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:

Barriers to Starting a Direct Primary Care Practice and How to Overcome Them

I am so excited for this weekend! I'll be speaking at the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians annual conference on Saturday morning. The title of my presentation is "Direct Primary Care: Barriers to Adoption and How to Overcome Them." The lecture will be held at Western Michigan University and will start at 8:10 am. 

Here's what the MAFP has to say about the presentation:

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a dynamic and exciting practice model well-suited for Family Physicians. Its adoption in Michigan, however, has lagged behind other states, such as Florida, Colorado, and Kansas. This engaging session will begin by defining DPC and identifying successful practices in Michigan, as well as regionally and nationally. We will then identify barriers to starting a DPC practice and how to overcome them. Paul Thomas, MD, Plum Health Direct Primary Care (Detroit)

I am speaking because I believe that we have a unique opportunity to remake our healthcare system into one that is truly compassionate, and one that benefits all parties involved - namely patients, their families, their physicians and allied health professionals. 

I am so enthusiastic about Direct Primary Care because it removes the middle men and barriers between patients and their doctors, and allows for a restoration of the doctor patient relationship. It also lowers costs on everything from office visits, to lab work, medications, and imaging studies. 

If you're available, please join me for this lecture, Saturday July 14th at 8:10 am in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Below is a PDF from the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians quarterly magazine about the upcoming presentation, and beneath that is a short video from the conference: 

Finally, if you’re a Primary Care Doctor or Allied Health Professional that is looking to Start and Grow a Direct Primary Care practice, check out our sister site www.StartUpDPC.com.