Plum Health Blog
Flu Shots Available in Detroit
I made this video in October with spooky music, but Flu Shots are still available at our Plum Health DPC office in Detroit.
This season, it is especially important to get your Flu Shot as it is difficult to distinguish between the flu (influenza viral infection), the common cold (rhinovirus infection), and Covid 19 Omicron Variant (Coronavirus infection).
If you need the shot from our office, it’s $23.50 at our office with fast and convenient scheduling and administration.
Our office is at 1620 Michigan Ave, Suite 125 Detroit MI 48216.
Thanks for reading and watching,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Covid Testing in Detroit
Coronavirus PCR Testing in Detroit Michigan
At Plum Health DPC, we offer PCR Testing with results returning next day. We are testing folks at our office from 9 am to 5 pm each week day. We do not offer testing on the weekend as our laboratory is closed on those days.
If you would like to be tested, please bring a valid state or federal photo identification, along with a health insurance card if you have it. We are able to perform testing for insured or uninsured patients. Please arrive at our office and remain in your car. We charge $100 per test for non-members and $50 per test for members of our practice. If you’d like to learn more about our membership, it’s here on our FAQ page.
When you arrive for your COVID test at our office, please stay in your car and then call the office at 313.444.5630. We will come out and perform the swab curbside. We will also make a copy of your ID/insurance card to send to the laboratory.
Our office is located at 1620 Michigan Avenue, Suite 125, Detroit, MI 48216. We are at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull near the old Tiger’s Stadium site.
The labs are picked up around 5 pm and then we receive the results the next day. Once we have the results, we will email them to you. Please make sure that you print your email address clearly on our intake form so that we can send the results to the correct email address.
Either myself or our medical assistant, Chris Lake, will perform the test curbside. Curbside testing allows us to minimize exposure for ourselves or for the other patients that come to our office. Please wear a mask while testing you, leaving your nose uncovered and your mouth covered. Again, this helps us reduce exposure to the virus.
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day.
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit, Michigan
Splinter Removal in Detroit
Splinter Removal in Detroit
We are a group of family medicine doctors. Our practice, Plum Health DPC, addresses a wide variety of concerns, like splinters that get stuck in fingers when doing house work. This week, one of our patients got a splinter in his finger while doing some woodworking around the house. It was painful and causing a slight infection to the surrounding tissue.
We used an 18 gauge needle to work the splinter out of the finger. It took about 2 minutes to perform the procedure, but the patient felt immediate relief. Some pus drained out of the wound during the procedure. We always review Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis TDaP vaccine history in these instances and get our patients up-to-date on that TDaP vaccine. The risk of getting tetanus through a splinter like this is very low, but it’s good to check the vaccine history and reasonable to update folks who are more than 5 years since their last TDaP vaccine with the TDaP shot.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.
-Dr. Paul Thomas, Physician with Plum Health DPC
How to Save Money on Albuterol in Detroit Michigan
How to Save Money on Albuterol in Detroit Michigan
I saw a tweet by Senator Bernie Sanders this week where he says that “An asthma inhaler that is sold to the Canadian people for just $27 should not cost the American people $242 for the EXACT SAME inhaler.”
Fortunatel, at Plum Health, we are able to wholesale medications and we’re able to get Albuterol for our patients for about $38.50, an 84% savings from the $242 quoted by Senator Sanders in the above tweet.
This holds for a broad range of medications here at Plum Health, from blood pressure medications, to antidepressants, to acid reflux meds, and mediations to control diabetes.
As we all know, medication prices are higher in the United States than in many other developed nations.
Insulin in the United States costs 14x what it costs in England.
Insulin in the United States costs 11x what it costs in France.
Insulin in the United States costs 9x what it costs in Germany.
Insulin in the United States costs 7x what it costs in Japan.
Again, at Plum Health, we are able to wholesale insulin for our patients, and get it for them for free in some cases. This goes a long way towards empowering our patients to take great care of themselves, as we take the high cost out of their life-saving medications.
Thanks for reading,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Paul Thomas MD at Wayne State University School of Medicine for a Business of Medicine Elective Course Panel
Wayne State University School of Medicine Business of Medicine Elective Course Invites Dr. Paul Thomas to a Panel
Dr. Paul Thomas, a Wayne State University School of Medicine graduate from 2013, was invited to be a part of a panel discussing Business of Medicine. This was a group of medical students interested in the business side of medicine.
