Plum Health Blog
Plum Health + Rock CF
In the season and the spirit of giving, I want to introduce you to Emily Schaller and Rock CF. Emily has Cystic Fibrosis and uses Rock CF to raise money for others who have Cystic Fibrosis. Her website states their mission clearly:
"The Rock CF Foundation Is A 501(C)3 Nonprofit Corporation. Founded And Led By Emily Schaller, The Rock CF Foundation Is Dedicated To Increasing The Quality Of Life For People With Cystic Fibrosis. With The Help Of A Core Group Of Volunteers, The Foundation Utilizes The Arts, Entertainment, Fashion And Fitness To Support Research Initiatives And Heighten Public Awareness In The Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis."
One way that they raise money is by selling merchandise via their online store, http://rockcf.storenvy.com/. Proceeds from sales go to supporting those with Cystic Fibrosis. Emily Rocks CF by living her truth, running marathons, taking long-distance bike rides, and organizing healthy events around the city. The reason I'm highlighting the work of Rock CF is because she contributes to healthier community and healthier world.
Thanks for reading a bit about Emily and what she does with Rock CF!
- Paul Thomas, MD
Why Generic Drugs Cost So Much
Generic Medications Cost too much money!
There's a wide variability in the cost of generic medications from pharmacy to pharmacy. Researchers at Saint Louis University surveyed 175 pharmacies and asked for their prices for the meds Lisinopril, Carvedilol, and Digoxin. These are common heart failure medications.
The researchers found that the prices for three generic medications ranged from less than $20 to more than $150, with the highest price for all three medications being $397 for a 1 month supply!
This is way too much money. If you spent $150/month on medications alone, it would cost $1800 for the year. In contrast, if you spent less than $20/month on these same medications, it would cost less than $240 for the year. This is a difference of $1,560. Unfortunately, these costs have the greatest adverse effect on low income communities because they may not have the transportation resources to drive to these less expensive pharmacies.
A possible solution is Direct Primary Care. DPC doctors like myself buy medications at wholesale prices and give them to our patients at cost, or with a 10% mark up to cover the cost of shipping and handling. For example, at our clinic Plum Health DPC, we can wholesale these same three medications for about $18/month.
I created this video to more fully explain what I mean, see below.
- Paul Thomas, MD
Sore Throat - Is It Strep?
Sore throat or pharyngitis is common this time of year. How can you tell if it's bacterial or viral? Well, this video can help, but you should also talk with your doctor. If you don't have a doctor and you live in Detroit, you can talk to us!
Here are a few bits of information:
Strep throat is caused by Group A Streptococcus, a bacteria that affects the back of the throat. Of the sore throats in kids aged 5 - 15 years, Group A Strep causes only 15 - 30% of these infections. So that means 70 - 85% of all sore throats in kids age 5 - 15 are viral or caused by a virus.
It's hard to tell the difference between a virus and a bacteria, so doctors use the Centor Criteria. The Centor Criteria states that bacterial pharyngitis (Strep throat) is more likely if the following points are met:
- Age less than 14 years
- Fever, or temperature > 100.4 F
- Red throat with discharge
- Tender Lymph Nodes
- Absence of a cough, or other markers of a viral infection like runny nose, nasal congestion, etc...
Additionally, Strep throat typically has an abrupt onset, with fever, headache, abdominal pain, and nausea likely.
The best thing to do when you have symptoms is to talk with your doctor. Without proper treatment, there can be downstream effects. Children can develop acute rheumatic fever, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus, but these are rare.
Appropriate treatment can prevent complications, prevent the spread of the bacteria, and reduce the length and intensity of the infection
Thanks for reading and watching!
- Paul Thomas, MD
Plum Health DPC Awarded $7,500 via TechTown Detroit
Over the past 9 weeks, I have participated in a class at TechTown Detroit called Retail Boot Camp. The RBC course is comprehensive in its approach to helping your business grow, from addressing your financial situation, to helping you choose a POS system, to refining your marketing and advertising strategies, and beyond.
The best part of the RBC course was having a strong group of entrepreneurs to work with and learn from - people like Jay Rayford of Social Sushi, Nicole Mangis of Brut Detroit, Lionez Kimber of Artistic Flesh Tattoo and Supply, and 16 more phenomenal, bright small business people. I learned a lot from their successes and emulated their approaches to doing business in the city.
The class culminated in the Retail Boot Camp Showcase, a mini pitch competition for the 20 students/small businesses who took part in the class. It was a great night that brought together teachers, mentors, supporters, consultants, family and friends.
