability and communication. In short, we respond to our patients right away when they reach out to us via text, phone calls, or emails.
When you’re a member of Plum Health, you have timely, clear, and consistent communication with your doctor.
We recently reached 90 + five star reviews on Google for our business, and we analyzed the data. Three main categories of responses stood out: Reachability & Communication, Cost, and Wait Times. While affordable healthcare is a trend during this decade, the results show that 'Reachability & Communication' is the most appreciated benefit for our patients.
A staggering 72% of the reviews left by our patients included a comment in this Reachability & Communication category. Affordable pricing is our 2nd highest rated benefit in the practice according to our patients.
More than 40% of our patients included affordable pricing in their review of our clinic. Another 32% of those reviews included positive remarks about wait times.
While these are the most frequently mentioned benefits of a Plum Health DPC membership in terms of our google reviews, there are several other reasons to join! Find out more, here.
Thanks for reading and have a great day,
- Dr. Paul Thomas MD with Plum Health DPC
Reaching out to Young People with the Coronavirus Vaccine
How to Reach Young People with the Coronavirus Vaccine
Presently, young adults have a wait-and-see mentality when it comes to the coronavirus vaccination. According to Kaiser Health News, young adults, ages 18-29, were most likely to be in this “wait and see” group, at 25% of respondents.
One young adult trying to change this wait-and-see attitude among her peers is Christina Zerka, an undergraduate/pre-medical student at the University of Michigan.
She started a campaign called Save Summer 2021, through which she advocates for vaccine acceptance among young people, with the goal of returning to fun and engaging public events, like concerts, once herd immunity is reached.
The Save Summer 2021 campaign can be found on Instagram, YouTube, and their own website.
In this interview, we talk about the Save Summer 2021 campaign and how we can make sure that all groups within our country have access to the best information around coronavirus and the vaccine.
Thanks for reading and have a great day,
- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Coronavirus Update for Detroit on April 5th, 2021
The house is on fire.
Michigan reported 8,413 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the state's total pandemic case count to 692,206.
There were 8,413 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday - we’re getting close to that big spike that we had around the holidays in November and December of 2020, and that’s not good news.
16,218 Michigan residents have died over the last 13 months from the Coronavirus.
Just because you're "over it" doesn't mean that Coronavirus will magically disappear.
We're all tired - we all want this to be over with.
But now is not the time for recklessness.
Be safe, be smart, mask up, keep your distance, and get the vaccine as soon as you can.
On the bright side, 31% of Michigan residents have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, and 19% are fully vaccinated.
I was on Daily Detroit with Jer Staes talking about Coronavirus and why cases are skyrocketing here in Metro Detroit.
Listen here: http://www.dailydetroit.com/2021/03/30/the-house-is-on-fire-with-coronavirus-in-metro-detroit/
Or listen here:
Thanks for reading and have a great week. - Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Price Gouging on Your Lab Work - How to Prevent It From Happening to You
Why Are Lab Prices So High?
It’s no surprise that people get ripped off on their lab work. Patients and their families have no idea of the prices of the lab work that they’re having done. Doctors don’t really know either. Next time you get your blood drawn, ask your doctor what it will cost - chances are, they won’t know, or they may say “it will depend on your insurance coverage.”
That’s another issue with the high cost of labs. Hospitals can set prices at whatever level they want for their labs, and then insured patients will get a discount for having an insurance plan, but uninsured patients will be unsheltered from these high costs.
This recently happened to one of our patients - they went to a health care facility and requested labs, and they were charged about $494.72 for some basic labs.
$494.72 was charged to our patient for basic labs, consisting of a comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count, thyroid stimulating hormone, a lipid panel, and a hemoglobin a1c, which is a test for diabetes.
In contrast, if that patient had the labs done in our office at Plum Health DPC, their total cost would have been $27.47, a savings of about 94%.
$27.47 was charged to our patient for basic labs, consisting of a comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count, thyroid stimulating hormone, a lipid panel, and a hemoglobin a1c, which is a test for diabetes.
How Can You Reduce the Cost of Your Lab Work?
Imagine if you could save 50 to 90% on your primary health care costs?
Rather than spending $500 for labs, you could spend $30 for labs. What would you do with that extra $470?
Rather than spending $3,000 for a knee MRI, you could spend $300 for that same test. What would you do with that extra $2,700?