I was really happy to receive this invitation as it is my opinion that medical schools should focus more time in their curriculum to the business of medicine. Topics that ought to be discussed included how to attract patients, how to generate revenue, how to pick and use an electronic medical record, how to manage practice finances, how to start a PLLC or an LLC to operate your business or purchase real estate for your business, how to invest, etc… These skills would be transformational if all physicians were equipped with these business fundamentals.
Paul Thomas, MD of Plum Health DPC speaks to a group of medical students at Wayne State University School of Medicine During their Business of Medicine elective course.
During the course of the evening, we talked about all of the above topics and more, including the following:
How do you build and maintain a patient population in a private practice?
How do referrals work, and what do you focus on when building relationships with specialists when it comes to referrals?
How to decide on employee personnel (PA vs NP vs another MD/DO, MA's vs CNA's etc)
As a growing practice, how do you gain buying power against large healthcare establishments?
Other than telemedicine, what changes from COVID do you foresee staying/playing a role long term?
It was an excellent conversation and I was happy to share my knowledge and insights in these areas. After the event, I received the following thank you.
On behalf of the students and myself, a sincere and grateful 'thank you' for the gift of your time and your insights last evening.
During this very informative and engaging discussion you helped these first-year medical students gain a better understanding of many of the business issues involved in establishing a direct primary care practice. Your entrepreneurial skills were very evident, and we are thrilled they had a chance to get to know this other side of your story.
It was great to observe the ease with which you engaged with the students, and we all benefited from the breadth and particulars of the discussion. The discussion continued after you left, and I am certain the students will continue to benefit from the opportunity to hear about your fascinating journey and will take to heart the advice you gave.
In closing, it’s great to see medical students engaged in the Business of Medicine, as if we want to create a more compassionate health care system, we need to fundamentally change the business models that we use to deliver health care services. Hopefully these students will be apart of that change for the better.
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Plum Health Physicians Strongly Recommend COVID 19 Vaccination for Children 5 to 11 Years of Age
Plum Health Physicians Strongly Recommend COVID 19 Vaccination for Children 5 to 11 Years of Age
Today, I got a great question from someone on LinkedIn about the coronavirus vaccination for children. Here’s what they asked:
Hey Paul, wondering if you can point me in the direction of a good resource to cut through all the noise about COVID vaccines for kids 5-11. Weighing the decision to get the shot for my 7 year old daughter now or to hold off for a bit until even more data exists on outcomes post clinical trials. I looked to see if you had anything posted but didn’t come across anything. Thanks in advance!
This is a great question.
The CDC recommends everyone 5 years and older get the COVID-19 vaccine. I attached a link which states that the Pfizer vaccine is good for children 5-11 years. This is a 2 dose series 21 days apart. Vaccination helps children from getting severely sick. Vaccination also helps kids participate in activities - like after school enrichment programs and team sports. Vaccination for children also protects family members, especially older family members or family members with conditions that compromise their immune system.
Before getting approval this vaccine moved through different clinical trials and is now FDA approved. In each phase, the vaccine was tested in a large group of people to test for safety and efficacy. The Phase 2 and 3 trial revealed that the Pfizer vaccine had a good safety profile and protection in children 5 to 11. The Phase 1, 2, and 3 trial had 4,500 children 6 months to 11 years. Among these children, reactions were mostly mild to moderate. The side effects of the vaccine could be pain, redness, and fatigue. There were no cases of myocarditis in these trials, and these cases of myocarditis have been extremely rare in the real world setting.
The composition of the COVID-19 vaccine is safe. The Pfizer vaccine contains messenger RNA which tells the cells to create an immune response to COVID-19. Children 5 through 11 do not get the Pfizer vaccine given to teens and adults. They receive an age-appropriate dose that is one-third the adult dose.
Here is a great link from the CDC which explains the vaccine. There is also a video that describes mRNA vaccine:
This is a good publication that briefly describes the work that was done to develop the vaccine:
https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/17751?autologincheck=redirected
Where can you get coronavirus testing and vaccines in Detroit?
