Helping Other Detroit Entrepreneurs with their Businesses

Last week, I was invited to participate in a Business Coaching Program with the BUILD Institute and Samuel Adams. It was held at the Jam Handy. BUILD Institute had coordinated for roughly 50 business coaches and 100 small business owners/start up founders to come through for business coaching.

April Boyle runs the BUILD Institute and they focus on helping entrepreneurs start businesses. They give entrepreneurs a set of tools to get started, by focusing on a curriculum with sessions regarding accounting, finance, marketing, branding, customer acquisition, leveraging capital, etc… This where I started my entrepreneurial journey, so I’m excited to be a part of this group!

It was a fun event with a ton of energy in the room - lots of great ideas and exciting new business ventures. It’s great to see a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Detroit and it was fun to be a part of this event. Here’s some pics!

Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC volunteering at the Build Institute’s Business Mentorship night at the Jam Handy in Detroit, Michigan.

Group Pics:

A funny story about the above photo session. I was in the back and obstructed, so I took a big jump and seemed to time it pretty well! You can see me leaping in the back.

Have a great day - Dr. Paul

I had a blast speaking at the AAFP Direct Primary Care Conference

I cannot tell you how much fun I had speaking at the AAFP DPC Conference, I loved it this much:

Dr. Paul Thomas speaking about Branding and Marketing your Direct Primary Care practice at the American Academy of Family Physicians Direct Primary Care Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Seriously, I had an amazing opportunity to speak directly with my Direct Primary Care colleagues about Branding and Marketing your Direct Primary Care practice at the American Academy of Family Physicians Direct Primary Care Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

I believe that our family physicians are the backbone of the health care system in America, and I am encouraged and enthused by their willingness to step into their own power and create ideal practices that optimally serve their individual patients and their greater communities.

I'm all in on helping my colleagues create their best practices and to become the doctors they were meant to be. One of the biggest challenges that doctors face is in the realms of branding and marketing as most family physicians have little or no training in these areas. 

What I conveyed in my lecture was how to create a brand, engage in branding your practice, and actively market your practice. I'm posting about this again because I'm that amped up and because the lecture is now live on the AAFP website, here. 

Thanks for reading and for watching! Below are some bonus screenshots from the talk. If you're an individual looking for this type of care for yourself, your family, or your employees, please call me at 313.444.5630 or send me an email at paul@plumhealthdpc.org. If you're a DPC doctor and you need help branding and marketing your practice, reach out to me because I'm happy to help.

Sincerely,

- Dr. Paul Thomas, MD, physician with Plum Health DPC in Southwest Detroit 

A Golden Apple in My Office

This week, I was taking care of a family of 6 in my office! There was a lot of joyful movement and one of the toddlers grabbed an item from its resting place- it's an Apple, a Golden Apple, that I keep on my shelf and it's a reminder of my mission, vision, and values. 

When I was in medical school at Wayne State University, I was awarded with the Golden Apple Student Award for having an understanding of the Art of Medicine as displayed by the care and understanding of patients. It was a tremendous honor, and it's something that I carry with me, as well as something that I want to give to my patients and reflect in my practice.

Often, my patients will ask me about the best course of action going forward, and sometimes the answer isn't always clear. You see, there's the science of medicine, the reproducible, empiric evidence with its best practices and treatment recommendations. These guidelines are important to know and important to follow in most cases. But, on the other side, is the Art of Medicine, and because every one is unique, an individual, with unique medical concerns, treatment choices aren't always clearly defined. 

When difficult choices need to be made, I often ask my patients which course of action they'd like to pursue. This may be a unique aspect to my practice, but I know that it's important to engage in shared decision-making with the people that I care for. When decisions are made together, we can be on the same page about treatment, compliance to the plan is higher, and people feel like they have more control over the condition and situation. 

Thanks so much for reading and have a wonderful day,

- Dr. Paul with Plum Health

Volunteer Doctor at Tour de Troit 2017

One of my favorite events in Detroit is the Tour de Troit, a friendly 25 mile bike ride through Detroit and some of its beautiful neighborhoods. For the last 5 years, I've been participating as a volunteer medic, starting during my medical school training and continuing through residency, and now as a doctor. 