At Plum Health, our mission is to deliver affordable, accessible healthcare services in Detroit and beyond. So, we’re always looking at ways to save our patients money on health care costs - it’s just what we do.
In short, if you’re looking to save 50 to 90% on your lab workin Detroit or Metro Detroit, reach out to us at Plum Health DPC. If you’re living in another area of the country, look up a local direct primary care doctor near you!
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
If you’d like to have this sort of direct primary care service and knowledge that you’re getting the best prices on your medical care, you can sign up here.
Conversations about Direct Primary Care with a Senior Undergraduate Student at Michigan State
Conversations about Direct Primary Care with a Senior Undergraduate Student at Michigan State
Pre-medical students have a ton of questions about their future and their careers in medicine. As an undergraduate, this can often be a black box - you can see doctors on the other side, but it's hard to look closely at the medical school and residency training processes.
Often times, I'll chat with pre-medical students, medical students, and residents who have insightful questions about medicine and the future of health care in our country. Karan, a Senior Undergraduate student or a pre-medical student at Michigan State University, allowed me to record our conversation and to share it with other pre-medical students like him.
We had a wide ranging conversation as we discuss Direct Primary Care, Plum Health DPC, what inspired me to be a doctor, how to prepare for medical school interviews, and more. Here’s a list of what we touched on during this conversation:
How to scale a direct primary care practice
What does a direct primary care doctor do with their time each day
How a diverse group of doctors can best serve the needs of our communities
Building a team that reflects the needs of our population
Physician burnout and what may be causing physician burnout among doctors
Patient panel sizes in primary care and how they are different between direct primary care and fee-for-service medicine
Price points for direct primary care practices
How direct primary care bridges the gap between Medicaid and private insurance plans
How direct primary care practices can help people across the income spectrum
How direct primary care practices can lower the cost of medical care by preventing emergency room care and urgent care visits
How the Affordable Care Act codified perverse incentives in the health care ecosystem
How the limited free market in the health care space drives up prices in health care
The downsides of having health insurance provided via employment and employment contracts
How we can push towards transparent pricing at a grassroots movement
How has the Coronavirus Pandemic affected Direct Primary Care practices
How can pre-medical students improve their chances of getting into medical school and what kind of activities can help them considering the limited opportunities of shadowing during the Coronavirus pandemic
What inspired Dr. Paul Thomas to go into primary care medicine
How will the health care system change over time, especially in the context of the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic
The three factors that make a career in medicine fulfilling
The real reason why you should pursue a career in medicine
This conversation was a little bit different than the typical videos that populate my YouTube channel and associated blog, but I think you'll find this information valuable and enjoyable. My goal with this is to uplift the doctor and patient relationship, and help to doctors and patients to find greater understanding of each other, and I think this video helps with this process.
After our conversation, the undergraduate student sent me this note:
"As someone who is extremely excited about going into medicine, the constant messaging to us about how the healthcare system is broken, how as doctors we aren't set up to serve our community, but rather to line the pockets of insurance companies, was very discouraging. It was a breath of fresh air to meet with you to see that there are still doctors who love what they do and are working to help fix a broken system and provide the best care to individuals. " - Karan, Undergraduate Student at Michigan State University
Thanks for reading and watching, and a big thanks to Karan for engaging in this sort of discourse,
- Dr. Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC
Healthy Food, Nutrients, Cognition, and Emotions in Detroit
Healthy Foods and Nutrients that can help with Cognition and Emotion
Today I’m talking about health food and nutrients and how they can impact your emotions and cognition. I love gardening and pulling tomatoes, peas, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and squash fresh from the vine. We have a relatively small garden, three raised beds, but they churn out a good amount of food each year. Tomatoes usually do the best, but we had a surprisingly robust batch of peppers this year.
We use the tomatoes in dishes like salads and ratatouille and the peppers can season many different dishes. Here’s some photos:
Without further ado, let’s get into some healthy foods that can help with your brain health and emotional health.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids help to delay cognitive decline in the elderly and can help with mood disorders. Found in wild caught salmon, flax seeds, krill, kiwi, butternut, walnut
Vitamin D
Vitamin D can help preserve cognition in the elderly. Vitamin D can be found in fish liver, fatty fish, mushrooms, milk, soy milk, and some fortified foods like cereal grains. AND you can get more vitamin D by hanging out in the sunshine.