At Plum Health DPC, we have been vaccinating adults and children as soon as the appropriate vaccine doses became available for us. We’ve also been testing our patients for COVID to help them travel and stay healthy if they’ve experienced a recent exposure or symptoms concerning for COVID. Our office is in Corktown, Detroit at Michigan and Trumbull. You can get services or more information by calling 313.444.5630.
Thanks for reading,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Managing Diabetes in Detroit
Managing Diabetes in Detroit
This week, I had a wonderful interview with Dr. Cleamon Moorer. We talked about how folks can manage their diabetes in Detroit. Diabetes care can be difficult and expensive, especially if you’re uninsured. If you’re uninsured and trying to access diabetes care, patients can face the following costs:
$150 for a primary care visit
$150 to check hemoglobin a1c
$150 to check blood sugar via a comprehensive metabolic panel
$300 for insulin at the pharmacy
$10 for Metformin (Glucophage) at the pharmacy
At our Plum Health office, we dramatically lower the cost of these vital services to help our diabetic patients manage their blood sugar.
$49 to $69 monthly for as many primary care visits as it takes to manage your diabetes
$6 to check hemoglobin a1c
$6 to check blood sugar via a comprehensive metabolic panel
$0 for insulin at our Plum Health clinic as we get several free samples from industry
$0.30 to $0.60 for Metformin (Glucophage) at our Plum Health clinic
What makes this pricing difference even more important is that folks with diabetes need to check their hemoglobin a1c every 3 to 6 months to ensure that they are managing their diabetes effectively.
Interview with Dr. Cleamon Moorer
As it is diabetes awareness month, Dr. Cleamon Moorer came by our Plum Health DPC clinic to talk about our direct primary care model, health care access, and diabetes care resources in Detroit. Here’s our interview:
In Season 1, Episode 17 of The Home Health Care Today Show, Dr. Paul Thomas, MD., of Plum Health, DPC visits the show to discuss National Diabetes Month, the value of Direct Primary Care, and Plum Health DPC's affordable subscription-based model to effectively close the gap to access quality healthcare for adults and children in Detroit. The show's goal is to inform, inspire, influence, and educate Metropolitan Detroiters on the importance of Diabetes awareness, treatments, and best practices for living healthier lives. Hosted by Dr. Cleamon Moorer Sponsored by: American Advantage Home Care, Inc.
Dr. Paul Thomas at Detroit Digital Inclusion Week 2021
Dr. Paul Thomas at Detroit Digital Inclusion Week 2021
On October 4th, Dr. Paul Thomas was a part of the Detroit Digitial Inclusion Week 2021, specifically speaking on a panel called the Future of Healthcare https://youtu.be/197ao4G_sO8?t=8392.
It was a pleasure speaking with Joshua Edmonds the Director of Digital Inclusion at the City of Detroit, Shannon Wilson the Vice president of State Markets East at Priority Health, and Courtney Stevens the Director of Virtual Care at Henry Ford Health Systems about digital health access and the digital health divide here in Detroit, Michigan.
The big problem is this: too few Detroit residents have access to reliable internet access, and that impacts their health and wellness. The question is, how can we equip Detroiters with the resources to bridge this digital divide and potentially improve health outcomes?
Throughout the interview, I make the case for right-sizing our approach to telehealth/telemedicine as it is not a silver bullet. Giving Detroiters access to digital health tools will help somewhat, but it will not solve intergenerational chronic health challenges and learned health behaviors.
As always, I advocate for more family medicine physicians who are neighborhood based, who have the medical knowledge, clinical skills, and physical resources to provide excellent medical care in a patient-centered way, while accounting for cultural and geographic context.
In short, I believe we need more doctors in Detroit, not more telehealth visits. While telemedicine may help with some problems, like coughs and colds, or pink eye, a telemedicine app won’t help to teach folks how to take care of their diabetes with the support of their family and community, telemedicine apps won’t be able to draw blood or deliver medications, and most importantly, telemedicine apps cannot perform a comprehensive physical exam.
The following video was filmed live on Monday, October 4, 2021, at TechTown Detroit's I2C Building. The panel was moderated by Joshua Edmonds, Digital Inclusion Director for the City of Detroit. The event was hosted by the Connect 313 Policy, Advocacy, and Ecosystem Committee.