We were able to give our 90 second pitch on Plum Health DPC and then we were selected to give a follow-up 3 minute pitch about our plan to deliver affordable, accessible healthcare services in Detroit. It was well received and we were ultimately awarded a $7,500 grant from TechTown!
There are a ton of people to thank: Faris Alami, our teacher during the course; Sarah Donnelly, who coordinated all of the RBC-related activities, Regina Ann Campbell who facilitated the course; Niles Heron, an extremely knowledgable consultant who helped our businesses grow/develop and who helped us perfect our pitches; all of the guest speakers that we had throughout the course, the judges from the night of the event (Lana Rodriguez, John Schoeniger, Bryan Waldron, Rachel Lutz, Michael Forsyth), and all of the supportive people in the TechTown ecosystem who are too many in number to name - thank you all!
We will be using this money wisely as we launch Plum Health DPC in Detroit!
- Paul Thomas, MD
Why Primary Care Costs So Much
Primary healthcare services shouldn't be so expensive! At Plum Health DPC, we have a solution that makes quality healthcare services affordable in a way that your insurance cannot.
Our Pitch at TechTown Detroit
This Tuesday, we are pitching at TechTown Detroit's Retail Boot Camp showcase! This event is at TechTown on 440 Burroughs Street in Detroit's New Center neighborhood. It will take place from 5:30 - 9:00 pm on Tuesday evening. Event details are on Facebook.
For the past 3 months, I have been participating in TechTown's Retail Boot Camp Program. Taking the course has helped me a great deal in formalizing my ideas and processes related to my business. I'm now at the point where I'm ready to open my brick-and-mortar business, Plum Health DPC.
This video is our 90 Second Pitch that we will be giving live on Tuesday night. You can read more about our services here and sign up for services here.
Thanks for reading and watching our video, and I hope to see you at the TechTown Retail Boot Camp showcase on Tuesday night!
- Paul Thomas, MD
Making Healthcare Hassle-Free
Plum Health is the first Direct Primary Care practice in Detroit, Southeast Michigan and Wayne County. It makes healthcare hassle-free. We diagnose, treat, refill prescriptions, refer you to curated specialists, and make all of the frustrations in healthcare disappear.
Because you have a doctor who is available and responsive, you never have to worry about being on your own or trying to figure out if something’s terribly wrong. People sometimes get scared and rush to the hospital, but a $6,000 ER visit can be financially devastating.
One avoided ER visit pays for 10 years of care at Plum Health DPC. Plus, you get peace-of-mind, knowing your doctor is always available. To schedule an appointment, check out our scheduling link. To find out more, or if you have questions, call 313.444.5630.
- Paul Thomas MD
Removing the barriers between you and your doctor.
Motor City Match grant awarded to Plum Health DPC
This was a big week for Plum Health DPC - we received a grant from the Motor City Match Program! This brings us one step closer to delivering affordable, accessible healthcare services in Detroit.
Crain's Detroit Business wrote an article about the event, and here's what they said about Plum Health DPC:
Plum Health Direct Primary Care, $50,000: This health care facility provides an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service model. Direct Primary Care emphasizes wellness, prevention, communication and personalized patient relationships. For a monthly fee, members receive primary health care services that are tailored to their needs. These might include annual checkups, urgent care services and direct and unrestricted access to their doctor through calling, texting, emailing or in-person visits. The business is planned for 607 Shelby St. in downtown Detroit.
Additionally, Local 4 News in Detroit (WDIV) wrote an article about and created a video of the Award ceremony. Here's what they said: "Six Detroit entrepreneurs are putting their small-business plans into action after the Motor City Match program awarded them thousands of dollars to get started. Mayor Mike Duggan made the announcement Friday morning."
An article from the Michigan Chronicle wrote about the award and quoted Mayor Duggan:
“Quality restaurants, health and wellness providers, arts centers are exactly the types of establishments that people expect when they think of a strong community,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “These Detroiters are proving that our neighborhoods are great places to start a business.”
This is another step in the journey toward bringing affordable, accessible healthcare services to Detroit and we will continue to work diligently to deliver these services.
- Paul Thomas, MD
New Video for Plum Health DPC
We are excited to release our new video! At Plum Health DPC, we deliver affordable, accessible healthcare services to Detroit and beyond. You can sign up here.
A big thank you to Josh at Soul Media for writing, filming and editing the piece.
- Paul Thomas, MD
Doctors Should Charge for Time
Doctors should charge for time, not transactions. When doctors charge by transaction, they do more, get paid more, and your wallet suffers. Transactional relationships in medicine lead to high-speed churn, not high quality, personalized service.