B Vitamins
B Vitamins like B6 and B12 has positive effects on memory performance in women of various ages. Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of foods, including: pork poultry, such as chicken or turkey, some fish, peanuts, soy beans, wheatgerm, oats, and bananas.
Vitamin C and E
Combinatoin of Vitamin C and E can help to delay cognitive decline in the elderly. Sources of Vitamin C include Citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, potatoes, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe.
Want to learn more and read some relevant research? Check out this article:
Dr. Paul Thomas Interviewed on the Talk2MeDoc Podcast
Dr. Paul Thomas Interviewed on the Talk2MeDoc Podcast
This month, I had a great interview with Andrew Tisser of the Talk2MeDoc podcast. We discussed the direct primary care model and why it’s beneficial for patients and why it’s beneficial for doctors. We talk about primary care, access to care, health disparities, physician burnout, and so much more. Here’s what they had to say:
Join Andrew Tisser with Dr. Paul Thomas as they talk about an exciting new model of primary care. In this episode, you’ll learn:
What is Direct Primary Care?
Benefits of DPC to patients and physicians alike
How to negotiate wholesale prices on labs and imaging
Much more!
Here’s that full episode and below I take a deeper dive into some of these topics.
The Private Medical Practice is Not Dead
During medical school, medical students are told that the only way to have a career in medicine is via an employed model. That simply isn’t true. The private medical practice is not dead. In fact, once you get outside of the health insurance model, the private medical practice is thriving.
When I first started our direct primary care practice back in November of 2016, there were only about 400 practices across the country. Now, there’s over 1,300 direct primary care practices, and the movement continues to grow.
Why? Because patients are looking for kind, caring, and thoughtful physicians who have enough time to fully address all of their concerns. And guess what? The Direct Primary Care model allows doctors to have the time and space to take care of their patients in a comprehensive manner with enough time to fully listen.
Doctor, Heal Thy Self
For too long, primary care physicians have been battling burnout and moral injury by practicing in the fee-for-service model. This has lead to many doctors experiencing burnout and compassion fatigue. As many of 54% of physicians are affected by burnout.
In this podcast episode I make the analogy of half of your lights in your house burning out. If this were to happen, you wouldn’t change each individual lightbulb. Instead, you’d call the big energy company and inquire about the electrical grid in your city, or you’d call up an electrician and have them evaluate the electrical panel in your home.
Yet, when 54% of doctors face burnout, the hospital systems and insurance companies tell them to engage in meditation exercises, retreats, or self-care activities. Sometimes they just tell the doctors to “be more resilient.”
This approach is a slap in the face for hard working and compassionate doctors across our country.
What needs to happen is a comprehensive, systems-based reform of our health insurance and medical care payment systems that uplift the doctor patient relationship rather than forcing doctors into a one-size-fits-all model of high-volume, low-quality patient visits.
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 two books Direct Primary Care: The Cure for Our Broken Healthcare System and Startup DPC: How to Start and Grow Your Direct Primary Care Practice
You can find Dr. Thomas.
Website: https://www.plumhealthdpc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlumHealthDPC/
Detroit Doctor Discusses the Importance of Health Communication
Detroit doctor discusses health Communication and Health literacy
This week, we had a great interview with SHANKX Web Development about the importance of Health Communication. We believe that health communication is at the core of better health outcomes. When doctors and patients can communicate seamlessly, questions are asked and answered that leads to a better understanding of symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment options.
For us, health communication is super important, and it starts with developing trusting relationships with our patients. When we have trusting relationships and open lines of communication - text messages, emails, phone calls, video chats - we can truly help our patients understand their symptoms, our diagnoses, and the best way forward in terms of treatment and management.
Further, in communities like Detroit with lower levels of health literacy, excellent communication becomes even more important.
I got to meet Shankar Poncelet and Antrea Ferguson at a recent Direct Primary Care conference and we discussed this topic at that time, and they wanted to follow up with a deeper dive. We decided to engage in an Instagram Live discussion, which went well other than the poor sound quality on my end. I hope you enjoy the conversation!
recognizing national health literacy month
Here’s what they had to say: In light of National Health Literacy Month, we were joined by Dr. Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health, a Direct Primary Care Physician who runs a novel Direct Primary Care clinic in Detroit.
