Plum Health Blog
Dr. Raquel Orlich is a Family Medicine Doctor in Detroit Michigan
Dr. Raquel Orlich is a Family Medicine Doctor in Detroit Michigan
Dr. Raquel Orlich is a family medicine doctor and she has been practicing with our clinic, Plum Health DPC, in Corktown Detroit for the past 2 years and 8 months. She provides excellent, compassionate care for our patients at Plum Health and delivers comprehensive care for all of her patients.
Dr. Raquel Orlich is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Board Certified in Obesity Medicine. She loves helping her patients with musculoskeletal issues via the use of Osteopathic Manual Medicine (OMM), she enjoys engaging in women’s health care issues, and she enjoys addressing overweight and obesity issues as she helps her patients lose weight and become healthier.
Further, Dr. Raquel Orlich’s patients love the care that she delivers. This is best captured by a recent Google review from one such patient:
By far the best in health care I've ever dealt with. I was only a patient here under a year, but I gleaned so much info and confidence in my health journey. I moved to another state and am constantly wishing I could just hop in to Plum! I saw Raquel Orlich specifically, and she was a joy as well as being supremely comfortable, knowledgeable and communicative. Every test was returned with detailed results so I was never once confused or doing my own research or guessing at how to correct the issue. She always heard me out and was willing to explore even if I was wrong. I was never brushed off and I usually left feeling confident. Chris was amazing and so welcoming as well and made all the labs a breeze. I'd honestly stand outside with a sandwich board on waiving cars into the parking lot like H&R block in tax season if they wanted me to. 🤣 They are so worth it.
Further, Dr. Orlich has been with us for 2 years and 8 months, so she knows many of the resources available to patients here in Detroit and beyond. This allows her to guide patients to the best care options and reach their optimal health.
Thank you Dr. Orlich for all that you do for our clinic and our patients!
The above photo was taken in March 2019 - Dr. Orlich was completing the last few months of her residency program and she was coming by to pick up a fresh new white coat and her new business cards. This was an exciting moment and it was so great to welcome her as part of our Plum Health team.
How Plum Health Saves Patients Money on Prescription Costs
This week, I got an email from a prospective patient. Here’s their question:
Good morning Paul,
I have a question about Plum Health. I have a new job but do not have health insurance. I take five prescriptions.
For a 30 day supply it costs me
Simvastatin 20mg - $14.41
Phenytoin 100mg ER - $29.11
Hydralazine 50mg - $15.31
Metformin 500mg ER - $11.65
I also take Jardiance. However, it is between $500 and $700 dollars.
I was wondering what could possibly be done in my case. I pay out of pocket for the 4 medications listed above but the Jardiance is another story.
Thank you for your time.
It’s crazy that this patient is paying roughly $70.33 each month for four generic medications. Here’s what I sent back:
thanks for the note. Here are the prices at Plum Health for those medications:
Simvastatin 20 mg is $0.90 for a 30 day supply
Metformin 500 mg ER is $1.10 for a 30 day supply
Hydralazine 50 mg is $4.40 for 100 tabs (more than a 3 month supply)
Phenytoin 100 mg is $18 for 100 capsules (more than a 3 month supply)
It looks like you'd save about $60/month on your medications if you joined our practice, and you'd be able to have access to a high-quality family physician.
Thanks for reaching out and thanks for considering a membership with Plum Health! I hope you're having a great November 2021 all things considered, and let me know how I can be helpful - Dr. Paul 313.444.5630
To learn more about our service, head over to https://www.plumhealthdpc.com/
To sign up for our service, go to this link: https://plumhealthdpc.atlas.md/enrollment/index.html?account=nEzWixRVa2gKZ7CJ91e7&wmode=opaque
This is just one example of how we save patients money on their medications.
Thanks for reading,
-Dr. Paul Thomas at Plum Health DPC
Virtual Walk with the Doctor in Detroit's Oldest Neighborhood - Corktown
Virtual Walk with the Doctor in Detroit’s Oldest Neighborhood - Corktown!
