Plum Health Blog
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.
Coronavirus Update and Vaccine Side Effects with Dr. Jamie Qualls and Dr. Paul Thomas
Coronavirus Update for January 26th, 2021
Today, Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Jamie Qualls of Plum Health DPC discuss the Coronavirus pandemic and what’s happening in Detroit and Southeast Michigan with regard to the Coronavirus.
There have been 551,080 cases of Coronavirus in Michigan and there have been 14,326 deaths from coronavirus. In context, losing that many people to COVID 19 is like losing the entire population of Rochester with a population of 13,162, Wixom with a population of 13,902, or Harper Woods with a population of 13,895.
Age Groups Affected by the Coronavirus
The age group with the highest number of cases are those between 20 and 29 years. There have been about 103,956 cases in this age group and 54 deaths. The age group with the highest number of deaths are those 80 years old or older. In those 80 years of age or older, there have been 27,327 cases and 6,675 deaths.
The death rate among the elderly in Michigan is staggering. If you are 80 years of age or older and you are infected by the coronavirus, there’s about a 24% chance of dying from COVID (6,675 deaths among 27,327 cases).
That’s why it’s so important that the elderly (those 75 years of age and older) are prioritized for vaccine access.
Coronavirus Vaccines Administered (So Far)
So far, about 19 million first doses have been given out in the United States and about 3 million people in the US have received both doses of the COVID 19 vaccine. In Michigan, about 730,000 vaccines have been administered. You can dive into the nitty gritty at the Michigan Coronavirus vaccine dashboard.
Coronavirus Vaccine Side Effects
With the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, there is understandably much apprehension about its potential side effects. According to the CDC, some of the most common side effects reported are pain and swelling at the region of injection, as well as fevers, fatigue, chills, and muscle aches. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html)
The CDC recommends taking an over the counter medication like ibuprofen or Tylenol to reduce the discomfort of these side effects. It’s also recommended to drink plenty of fluids and get adequate rest. Most of these side effects resolve on their own within a few days. These side effects are likely a result of your body responding to the vaccine and mounting an immune response, which is a sign that the vaccine is doing its job (https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-vaccine-side-effects/).
Side effects from the COVID vaccine may cause recipients to miss a day or two of work, but typically resolve without further intervention.
Cough, shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, sore throat and loss of taste or smell are not typical following vaccination. If you develop these symptoms, the CDC recommends staying home from work pending evaluation for possible causes including COVID-19.
There have been reports of people developing a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine. The CDC recommends seeking immediate medical attention in the event of an allergic reaction. It is important to keep in mind that these reactions, though serious, are relatively rare, seeing as tens of thousands of people have been vaccinated without severe reactions. (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7002e1.htm)
Finally, it’s important to recognize that side effects from all vaccines are common. The seasonal flu shot, for example, can cause fever, fatigue, and muscle aches, amongst other vaccines. The important thing is to weigh the temporary discomfort of such side effects to the long term benefits: a potentially high level of protection from a disease that has killed more than 1.6 million people globally.
Final Thoughts
As always, wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain a minimum of 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and others, and limit unnecessary travel, trips, and crowded areas.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week,
-Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Jamie Qualls of Plum Health DPC
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Shout out to Dr. Jamie Qualls, family physician and frontline healthcare worker. 👩🏼⚕️
Dr. Jamie has been helping us serve patients at our Plum Health DPC office in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
She is diligent, caring, and an excellent physician - we're lucky to have her serving and healing patients in our broader community. 🏥
Thank you Dr. Qualls for all that you do, and in helping us deliver affordable and accessible care in Detroit and beyond. 💉 💊 🌱
Jamie Qualls, DO is a trusted family medicine doctor in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She operates Plum Health DPC - Farmington and is accepting new patients.
Jamie Qualls, DO, 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 manipulative 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.
Thanks for reading,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
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.
Dr. Jamie Qualls is Changing the Game for Primary Care in Farmington Hills
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor taking care of patients in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She started practicing with Plum Health DPC in July 2020 and she has already created some excellent health care experiences for her patients.