The Influenza Vaccine for the 2021 to 2022 season is available at Plum Health DPC
The Influenza Vaccine for the 2021 to 2022 season is available at Plum Health DPC
This year, we have the Flulavel Influenza vaccine available at Plum Health DPC. This is the vaccine that should be taken for this year’s flu season. We have the flu vaccine for everyone age 6 months and older. The major contraindications to the vaccine are previous reactions to the flu vaccine or a current fever. So if you’re currently sick, or if you’ve had an anaphylactic reaction to previous flu vaccines, then you can skip this one. Otherwise, everyone should get the flu vaccine.
The big issue is that Coronavirus/COVIC 19 illness can look very similar to the influenza illness, so being vaccinated against both COVID and Influenza will be a big benefit going forward.
Coronavirus Testing for Companies in Detroit
Coronavirus Testing for Companies in Detroit
At Plum Health, we offer coronavirus testing for companies in Detroit. We know that not every one of your employees wants to get the vaccine, but there are requirements for vaccination for many contracting jobs. For those employees who need weekly or twice weekly coronavirus PCR testing to help your company maintain compliance, we offer reliable testing in a convenient location.
Our office is located at 1620 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48216 and we are at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in Detroit’s historic Corktown neighborhood. We offer walk-in testing at any time between 9 am and 5 pm. Our results are typically back in 24 hours, although some tests may take 48 hours to process. We offer weekly or semi-monthly invoicing to keep things simple for you and your company.
Please let us know if we can be of assistance in this regard.
- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit Michigan
If you’d like to learn more info about this, please contact us by using the form below or by calling 313.444.5630.
At Plum Health DPC, we offer Coronavirus Testing to help your employees stay safe, healthy, and in compliance.
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
Dr. Raquel Orlich Celebrates 2 Years with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Raquel Orlich Celebrates 2 Years with Plum Health DPC
As of this month, Dr. Raquel Orlich has been with Plum Health DPC for 2 years!
Dr. Orlich is Board Certified in Family Medicine, Board Certified in Obesity Medicine, and she holds a certification in administering Botox in our clinic (treating wrinkles, TMJ, and migraines).
Beyond her technical skills, Dr. Orlich has built trusting and healing relationships with her patients. She is currently accepting new patients.
Thank you for helping us make health care affordable and accessible in Detroit and beyond!
Paul Thomas MD Presents at the AAFP DPC Summit 2021
Paul Thomas MD Presents at the AAFP DPC Summit 2021
Today I'm presenting at a national conference about Direct Primary Care.
I'll be at the AAFP DPC Summit 2021 talking about how doctors can connect with their patients and communities to grow their practices.
It's an honor to be selected as a thought leader in this space, and my aim is to help doctors start and grow successful direct primary care practices!
Learn more at about the DPC Summit, here.
If you’re a doctor wanting to start your own DPC practice, read more here.
If you’re a patient, and you would like excellent primary care services for yourself, your family, or your business, you can enroll here.
#StartupDPC #PlumHealth #DirectPrimaryCare #FamilyMedicine #Detroit #AAFP #DPCSummit2021 #PaulThomasMD #PlumHealthDPC #DirectCare #PrimaryCare
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.
Plum Health DPC Offering the COVID 19 Vaccine
We are elated to be offering both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine to our patients at Plum Health DPC. If you haven't gotten your dose yet, please call our office at 313.444.5630. We are more than happy to give you the vaccine, for your health and the health of our community.
The Pfizer vaccine is a two dose series, with one dose being given now/at time zero and the second dose being given 3 weeks later.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a one dose series and can be given at any time.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day.
- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Detroit Demo Day - Plum Health DPC Two Years Later
Back in 2021, we won Detroit Demo Day - we competed with several other businesses and we won $50,000 to help us get to the next level.
Since then, we've:
Tripled the number of patients served
Built out a brand new office in Detroit's Corktown Neighborhood
Opened up a second office in Farmington Hills
Created a more sustainable business
If you want to accelerate the growth of your business, apply for Demo Day pitch competition as it can be rocket fuel for your next big move! More details, here.
Raquel Orlich DO is a Detroit Doctor who is Board Certified in Obesity Medicine
Raquel Orlich DO is a Detroit Doctor who is Board Certified in Obesity Medicine
Dr. Raquel Orlich is Board Certified in Family Medicine and she is Board Certified in Obesity Medicine. Dr. Orlich helps people in our practice lose weight and keep it off with an evidence-based approach. This is just another way that we're making comprehensive health care affordable and accessible at Plum Health DPC.