This week, I'm hosting a virtual walk with the doctor. We're headed out into Detroit's oldest neighborhood, Corktown!
Boundaries of the Corktown Neighborhood
Corktown is a historic district located just west of Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the oldest extant neighborhood in the city. The current boundaries of the district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard (12th Street) to the west. The neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Why is Corktown Called Corktown?
The Great Famine of Ireland of the 1840s resulted in extensive Irish migration to the United States and Canada. By the middle of the 19th century, they were the largest ethnic group settling in Detroit. Many of these newcomers settled on the west side of the city; they were primarily from County Cork, and thus the neighborhood came to be known as Corktown.
Biggest New Investment in the Corktown Neighborhood
One exciting new development in Corktown is the Ford Headquarters that will be within the Michigan Central Station. The Michigan Central Station is on the western end of the Corktown neighborhood and it's been vacant since 1986. There is currently a billion dollar investment into the former train station to modernize the building and make it fit for the Ford Motor Company's headquarters.
This single investment is prompting other individuals and businesses to invest in the community by renovating old commercial and residential properties, as well as build new commercial and residential properties.
The Best Part about Corktown
The best part of Corktown in my opinion are the people who have invested in the community for the long term - the neighbors, the long-term residents, and the small business community. There are several small business that we pass on this walk that have been neighborhood stalwarts. They include but are not limited to:
This is the map for the Virtual Walk with the Doctor in Detroit’s Oldest Neighborhood - Corktown! We start at Plum Health DPC on Michigan Avenue, head east on Michigan Avenue to Sixth street, head south on Sixth Street to Porter. Then we head west on Porter, snake through the Corktown neighborhood, passing Mudgie’s Deli, Batch Brewery, Folk Detroit, among many other houses and small businesses, before we head back to Michigan Avenue and Detroit PAL.
My goal with this is to provide some education and entertainment during these trying times of Covid 19, quarantine, political uncertainty, and the stress of daily life. Take a few moments to enjoy this video and immerse yourself in a calming environment.
Perhaps you'll watch this video while on your treadmill, or perhaps this video will inspire you to check out your nearest park, nearest walkable community, or to hike a trail close to your home. Importantly, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following activity levels for adults:
For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity. Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week.
Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond the equivalent of 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.
Adults should also do muscle-strengthening twice weekly and this has added health benefits
I bring this up because I’m a family doctor and because the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. From the CDC:
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that's 1 in every 4 deaths.
The best way to combat heart disease is with regular exercise, a health diet, and no smoking cigarettes and limited alcohol consumption.
Thanks for reading and watching and I hope this video inspires you to strive for your health goals and to get outside for a walk this week!
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit, Michigan
Dr. Paul Thomas takes you on a Virtual Walk with the Doctor, starting at Plum Health DPC, and venturing through Corktown, Detroit’s Oldest Neighborhood.
Men's Health in Detroit
Men’s Health in Detroit
There are a number of preventive services that men need to stay healthy as they age. Basic items include annual flu shots and annual blood work to check for cholesterol levels. Checking your blood pressure, height, and weight is also important to screen for hypertension and obesity.
As men age, more complex screening tests are needed. For example, at age 50, men need a Colonoscopy to check for colon cancer. Men who smoke require an ultrasound of the abdominal aorta to rule out an aortic aneurysm at age 65. Men who smoke the equivalent of 1 pack per day for 20 years would benefit from a CT scan of the lungs to rule out lung cancer starting at age 50. From the United States Preventive Services Task Force:
The USPSTF recommends annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in adults ages 50 to 80 years who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
If you’d like us to help you coordinate these tests by becoming your primary care doctor, you can sign up on our website, here.
Men’s Health Event in Detroit
On the note of preventive service, this weekend, the MIU Men’s Health Foundation is providing an opportunity to do check some of these screening tests off of your list. This Saturday, September 26th, the foundation is hosting its 10th annual Men’s Health Event at the Michigan State Fairgrounds. The event will run from 9AM-4PM and the entrance is located at 770 W. State Fair, in Highland Park. To avoid waiting in a line, they do recommend scheduling a time for your drive-through by registering at this website.