With three doctors and two locations of Plum Health already established, and a fourth doctor joining the Plum Health team in February 2021, Dr. Thomas shares how social media and the DPC model have been "primary" drivers of growth.
Literacy takes two distinct faces in our talk with Dr. Thomas:
Educating the patient community in Detroit about the alternatives available to them when it comes to accessing health care that TRULY serves their needs
Educating doctors and the broader medical community about how to harness the power of social media to not only build your personal brand but actually perform outreach in under-served communities and share the ways in which medical professionals can SERVE their patients
For more on Dr. Thomas's practice, Plum Health DPC, visit our website here.
If you’d like to sign up to be a patient of Plum Health DPC, you can enroll here.
If you're a medical professional looking to start your own successful DPC practice, be sure to check out Dr. Thomas's book, Startup DPC: How To Start And Grow Your Direct Primary Care Practice.
Dr. Paul Thomas Interviewed on Leading the Rounds Podcast
Recently, I was interviewed on Leading the Rounds Podcast. In this episode, two medical students from Wayne State University School of Medicine, Peter Dimitrion and Caleb Sokolowski, interviewed me to talk about direct primary care and leadership in medicine.
We discuss the difference between fee for service medicine and direct primary care. In the fee-for-service model, patients need to have an insurance plan to access health care. This leaves the roughly 27 million Americans who do not have health insurance vulnerable and without access to health care. I started my direct primary care practice because I believe that healthcare should be affordable and accessible for everyone.
During my residency when I was employed by a large hospital system, I hated to see the front desk staff turn away uninsured patients. I knew that there had to be a better, more compassionate way to deliver health care. When I discovered direct primary care, I knew it was the best option for me to start my own practice and deliver health care services on my own terms, for the good of my patients and for the good of my community.
We discuss the difference between direct primary care and concierge medicine. In short, concierge medicine costs $2,400 annually and requires a health insurance plan to participate. In direct primary care, patients pay about $65 monthly and they do not have to have an additional insurance coverage, although it’s highly recommended. I talk about this topic in depth in this blog post and YouTube video.
We also talk about why patients would want to choose direct primary care and why doctors are choosing to practice in the direct primary care model. Patients choose direct primary care practices like Plum Health in Detroit because they can have a genuine relationship with their physician - our patients know that they can call, text, or email their doctor any time they need to. This accessibility gives our patients peace of mind. Patients choose direct primary care because they know the cost of their care, and there are no surprise bills - patients often save 50 to 90% on their medications, lab work, and imaging services.
Doctors are choosing direct primary care because they can spend more time with their patients and less time with their computers.
“I went into medicine to spend time with my patients, not to spend time with my computer.” - Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC on Leading the Rounds Podcast
Doctors can also liberate themselves from insurance company mandates, and practice medicine on their own terms, maximizing the benefits for their patients. Hear about all this and more in the episode, here:
From Wayne State University School of Medicine:
Wayne State University School of Medicine students Peter Dimitrion and Caleb Sokolowski have jumped into the popular world of podcasting as the creators and hosts of “Leading the Rounds: A Medical Leadership Podcast.”
“We began this podcast because we are both passionate about leadership development, which is its own field and needs to be studied like pathology, biology and more,” said Dimitrion, a second-year M.D./Ph.D. student. “There are few resources for medical trainees that are accessible and affordable. Leadership development is overlooked in contemporary medical education, yet medical students and physicians find themselves in leadership roles from the beginning of their training. Other industries, such as the military and business, have formal leadership development courses, but physicians receive no formal leadership training as a part of their medical curriculum. We want to meet this need and improve our comprehension and understanding of leadership principles.”
His co-host is also in his second year of the M.D. program. Dimitrion and Sokolowski published seven episodes so far, with guests including Army Maj. Cal Walters and Paul Thomas, M.D., a Class of 2013 alumnus and founder of the direct primary care clinic Plum Health in Detroit.
The show will focus on three facets they believe are critical to their development as future medical leaders: leadership development, personal development and health systems literacy.
“Leading the Rounds” is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
“We also have a website, www.leadingtherounds.com, which we are constantly updating with links to our episodes and resources for anyone who is interested in following up on the ideas that we talk about in our podcast. People can also connect with us on Instagram @Leadingtherounds,” Dimitrion added.