Dr. Raquel Orlich is Board Certified in Obesity Medicine and Family Medicine. She helps patients lose weight via an evidence-based approach to care.
Rates of Obesity in Detroit
The rate of Obesity in Detroit is 38%, that means that more than 1 in 3 Detroiters are Obese. The rate of Obesity in the State of Michigan is high as well, and it leads to early heart attacks and strokes, as well as an increase in the risk of diabetes. Here’s some striking findings from a recent report from the Michigan Department of Community Health:
Michigan had the 8th highest prevalence rate of obesity in the United States in 2008.
In 2008, 65.3% of Michigan adults were either overweight or obese; 35.2% were overweight and an additional 30.1% were obese.
Blacks had a significantly higher obesity rate (39.8%) than whites (28.8%).
Obese adults had a higher prevalence of arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attack, diabetes and inadequate sleep compared with non-obese adults.
Obese adults also reported the highest prevalence of poor life satisfaction, poor general health, poor physical health, poor mental health and activity limitations compared with non-obese adults.
This is why it’s so important to take an evidence-based approach to weight loss via healthy eating and healthy exercising. If we continue to grow heavier as a society and as a community, the weight-related comorbidities will cause big problems for our overall health - physical, psychological, and emotional.
If you’d like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Raquel Orlich, you can do so here.
Congrats to the WSU SOM Class of 2021!
Congrats to the Wayne State University School of Medicine Class of 2021
Congrats to the Wayne State University School of Medicine Class of 2021 as they become Doctors this week! It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any given field of study, and these new graduates have definitely put in the time over this 4 year journey and course of study. We wish you the best as you embark on Transitional Years, Internship, Residency, Fellowship, and your practice years beyond these years of additional training.
What it takes to become a Family Physician
For those of you unfamiliar with medical education, to become a board certified family medicine physician, it takes four years of undergraduate or college study, four years of medical school training, and at least three years of residency training. That comes out to 11 years of higher education after high school to become a board certified family medicine physician.
At Plum Health, we’re incredibly lucky to work with a team of four board-certified family medicine doctors. To learn more about our team, check them out here.
Dr. Paul Thomas Talks Direct Primary Care on the Powers Report Podcast
This week, Dr. Paul Thomas was featured on the Powers Report Podcast. In the podcast Dr. Thomas and Janis Powers talk about the pros and cons of Direct Primary Care.
Janis Powers talks in depth with one of direct primary care’s (DPC) most committed practitioners, Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC. In this episode, Dr. Thomas gives some great examples of the benefits of DPC, describing his in-depth relationships with patients. Powers also probes some of the challenges of scaling DPC, given the exclusivity of both insurance and provider networks in America.
In our opinion, Direct Primary Care solves so many challenges in the primary care system. Direct primary care addresses long wait times to see the doctor and the inflated cost of care.
Direct primary care is different than concierge medicine. Direct primary care is a monthly membership for health care and it usually costs about $50 to $89 monthly. With DPC, patients are not required to carry insurance, although most members have some form of insurance coverage. Concierge Medicine is billed annually and usually costs $2,400 per year. Concierge doctors require a premium health insurance coverage to expedite referrals and minimize prior authorization requests. In the past, our blog has covered this in depth, here.
In the podcast, we discuss how we’re able to save our patients 50% to 90% on medications, lab work, and imaging services. We buy medications at wholesale and pass on the cost savings to our patients, we draw blood at cost and pass on the savings to our patients, and we have found local imaging centers with very affordable cash-pay rates for services. This cost savings can make a big impact on folks with a limited income and limited access to high quality health care resources. We were recently featured on Channel 7 Action News about how we save money on prescription meds.
Thanks for reading and listening, and have a great day,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC Featured in the Save Summer 2021 Campaign
We all want to get through this COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible. The best tool that we have at this time is the Coronavirus vaccine. A group of ambitious and vocal young adults and college students are working to get their peers vaccinated so that Summer 2021 can go off without a hitch. If everyone gets vaccinated, we’ll be able to have more graduations, concerts, get togethers, and celebrations while we minimize the risk of transmitting the virus. Check out their important work at Save Summer 2021!