And once you're sent home from the doctor, the ER, or an urgent care center, and something changes that will affect your outcome, you've got to make another appointment and pay more money.
We think that's inefficient, unfair, and unethical.
That's why Plum Health DPC offers an understandable health plan that ensures your access to high-quality healthcare services. Our plans at Plum Health start at $49/month, and we deliver:
- Responsiveness to phone calls, text messages, and emails direct to your doctor
- As many appointments as you need in a month
- Whole-sale medications, at a typical savings of 50% versus the big box pharmacies
- Lab services for recommended and preventive tests at a typical savings of 80%
- A focus on prevention that maximizes your health and wellness
So why a membership model? Because things take time to heal. To us, good care means ongoing communication and check-ins to ensure things are actually getting better. But sometimes things get worse and you need further care and care coordination. We can deliver that further care and help with this coordination as well, it's all part of the package.
So sign up today, and start your journey to better health with Plum Health. Direct. Primary. Care.
- Paul Thomas, MD
Plum Health DPC mentioned by Crain's Detroit Business
Yesterday, Plum Health DPC was mentioned in Crain's Detroit Business. The article discussed the growth of Direct Primary Care in the State of Michigan and specifically Southeast Michigan.
Direct primary care is growing in the State and across the Nation because it provides a common-sense solution to several complicated healthcare problems. The full article is here, but this is an excerpt that pertains to the concept of Direct Primary Care:
"Direct primary care model grows in state
"Salta is one of several direct primary care physician companies in Southeast Michigan with more than 100 physicians in Michigan participating in similar models of care.
"Under direct primary care, physicians have an alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing by charging patients or companies a set fee per month for a range of primary care-type services.
"Physicians also typically give patients longer visits and allow them to contact them through emails or phone calls in off hours. Patients usually also have health insurance for non-covered services.
"Blanchard predicted that Salta projects will grow to 40 clinic offices and more than 160 physicians over the next 10 years in Southeast Michigan. The model primarily is directed at company contracts, although Blanchard said his office accepts single memberships for $209 per month.
"Last year, Forthright Health Management LLC, headed by Tom Valenti, began operations in Southeast Michigan with 59 primary care physicians in 15 practice locations. The network offers a hybrid direct primary care medicine program in which patients are guaranteed more time and access to their doctors than typical office visits.
"Another DPC practitioner is Plum Health DPC, an office managed by Paul Thomas, M.D., a private practice doctor who graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2013.
"Blanchard said the critical eyes of direct primary care physicians can help drive down health care costs.
"'The majority of the cost drivers all happen outside of the primary care office — unnecessary ER and urgent care visits, hospitalizations, high cost diagnostic testing,' he said. 'We can affect all those high cost things through preventative diagnosis and enhanced care.'
"Salta's primary care model gives patients additional time with their doctor and encourages email and phone conversations after weekday hours and on weekends."
- Paul Thomas, MD
RUNdetroit + Plum Health DPC
We are pleased to announce a partnership with RUNdetroit for an event tonight! We will be discussing Common Causes of Foot Pain. The event begins at 6 pm and runs until 8 pm, and it will be held at RUNdetroit, 441 West Canfield Suite #5, Detroit, MI. To RSVP, follow this link.
Specifically, we will be comparing and contrasting Plantar Fasciitis, the Haglund Deformity or "Pump Bump", Morton's Neuroma, and Stress Fractures.
There are many other causes of foot pain, including Arthritis, Gout, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetic Ulcers, Osteomyelitis, Plantar Warts, Corns, Lumbar Radiculopathy, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Sever Disease, Ingrown Toenails, among others.
In light of the many things that can go wrong with our feet, there will be a question and answer session. This will be an opportunity to ask anything about foot pain!
Hope to see you there!
- Paul Thomas, MD
Plum Health DPC + Detroit SOUP
I am very excited that Plum Health DPC has been invited to pitch at Detroit SOUP on Sunday, September 25th at 5 pm at the Jam Handy, 2900 E Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202.
The Detroit SOUP is a wonderful organization, and you can read more about what they do here. Succinctly, SOUP curates a monthly dinner where four ideas are shared and voted upon by the people who attend. Detroit SOUP states it this way:
"Detroit SOUP is a microgranting dinner celebrating and supporting creative projects in Detroit. For a donation $5 attendees receive soup, salad, bread and a vote and hear from four presentations ranging from art, urban agriculture, social justice, social entrepreneurs, education, technology and more. Each presenter has four minutes to share their idea and answer four questions from the audience. At the event, attendees eat, talk, share resources, enjoy art and vote on the project they think benefits the city the most. At the end of the night, we count the ballots and the winner goes home with all of the money raised to carry out their project. Winners come back to a future SOUP dinner to report their project’s progress."