I love the ride because I get to see so many people who I know! There are so many people and businesses that support this ride and who make it a really special event. From the Great Lakes Coffee that's served with food from the Detroit Institute of Bagels, to the lunch after the ride from local restaurants, to all of the people from the community who come out and either volunteer or ride. It all adds up to a great time. 

Biking is also a super healthy way to see the city, and during the ride we have police barricades and police escorts, so it makes for a very safe environment for everyone who participates. A big thank you to the Detroit Police Department for keeping everyone safe again this year!

When I talk about health, I'm not only talking about physiological health, but also social health - I believe that events that bring together people from different communities and backgrounds can serve to strengthen our region and make us better. That's why I love Tour de Troit, because it is this space where people from across Metro Detroit come together. For future events in this same vein, check out Slow Roll or Open Streets Detroit. 

It's always a great ride, but it comes with a few injuries every year. This year the head count was about 7,000 riders and we had a handful of accidents and injuries to attend to throughout the day. There were about 20 of us medical volunteers, mostly medical students, and we delivered basic first aid for riders after minor injuries. For more major events, Emergency Medical Services were used. 

So, with fall and cooler weather fast approaching, make it a point to get out today, tomorrow, and the next day on a bike ride or a walk or a run - this is a great time to be active and healthy, and your body, mind, and spirit will thank you for the effort. 

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

- Dr. Paul with Plum Health

Why It's Important to Have a Family Medicine Doctor in Detroit

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Keith White of the Cancer Awareness Resource Network. We talked over the phone about his organization, the work we're doing with Plum Health, and the potential that we have to serve folks with cancer in Detroit and beyond. 

Keith has had an amazing and inspiring journey. To read about him, check out what he wrote on his "about us"page. One thing Keith realized, though, is that even if folks have great health insurance, they may still have really high co-pays for doctor's visits and medications. He reached out to see what Plum Health could offer those with cancer and those in remission in his network. 

Simply put, we can offer the best primary care experience in Detroit. What that means is that you have a Family Medicine Doctor or a Primary Care Doctor who is truly your advocate. I take my role seriously, and I will advocate for your health and wellbeing, your family and your finances while you confront cancer. How do we do this? 

First, I focus on you and take a wholistic approach to your care. I have more time to spend with you, to get to know you and understand where you're coming from, what you're dealing with, and where you want to go with your life and your health. As your family doc, I will make sure that you're taking the right medications, that you are getting the right screening tests, and keeping up with treatment.

Second, I take care of folks in the context of their families and their communities. If there are emotional or familial stressors, we can talk about those and look for solutions together.

Third, I watch out for the financial wellbeing of my patients. This means that I make my prices clear and understandable, I don't charge co-pays for visits, and I give my members medications at wholesale prices. 

Cancer and its treatment are hard enough, so when facing these difficulties, you want a primary care doctor who knows you well and who can advocate on your behalf. 

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,

Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health

The current look of our Plum Health Direct Primary Care office in Detroit, Michigan

Local Detroit Doctor on Channel 4 News WDIV

This week, Plum Health Direct Primary Care was featured on Channel 4 News, station WDIV, in Detroit, Michigan. Plum Health was billed as a service that is saving people "thousands of dollars". While we are able to save folks money on their health care needs, the reason why we do this goes much deeper.

Our mission is to provide affordable, accessible health care in Detroit and beyond. We build relationships with our members and make ourselves available whenever our patients are in need. We make the prices for all of our services transparent so that you can understand both the cost and the value. Here's what WDIV wrote on their webpage:

DETROIT - Dr. Paul Thomas, who runs the Plum Health Clinic in Detroit, might just have a plan to revolutionize healthcare -- it's called Direct Care.

Thomas said everyone needs health insurance in case of catastrophic illness or injury, but he quickly added, "Basic healthcare outside a hospital is actually low cost."

When was the last time "low cost" and "healthcare" showed up in the same sentence?

A hospital test for cholesterol can cost $120; Thomas charges $6.50. A month's supply of Prilosec costs about $17 at the pharmacy, Thomas' clinic members pay 96 cents for the same prescription.

"The more money the insurance companies touch, the more that sticks to their hands," Thomas said.

Thomas argues that Direct Care removes the profit-takers between your dollars and your doctor, and makes affordable healthcare a reality.

I am deeply grateful for the coverage, and am deeply grateful to be a physician taking care of people's medical needs. Please let me know how I can be of service to you, and thank you for reading and watching.

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health Direct Primary Care