Direct Primary Care Removes the Middlemen and Lowers the Cost of Health Care
There are perverse incentives in the healthcare system. As a part of my mission to provide affordable and accessible health care in Detroit and beyond, it needs to be said that the middlemen in healthcare inflate the cost of the care that you receive.
Anthem Revenue $104 Billion (2019)
Cigna Revenue $154 Billion (2019)
United Revenue $242 Billion (2019)
Cigna CEO salary $18.9 million (2018)
United CEO salary $21.5 million (2018)
Blue Cross CEO salary $19.2 million (2018)
The total annual healthcare spending in the US is over $3.6 trillion annually.
Healthcare spending on administration: 34%
Healthcare spending on physician salary: 8.6%
When your doctor can’t get you the tests/imaging/procedures/surgery/medication you NEED, remind yourself that the middle management, the CEOs, the lobbyists for health insurance company did NOT swear an oath to put your health above money.
Your doctor did.
Doctors are missing sleep, skipping vacation, answering calls on weekend and holidays, missing important family events, and otherwise working tirelessly to keep you healthy.
All of that's to say that I firmly believe in the power of the doctor-patient relationship and removing the middlemen from this equation. This is why we do what we do at Plum Health DPC.
https://www.plumhealthdpc.com/
#DirectPrimaryCare #PlumHealth
Connect with me on LinkedIn:
Doctors Embracing Startup DPC Book on Social Media
Startup DPC Book Gets Great Feedback on Social Media
This week, we’ve been getting a lot of love for the Startup DPC Book on Social Media.
Let me preface this post by stating a few things. First, I’m a physician on a mission to delivery affordable and accessible healthcare here in Detroit and beyond. Second, I’m an educator. Not only am I a clinical assistant professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, but I also teach in other ways. One of those ways is by teaching other doctors how to successfully start and grow their own direct primary care practices.
I truly believe that direct primary care is a better way of serving our patients - we have more time to listen to our patients, we have more tools to deliver compassionate care, and we can actively lower the cost of medical care for our patients. Therefore, I want to reach as many doctors as possible with this information.
My physician colleagues have responded and they’ve sent me some tremendous feedback via social media. Below are a few of those posts!
Direct Primary Care Doctor Inspired by Startup DPC Book
Recently, Rebecca Berens, MD of Vida Family Medicine in Houston Texas sent out very kind post on Instagram. She recently read the Startup DPC book, Startup DPC: How to Start and Grow Your Direct Primary Care Practice and she posted a quote on her Instagram that I used in the book from John C Maxwell, “Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it's almost always due to personal growth.”
This is the quote that I used at the beginning of Chapter 6 on How to Prepare for Direct Primary Care While in Residency. I used the quote here because I believe that new doctors and residents have the greatest opportunity to learn a new system of care, and they have a unique opportunity to adopt the DPC model and the DPC mindset before getting enmeshed in the dysfunctional fee-for-service system as an employed physician.
Here’s what Dr. Berens had to say:
I love this quote that Dr. Paul Thomas from @plumhealthdpc added to his new book, #startupdpc Direct Primary Care is a new concept to many patients (and even doctors), but it was truly personal growth that led me to take this path. I was so tired of churning patients through the system in 10 minute increments, never having enough time to really help them in the way I knew I could. Meanwhile, I was arriving home to my family emotionally drained and physically exhausted. Becoming a mother made me realise that I needed to do better, for my patients and my family. Starting your own business is a huge risk (even without a pandemic throwing a wrench in the mix!) but in the end all of the stress and uncertainty it will be worth it.
.
.
Does spending more time at home during pandemic have you reflecting too? How have you grown over the last few months?
TESTIMONIAL FOR STARTUP DPC BOOK AND COURSES
Post from Dr. Prisiliano Salas about the Startup DPC Book and Startup DPC Courses:
Just finished a course by Paul Thomas, M.D. from Plum Health DPC and #startupdpc. Let me just say that Paul knows his stuff. I met him in 2018 at the Family Medicine DPC Summit. He gave a lecture about his experience starting a #DirectPrimaryCare practice and using social media marketing strategies. I've been following him on/off during this time but had not fully made the jump onto social platforms the way he describes it. Now two years later his practice growth is testament to this method. He's full and added a new doc! On top of that he remains faithful to his mission, to empower the #DPC community with his knowledge and reproducible success. I'm now ready to embrace social media to share my knowledge and experience with my patients (though still working up to youtube to get more camera ready 😎 ). Take one of his courses or read one of his 2 books, he won't disappoint. Keep the momentum going!