Plum Health DPC will have a four minute time slot to present our idea for affordable, accessible healthcare services in the City of Detroit and beyond. If you want to see better healthcare options in the City and Metro region, if you care about creating a valuable and sustainable healthcare alternative, please come out and support us!
The Facebook event can be found here, September 25th Detroit SOUP.
Thank you!
- Paul Thomas, MD
At Plum Health DPC, We Listen
At Plum Health DPC, we listen. We take the time to get to know you, to understand your needs and your health goals.
A typical primary care practice has 2,400 patients. On average, the typical primary care doctor sees 24 patients each day, or 1 patient every 20 minutes. This is why a typical doctor will talk with you for < 10 minutes before moving on to the next patient. Sometimes, you can feel short-changed in these situations, only being able to ask a few questions before your doctor leaves.
Our practice limit is 500 patients. On average, our practice will see 5 patients each day. That gives us 1 hour to spend with each person if they need it. We use the remaining time to answer questions via phone, text, and email. This way, we can answer almost all of your questions in the clinic, and if you forget to ask something, we can follow up via text, phone, or email so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Because we have fewer patients than a typical family medicine practice, we are able to spend 30 minutes - 1 hour with each of our members. This allows us enough time to truly hear what you have to say, to understand your needs, and address your concerns.
If you don't believe it, give me a call 313.444.5630, send me a text, or send me an email - paul@plumhealthdpc.com - I will answer or get back with you shortly!
Paul Thomas, MD | Physician with Plum Health DPC
Plum Health DPC + Open Streets Detroit
Plum Health DPC is proud to support the inaugural Open Streets Detroit event on Sunday, September 25th and Sunday, October 2nd from 12 pm to 5 pm.
We will have a booth in Roosevelt Park, near the Michigan Central Station, so come by and say hello! We will be talking about healthy living and you can ask me anything about health and wellness, or anything related to general medicine!
Open Streets Detroit is free, safe and inclusive events that will feature over 70 different local activity partners who will focus on fitness, recreation and community programs along almost four miles of road.
The roadway, from Campus Martius to Roosevelt Park, and then down through Southwest Detroit will be closed to cars! This will be an amazing way for people to experience the streets in a new way, by walking, running, biking, rollerblading, or skateboarding.
Programming will include activities such as yoga, dancing, basketball, and other health and wellness activities.
Join us for two great days in Detroit! For more information, visit openstreetsdet.org, and check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PlumHealthDPC/ to learn more about what we do! To sign up for our services, check out our page: http://www.plumhealthdpc.com/contact-1/
- Paul Thomas, MD
Plum Health DPC, making healthcare personal again
Hello all, this is Dr. Paul Thomas and I'm making healthcare personal again.
I'm launching Plum Health DPC this Fall and I'm starting my Beta Testing in September/October with a small number of members. Rather than having 2,500 patients like a typical Doctor's office and billing insurance, I will limit my practice to 500 members and charge a $49 membership fee. I will not bill your insurance company, I am not insurance, this is not an insurance plan.
With the membership, you can contact me at any time via phone, text or email. You can also be seen at any time that you like without a co-pay. Members also get wholesale medications, at-cost labs, and at-cost imaging with pass-through savings. I basically try to save my members a lot of money by getting them deals in the healthcare ecosystem.
Importantly, I limit my practice to 500 members, so that I can spend 30 minutes - 1 hour during each visit with you. During this time, we can get to the root of your issue. Rather than being rushed, we can talk about strategies that can help you be healthier. And if you forget to ask me something during the visit, just send me a text and I will do my best to answer your question ASAP.
The time that you get with me allows us to build a trusting and beneficial relationship, so that I can learn about your health goals, and help guide you to better health. That's why we call it Direct Primary Care - we serve you, the customer/member/patient directly with excellent primary care services.
If you want to learn more, send me a message or sign up at our website, Plum Health DPC. If you want to be a part of the Beta Testing, now's a great time to sign up!
- Paul Thomas, MD
The Basics of Direct Primary Care
Direct Primary Care is a relatively new idea, so it is worth discussing the founding principles.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative alternative payment model for primary care being embraced by patients, physicians, employers, payers and policymakers across the United States. The foundation of DPC is an enduring and trusting relationship between a patient and their primary care doctor.
Empowering this relationship is the key to achieving superior health outcomes, lower costs and an enhanced patient experience. DPC fosters this relationship by providing excellent customer service.
