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.

Plum Health Featured in Model D Media

Today I'm ecstatic to see Plum Health DPC mentioned by Model D Media. If you're unfamiliar, Model D Media is a relentlessly positive digital publication that focuses on art, architecture, business, and development in and around Detroit. 

The article featuring Plum Health DPC was entitled "8 Detroit startups that could change the world." Here's their take on Plum Health:

Plum Health DPC

Your own personal doctor, on call and on demand. That’s what Dr. Paul Thomas is pitching with his Plum Health practice in Detroit. Rather than pay a doctor for each visit, Thomas is instead instituting a monthly subscription-style service for his patients. What’s more is that you don’t need health insurance for his services (though Thomas does encourage patients have health insurance as he doesn't offer hospital-type healthcare).

Dr. Thomas’s patients receive unlimited care for a monthly fee, which breaks down as follows: Ages 0 to 17, $10 per month; 18 to 39, $49 per month; 40 to 64, $69 per month; and ages 65 and up, $89 per month. The service results in significantly cheaper lab tests, prescriptions, and more.

Dr. Thomas could disrupt the field of primary care, right from his office in Detroit.

A tweet from @ModelD about Plum Health DPC, a startup in Detroit that could change the world.

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health Interviewed by Daily Detroit

This week, we were interviewed by Daily Detroit about our Demo Day Win! Here's the "News Byte"

In the above interview, Jeremiah mentions a previous interview, and that interview can be heard here:

If you're unfamiliar with our service, my name is Dr. Paul Thomas and I'm a Family Medicine Doctor in Detroit. Our office is in Southwest Detroit and we take care of people of all ages and stages - our youngest patient is 6 months old and our oldest is now 92 years young. 

We offer the same services as any other primary care office, but we use a membership model - that means that our members pay $10/month for children and starting at $49/month for adults to use our service. This allows us to have more one-on-one time with our patients and deliver a higher level of service in our office. 

One way that we go above and beyond is that every patient has my cell phone number - meaning that they can call or text me anytime they need me. We guarantee same-day or next-day appointments, and the majority of our in-office procedures are free of charge, like abscess drainage, toenail removal, ear lavage, etc...

If you're ready to start your journey to better health with Plum Health, then head over to our enrollment link, here. 

Thanks for reading and listening!

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health Wins Detroit Demo Day 2018

Last night, Plum Health DPC won the Detroit Demo Day 2018 prize for $50,000 in the "Start" category! This was an amazing experience from start to finish - the level of professionalism on the Demo Day team is unrivaled. 

It was an honor to even be selected for the pitch competition, but then to have a team of professionals help me hone the pitch, and a team of people create such an amazing event to showcase small businesses in Detroit was truly incredible. Thank you to these folks at Quicken and at the Music Hall!

I was blown away by the amount of people who came out to support entrepreneurship in Detroit, the Music Hall auditorium was packed with cheering family members, friends, business associates, investors and enthusiasts - this is truly a special moment in Detroit for entrepreneurs and small business owners. 

Additionally, I have so much love for all of the presenters and Detroit entrepreneurs who stood tall and pitched their unique businesses, whether or not they walked away with prize money. They are all worthy of your support as they've worked tirelessly to even get onto this stage - House of Pure Vin,  Michigan Farm to Freezer, Rebel Nell, Accelerate Kid, Building Hugger, Cynt-Sational Popcorn, Detroit Denim, Tait Design, The Ten Nail Bar, Bloomscape, Lush Yummies, Reilly Craft Creamery, Fangage, and Yum Village. 

Now that we've won, we plan on growing into a larger space, hiring another doctor, and serving more people in our community. This is just the beginning. 

Here's our winning pitch (time 1:11:23):

And here's the announcement for the $50,000 prize (time 2:13:20):

If you're ready to start your journey to better health with Plum Health, you can enroll online here, or call 313.444.5630.

Thanks so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 

- Dr. Paul Thomas, MD with Plum Health DPC, delivering affordable, accessible health care in Detroit and beyond. 