Thank you so much for the shout out Dr. Salas! and best of luck with your direct primary care practice. I know that you’ll have every advantage on attracting new patients after taking our Sales Funnel course.
Regina Allen Hardin, MD of Modern Medicine made this post on LinkedIn:
Medical Student gives a shout out to the Startup DPC book
This week, Startup DPC got a nice shout out from Pretty Girl Practice on Instagram. If you’re a direct primary care doctor, social media applications like Facebook and Instagram can be great platforms to reach new audiences and also to improve your branding. If you don’t have a Facebook Page or an Instagram page for your direct primary care practice, consider making one to improve how people in your community perceive your brand and your business. I teach doctors how to do this, step-by-step, in the Sales Funnel course on our website, here.
Here’s what Pretty Girl Practice on Instagram had to say about direct primary care:
You pay a monthly membership fee (like Netflix) to your Doctor
You can schedule as many visits as you like with your DOCTOR and text your doctor medical questions when needed (no more Dr. Google 🤓)
Hour long visits and you receive higher quality care (currently insurance companies often have quick 20 minute visits to see more patients and therefore make more money)
great for fields like Family Medicine, Pediatrics, even some Dermatologists use this model
allows Doctors to be entrepreneurs again! and brings back the treasured physician-patient relationship. Also, decreases burnout for physicians. Plus patients are more satisfied, win-win!
I really think DPC will be the practice of the future. It’s the practice a lot of us dreamt of when we first became doctors.
The following image is a screenshot from her story about Direct Primary Care:
Startup DPC gets a nice shout out from PrettyGirlPractice on Instagram.
Sincerely thank you to all of the doctors who’ve picked up a copy of the book and who’ve used their social media platforms to share about the book. I appreciate all of you!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Paul Thomas MD Publishes Startup DPC: How to Start and Grow Your Direct Primary Care Practice
Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC Publishes a New Book
I am proud and excited to announce that my new book, Startup DPC: How to Start and Grow Your Direct Primary Care Practice has officially been published! And it is currently the #1 new release in Amazon’s Family Practice Medicine category!
Why This Book on Direct Primary Care Was Written?
I wrote this book for so many reasons - to begin with, starting and growing a Direct Primary Care practice has changed my life. I’ve been able to serve people in my community with a high-value family medicine service, I’ve been able to advocate for causes that I feel passionate about, and I’ve been able to be creative in my approach to solving people’s healthcare challenges. In short, I’ve been able to become the doctor I’m meant to be.
I’ve also learned a ton from my colleagues in the direct primary care movement, and I wanted to give back in a tangible way. So, I took all of my learnings, all of my knowledge and wisdom that I’ve gained over the past four years and put those lessons into this book. I’ve had a lot of victories, but I’ve also made a ton of mistakes and I’ve had my share of failures - I wanted to share about the spectrum of success and failure and give my primary care colleagues as many advantages as possible when they set out to do this kind of work.
What The Direct Primary Care Doctors Have Said About Startup DPC
"I have followed Dr. Paul Thomas' career since he started Plum Health DPC in 2016. His ability to integrate podcasts, blogs, and media appearances within his brand is incredible. Dr. Paul presents direct primary care to physicians in a digestible, seamless format that has solidified his position as a DPC influencer across the country. His branding and marketing techniques are top notch, and I can't wait to see what creative ideas he formulates in the future. Dr. Paul is truly a rising star in the DPC movement."
- Dr. James Pinckney II, CEO & Founder Diamond Physicians
"Starting your own direct primary care practice can be a stressful and confusing endeavor. Dr. Paul Thomas does an excellent job alleviating much of that stress and confusion in this detailed, engaging account of starting a successful, thriving practice. If you have ever wondered whether direct primary care might be for you, do yourself a favor and read this book before making that decision - I bet you'll find it less intimidating than you expect."
- Tiffany Leonard, MD, FAAFP, Owner and Physician of Deer View Family Medicine
"Dr. Paul Thomas does it again! An easy to understand and implement guide to making your DPC practice as successful as it can be!"