She uses a membership model for health care, also known as the direct primary care model, to make health care affordable and accessible for her patients. This allows her to spend more time with each of her patients and it allows her to use that time to come up with the best possible treatment plans for her patients.
Dr. Jamie Qualls often takes a wholistic approach to patient care, incorporating dietary recommendations to help her patients achieve their desired health goals. You can meet with Dr. Jamie Qualls and learn more about her approach by scheduling a consultation, here:
Dr. Qualls focuses on delivering not only excellent health care, but also an excellent health care experience. Here’s what one of Dr. Jamie Qualls patients had to say about their experience at Plum Health DPC in Farmington Hills, MI:
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor in Farmington Hills Michigan. She uses a membership model for health care, also known as the direct primary care model, to make health care affordable and accessible for her patients.
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.
Great Feedback From One of Our New Members at Plum Health
This week, we got some great feedback from one of our new members at Plum Health DPC. Here’s what she had to say in a Facebook post:
I’ve been hearing about Plum Health DPC for a while, I signed up and was l was seen yesterday by them. It’s been 24 hours and I can’t stop raving about it! Everyone who is a small business owner or self employed knows that private insurances are a joke & so pricy.
I was seen the day after I scheduled my appointment, No wait when arriving to the beautiful clinic. You pay a monthly fee for unlimited service (I’m paying $49, you can cancel at anytime), all services that they offer are very low cost, my blood work was $45, B12 injection $1.45, and a prescription for $1.39. They offer I’ll say most or all services that you’ll get at your primary care office. Apart from the affordable services I absolutely loved my doctor, I was not rushed AT ALL.
You also have the flexibility of texting your doctor, I was texting my doctor yesterday and I can’t even explain how that feels like.
Maybe I’m sharing a bit TMI, but I know so many self employed people and small business owners that have no insurance. I had not been properly seen by a doctor in over 5 years because of insurance so I wish I would’ve came across them sooner & I hope that others take advantage of how wonderful this service is.
They’re located in Corktown (Michigan & Trumbull)
Check them out if you want more information
Okay I’m done 🤣
If you’d like to to see for yourself why people love our direct primary care services at Plum Health, you can sign up here.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,
-Paul Thomas MD with Plum Health DPC
Plum Health DPC was recently given a glowing review on Facebook by one of our new members!
Dr. Jamie Qualls to Start a Plant-Based Blog
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family doctor in Farmington Hills Michigan and she focuses on a food-as-medicine approach. She will be writing about her approach on a monthly blog and we post her insights and wisdom here. If you want to follow Dr. Jamie Qualls on Instagram, she’s at @jamie_plumhealthdpc.
vegmichigan
We at VegMichigan are so excited to be partnering with Dr. Jamie (@jamie_plumhealthdpc) for this new, monthly feature to our blog!
Dr. Jamie is going to be sharing years and years of knowledge through her blog and we are so lucky to have her share her wisdom!
Subscribe to our newsletter (link in bio) to find out each Health Corner topic of the month 👍
#herbivore #eatplants #plantbased #nomeat #meatfree #plantbasedhealth #vegmichigan #veganmichigan #govegan #plantbased #plantstrong #vegandetroit #plantbaseddoctors #michiganeats #michiganfood #veganeducation #veganfoodshare #veganforbeginners #howtovegan #poweredbyplants #healthylifestyle #michiganmade #michiganvegan #michiganvegans #michiganhealth #detroitfoodie #michiganeats #whatveganseat
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor Accepting New Patients in Farmington Hills
Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor Accepting New Patients in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Dr. Jamie Qualls has joined the team at Plum Health DPC. She is accepting new patients at our new location in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Dr. Jamie Qualls is trained in Family Medicine and she takes care of patients of all ages and stages, from birth to children, from adolescence to adulthood, from older adults to the elderly. She focuses on using plant-based nutrition to help her patients heal themselves by using food as medicine.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas MD
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.