All Metro Detroit-area men, ages 18 years and older, with or without insurance, can participate in this completely drive-through event. All services are completely free, and include vital screenings, a bloodwork panel, flu vaccinations, FIT kits for colorectal cancer screening, COVID-19 nasal swab testing, and HIV testing. All testing will be administered without participants needing to leave their vehicles. Blood work results will be texted back, unless other arrangements are made at the event, and you do not need to be fasting for the blood draw. More information about the event is available here.
The Debate on Prostate Cancer Screening in Detroit
Prostate Cancer screening is a double-edged sword. Prostate specific antigen is a protein made by the prostate that can become elevated during prostate cancer. It can be easily tested with a blood draw. Just because it can be easily tested, doesn’t mean it should be tested. Usually, PSA testing is done on an annual basis for men with a family history of prostate cancer.
The test is only recommended for men between the ages of 55 and 69. If you don’t have a family history of prostate cancer, and you get the PSA test, and it comes back high, a workup may be recommended. To find out if you have prostate cancer, a trans-rectal biopsy is performed. That means a Urologist or a prostate cancer specialist inserts an instrument into your butthole/rectum, and uses an instrument to take a piece of tissue from your prostate.
Because this biopsy is close to other important nerves and blood vessels that can control urine function and erectile function, this transrectal biopsy and other procedures to test for and treat prostate cancer can result in loss of urinary function and loss of erectile function.
You must know these facts before being tested for prostate cancer with a simple blood test.
From the United States Preventive Services Task Force:
For men aged 55 to 69 years, the decision to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer should be an individual one. Before deciding whether to be screened, men should have an opportunity to discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with their clinician and to incorporate their values and preferences in the decision. Screening offers a small potential benefit of reducing the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men. However, many men will experience potential harms of screening, including false-positive results that require additional testing and possible prostate biopsy; overdiagnosis and overtreatment; and treatment complications, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. In determining whether this service is appropriate in individual cases, patients and clinicians should consider the balance of benefits and harms on the basis of family history, race/ethnicity, comorbid medical conditions, patient values about the benefits and harms of screening and treatment-specific outcomes, and other health needs. Clinicians should not screen men who do not express a preference for screening.
I’ll repeat that information for emphasis: Screening offers a small potential benefit of reducing the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men. However, many men will experience potential harms of screening, including false-positive results that require additional testing and possible prostate biopsy; overdiagnosis and overtreatment; and treatment complications, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Thanks for reading, and we hope you take advantage of these screening tests, when appropriate.
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
This Detroit Doctor's Office is Open For Business
Plum Health DPC is Open in Detroit’s Corktown Neighborhood
We have been continually working and continually serving our patients during this time. We are proud to do this work and proud to be making health care more affordable and more accessible in Detroit and beyond. Everyday, we work diligently to deliver excellent care and service to our patient and we work diligently to lower the cost of health care in our community.
We are a family medicine practice and our staff includes myself, Dr. Paul Thomas, and my practice partner, Dr. Raquel Orlich, DO. We are both Board Certified in Family medicine and we take care of patients of all ages and stages here in Detroit and beyond. Many people ask us if you have to live in Detroit to be a member of our practice, but you should know that we see patients from all across Metro Detroit and the State of Michigan.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas MD with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Paul Thomas on My Dream Big Club Podcast
Last week, I had a great conversation with Seun Phillips of the My Dream Big Club Podcast.
Episode 6 Link:
Show notes:
Dr. Paul Thomas sits down to discuss:
-Health care issues head on by spreading his innovative Direct Primary Care model, which provides affordable and accessible health care services
-How insurance plans directly correlate to doctors starting their practices in affluent areas
-Done is BETTER than perfect. Spend your time being decisive in your decision making process to keep the momentum going. Make the decision and deal with the consequences later
-Visualizing your dreams and creating a system to help you focus on your goal, revisiting your system when you're down and continuously progressing forward