- Eleanor Host, MD, Whole Family Direct Care
"Dr. Paul's content is simultaneously engaging and thorough, filling a void in the literature up until this point. His latest book is pioneering in its ability to walk someone through the process of starting a direct primary care practice from a to z, hitting on all of the most salient points and leaving nothing to the imagination."
- Phil Hellman, MD, Paradox Health
"Dr. Thomas' experience with personal branding is extremely helpful to budding direct primary care physicians. In this book, he walks you through the important steps, from creating a logo to engaging with local media and then using social media to market your practice. You really can't find this hands-on, real-life advice anywhere else. I wish his book had been in print when I opened my direct care practice in 2018!"
- Aleea Gupta, MD, Family First Direct Primary Care
"Dr. Thomas has been a huge inspiration to me as a new DPC doctor!His first book was an excellent introduction to the model, but this book really dives deep into the nuts and bolts of how to start and market your practice.As doctors we are not educated on how to run a business, but this guide answered all my questions and makes this scary process feel manageable!"
- Rebecca Berens, MD, Vida Family Medicine PLLC
"Dr. Paul is an influential thought leader of the direct primary care movement. His efforts to advocate for the doctor-patient relationship and assist his colleagues in navigating to the direct primary care model are exemplary."
- Dan Schaefer, M.D. Family physician, Owner and founder of Whole Health Family Medicine Clinic.
Startup DPC Book Description
We all know that our current healthcare system is broken, especially for primary care doctors and their patients. Primary care physicians have to see more and more patients in less and less time in order to keep up with declining reimbursement from insurance companies. This leads to rushed office visits, missed opportunities for genuine connections between doctors and their patients, frustrated patients, and burned out doctors. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Direct primary care offers a real opportunity at a fulfilling practice of medicine. It’s a golden opportunity to restructure your time, build the practice of your dreams, and spend your best hours taking care of patients and prioritizing your family life, rather than wasting time as a data entry clerk for an insurance company. In short, direct primary care gives you the opportunity to become the doctor that you're meant to be.
But how do you get this done? How do you go from a less-than-fulfilled doctor in the dysfunctional fee-for-service system to an empowered, entrepreneurial direct primary care physician capable of starting their own successful DPC practice?
The answers you're seeking are in this book!
My name is Dr. Paul Thomas, and I'm a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor - I launched my own direct primary care practice straight out of residency in Southwest Detroit with over $100,000 in student loan debt. In my first month of practice, I had 7 patients. A few years later, we have over 700 patients, and I've hired a medical assistant and a second family doctor to help me manage the growing demand for our services.
I was named the entrepreneur of the year in 2018 by the Detroit Vanguard Awards, I gave a TEDxDetroit talk on direct primary care, and I've been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Reason Magazine, CBS Radio, Detroit's ABC affiliate WXYZ, Detroit's NBC affiliate WDIV, and Crain's Detroit Business. I've also been a speaker multiple times at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) DPC Summit, the Direct Primary Care Nuts and Bolts Conference, and the Hint Health DPC Summit.
In this book, I'm going to teach you everything I know about direct primary care and about starting a successful direct primary care practice. Here's a smattering of the topics that we'll cover:
- How to have the right mindset to be successful in your direct primary care journey
- How to become the doctor you're meant to be
- What a typical day looks like for a direct primary care doctor
- How to finance your direct primary care startup
- How to raise money for your DPC practice
- How to overcome a lack of business training in medical school and residency
- How to construct the perfect timeline for starting your DPC practice
- How to write a business plan for your direct primary care clinic
- How to start a direct primary care practice straight out of residency
- How to convert an existing fee-for-service clinic to a direct primary care practice while remaining profitable
- What's the difference between direct primary care and concierge medicine
- How to hire a second doctor for your DPC practice
- How to find a profitable location for your DPC practice
- How to negotiate a lease deal for your medical practice
- How to build out the medical office of your dreams
- How to attract patients to your direct primary care practice
- How to brand your practice so you stand out in your marketplace
- How to build your personal brand to grow your direct primary care practice
And so much more!
By picking up this book, you may be taking your first step in starting your direct primary care practice, or you may be taking the next big leap in growing your direct primary care practice. I know that whoever you are, and whichever stage you're at in your DPC journey, this book will inspire you and demonstrate in concrete methods how you can be even more successful.
Here's to your success in the growing DPC movement!
- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
What are the ages of patients at Plum Health DPC?
How Old are the Patients at Plum Health DPC?