In terms of customer service, the health care system in the United States has failed. There are so many frustrations from the perspective of a customer: long wait times to get an appointment, long wait times at the office, unresponsive doctors, as well as confusing and unclear pricing.
Direct Primary Care addresses these shortcomings of the fee-for-service system head on. When you enroll in a DPC practice, you will have your doctor’s cell phone number, email address, and the assurance that you can have a same-day or next-day appointment, guaranteed.
In addition, DPC enables unhurried interactions – you won’t feel like you’re being rushed out the door with your DPC doctor. These extended visits allow for discussions to assess lifestyle choices, behaviors, and treatment decisions that maximize long-term health and wellbeing.
How is this possible? Direct Primary Care doctors typically limit their practice size to 500 members. This relatively small panel size allows doctors to be committed to their patients, to deliver excellent customer service.
To become a member of Plum Health Direct Primary Care in Detroit, Michigan, check out our contact page, here.
- Paul Thomas, MD
First Video for Plum Health DPC!
We are very excited to release our first spot for Plum Health DPC. We will release more shorts like this one, and eventually a full video that explains our services in detail.
At Plum Health DPC, we will not confuse you with complicated billing or invoices. We provide our services for a low monthly rate, and that monthly rate includes all of your visits, phone calls, texts, and emails.
We also offer wholesale medications, at-cost labs, and at-cost imaging. The prices for these services are clear - no surprises. We provide affordable and transparent services for a low monthly cost. You can sign up here.
A big thank you to Josh at Soul Media for creating this spot.
- Paul Thomas, MD
How many people do you care about?
How many people do you care about?
When I set out to become a doctor, I had a vision of providing detailed, high-quality care for my patients - helping them with their problems, advising them during uncertainty, and helping them to stay healthy. But the reality of being a primary care doctor in the United States is harsh.
The typical Family Medicine doctor has 2,300 patients in their practice. National statistics show that the average doctor sees 1% of their practice on any given working day. For the average doctor, that's 23 patients each day or about 1 patient every 20 minutes.
When you factor in the time spent taking vitals, rooming the patient, and typing all of the requisite information into the computer, most people are left with only 8 - 10 minutes of face time with their doctor.
One of my goals is to address this issue and this is one of the reasons that I have created Plum Health DPC, a Direct Primary Care practice in Detroit, Michigan. In Direct Primary Care practices, the practice size is limited to 500 members. If a doctor sees 1% of their practice on any given day, that's roughly 5 people per day.
This arrangement of 5 patients per day allows doctors enough time to go through all of the issues and answer all of the questions. It provides enough time so that you and your doctor can get to the root of the problem and find solutions that will actually work for you, rather than a shotgun approach.
And at 5 patients per day, doctors can begin to care again - there's enough time to connect and to restore the doctor-patient relationship.
To learn more about Direct Primary Care and Plum Health DPC, check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PlumHealthDPC/
References:
1.) Average panel size for primary care doctors: http://www.annfammed.org/content/10/5/396.full
2.) Average time spent with doctor, as estimated by WebMD: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-long-is-average-doctors-visit-2016-4
3.) Another perspective on rushed appointments: http://khn.org/news/15-minute-doctor-visits/
- Paul Thomas, MD
DPC is part of the solution
At Plum Health DPC, we believe that Direct Primary Care is the answer to many of our health care problems in this country.
Direct Primary Care is an innovative alternative to the existing Fee-for-Service model. You know the Fee-for-Service model well: waiting for your doctor for an hour, seeing him/her for 10 minutes, and only being able to ask one or two questions while in the office.
Well, the solution to our dysfunctional Fee-for-Service system is Direct Primary Care (DPC): for a low monthly membership fee, you have direct contact with your doctor by phone, text, email or in-person visits without co-pays. Appointments are typically on time, and the attention of the doctor is focused on you, not his computer. DPC also provides pass-through savings with at-cost labs, at-cost imaging, and wholesale medications.
DPC is a growing movement across our country that could save our failing healthcare system. As patients have more time with their doctors, conditions are treated appropriately and early. By seeing your doctor early, your cough and cold can be treated before it turns into pneumonia. Larger DPC practices have seen cost savings of 20 - 30% for their members in terms of health care expenditures as well as greater patient satisfaction.
Patients are more satisfied because the valuable doctor-patient relationship is restored. Rather than having 2,500 patients and seeing each one for rushed 10 - 15 minute appointments, your DPC doctor has 500 patients and is able to spend 30 minutes - 1 hour getting to the root of your medical problems. An attentive doctor, who is available and affordable - this is what makes DPC a viable solution to our health care problems.
- Paul Thomas, MD