We are often asked how old are your patients at your practice?
First of all, we are primary care physicians and family medicine doctors, and that means that we take care of patients of all ages and stages. All patients are welcome at our practice regardless of age.
Currently, our youngest patient is two months old and our oldest patient is 102 years old. That being said the majority of our members at Plum Health DPC are between the ages of 20 and 65 years.
I think there are a number of factors at play that cause the majority of our patients to be in that demographic.
First of all, we are a primarily urban practice, and we take care of several young urban professionals who are highly mobile and without children. Detroit and Southeast Michigan has a strong economic output, that attracts top talent to the region in various professions like law, medicine, automotive engineering, and others. Perhaps we would have more pediatric patients if we were in a suburban community where there are more children and families.
Second, the people that I know trust me and are more likely to become my patients. The people that I know are mostly my age, plus or minus a few years. That probably skews our data or the number of patients in our practice who are around the age of 33 somewhat.
Third, our country provides health insurance coverage for people under age 26 through the affordable care act. As long as a child’s parents have health insurance, that child will be covered under their parents’ health insurance plan. Also, those individuals over 65 are covered by Medicare, and because they may be on a fixed income they may be less inclined to seek out a direct primary care practice where they have to pay over and above their Medicare coverage.
Even thought we take care of patients of all ages and stages, one thing that we don’t do in our practice is deliver babies.
If you Don’t Deliver Babies, Who Do you Recommend for Obstetric Services?
We don’t deliver babies in our office and we don’t have hospital privileges to deliver babies at the hospital. However, we do take care of moms and growing babies during the first trimester of pregnancy. During that first trimester visit, we can perform a pregnancy test and also screen for conditions that may be harmful to the growing fetus, like blood sugar testing, sexually transmitted infection testing, and making sure there’s no bacteria in the urine.
During the second and third trimesters, we make sure to coordinate care with practicing Obstetricians and Gynecologists who are trusted in our community. We’ve developed a list of trusted professionals in Metro Detroit and we share it here to help our patients and the greater community find the Doctors or Midwives who can help them with a successful delivery.
This list includes doctors that we have worked with personally and doctors who our patients and greater community members have had great experiences with. Here’s that list:
Essam Khraizat, MD
Michigan Women's Care
Obstetrician-gynecologist in Canton Township, Michigan
Address: 6300 N Haggerty Rd #200, Canton, MI 48187
Phone: (734) 981-8181
Paige E. Paladino DO
Address: 11012 E Thirteen Mile Rd #212, Warren, MI 48093
Phone: (586) 582-7150
https://healthcare.ascension.org/doctors/1255651170/paige-e-paladino-warren-mi?&i
Cara Speier, DO with Beaumont
Address: 27750 Middlebelt Rd #150, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 476-7650
https://doctors.beaumont.org/provider/Carrie+Lynn+Speier+Schafer/225128
Dr. Soheyla Pezeshki
Metro Partners in Women’s Health out of Providence Park
Address: 26850 Providence Pkwy c500, Novi, MI 48374
Phone: (248) 662-4388
Beata Weiermiller, MD at Somerset Gynecology and Obstetrics
Address: 3290 W Big Beaver Rd Suite 444, Troy, MI 48084
Products and Services: somersetgynecologyobstetrics.com
Appointments: somersetgynecologyobstetrics.com
Phone: (248) 816-9200
https://www.somersetgynecologyobstetrics.com/md/BWeiermiller
Eastside Gynecology & Obstetrics, P.C
Address: 29751 Little Mack Ave # B, Roseville, MI 48066
Phone: (586) 415-6200
https://doctors.beaumont.org/provider/Carrie+Lynn+Speier+Schafer/225128
Women First OB/GYN Center
Medical clinic in Royal Oak, Michigan
Uses a Natural Birthing Center out of Beaumont
Address: 326 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: (248) 584-7600
List of Doctors, Nurses, and Midwives at this practice: http://women-firstobgyn.com/our-experts.html
IHA Nurse Midwives in Ann Arbor
Address: 4200 Whitehall Dr Suite 350, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Phone: (734) 572-9600
https://ihacares.com/locations/mi/ann-arbor/iha-nurse-midwives
Covenant Community Care
Address: 27776 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: (248) 556-4900
Appointments: covenantcommunitycare.org
Able to care for Medicaid-enrolled patients