Screenshot from Quicken Loans Detroit Demo Day video - winners from the "Start" category including Justin Mast of Bloomscape with a $75,000 prize, Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC with a $50,000 prize, James Chapman (host), Jennifer Lyle of Lush Yummies Pie Co with the $25,000 People's Choice Award and the $100,000 prize, Ron Bartell of Kuzzo's Chicken and Waffles and former Detroit Lion (judge), and Janelle Bechdol of The Hall Pass Tour (host). Judges not pictured here are Anne Sempowski Ward a Detroit native and CEO of CURiO brands and Charles Adler the Co-founder of Kickstarter.

Further reading: Crain's Detroit Business has written an article about the event, here. The Detroit News has written an article about the event, here.

Above are photos from my friend and fellow Detroit Entrepreneur Fares Ksebati and below is a video from my friend and entrepreneur, Andrew Koper. Fares and Andrew, thank you for capturing these moments of the pitch and thanks for being there!

Plum Health at the Michigan Central Station

Yesterday was a momentous occasion - Ford Motor Company announced their purchase and their plans for the historic and beautiful Michigan Central Station. The Michigan Central Station has been abandoned since the mid-1980's, and it has been an eyesore on the Detroit skyline for the past 20 years. 

The empty station had been an emotional thorn in the side, constantly nagging at Detroit, reminding Detroiters of their past prominence, but also standing as a signal of our post-industrial economic failures.

But all of those bad feelings have been erased after today's event. Now, there's a sense of pride that Detroit has an opportunity to remake this historic site in the best way possible. The event at the Michigan Central Station felt inclusive, as community leaders from several different sectors were invited to be seated on stage. 

There's also the impending economic impact of having thousands of Ford Motor Company employees working out of the Michigan Central Station in about 4 years. 

As a lover of Detroit, Detroit history, and architecture this was a great day for me. As someone who cares deeply about the health of Detroiters and the prosperity of the region, this was one of the best days for me. 

I am hopeful that the benefits of having Ford Motor Company in Detroit will be felt and experienced by all Detroiters - employment and economic prosperity is a key to having great health. 

As a physician and a family doctor in Southwest Detroit, with our office just two blocks behind the historic and now revitalizing Michigan Central Station, I'm excited for the future challenges and opportunities. 

Thanks for reading and watching,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health DPC is a family medicine practice in Southwest Detroit that delivers affordable, accessible healthcare. We remove the profit takers between you and your doctor, lowering the cost of healthcare. Our memberships are $10/month for children and start at $49/month for adults. This allows you to have contact with me, your doctor, any time you need me, as well as the ability to purchase wholesale medications and receive lab work at-cost. To start your journey with Plum Health, head over to our scheduling page: https://www.plumhealthdpc.com/schedule/

Plum Health will pitch at Detroit Demo Day

Plum Health DPC will pitch at Detroit Demo Day, and there's $100,000 on the line! That money goes to the top vote getter, so we need to pack the house and get a lot of votes - help us make health care more affordable and accessible. Be in the audience, cast your vote, get your tickets here!

Also, there's a ton of news coverage about the event, from Crain's Detroit Business, to the Detroit News, and even the Seattle Times!

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!

- Dr. Paul Thomas, MD with Plum Health DPC

Wayne State University School of Medicine History Presentation

Our video has been posted online! I had the opportunity to present the history of Wayne State University School of Medicine, and it is now available as a YouTube video. Check it out, below.

Thanks for reading and watching!

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

How is Plum Health Making an Impact?

Family Medicine Doctor Reaching Out in Detroit

Dr. Paul Thomas speaking to elementary school students at Munger Elementary/Middle School on Detroit's West Side during Career Day.

This week, I engaged in two outreach events, one at Munger Middle Elementary/Middle School on Detroit's West Side and one at the Northwest Activities Center in NW Detroit. The first event had me speaking to a group of about 30 elementary school students, sitting cross-legged on a gym floor. We talked about what it takes to become a doctor, the dreams that they had for their futures, and the steps that it would take to achieve those dreams. They even made me a nice gift for coming out - a small paper doctor. 

Dr. Paul Thomas at Munger Elementary/Middle School on the West Side of Detroit.

The event at the Northwest Activities center had me speaking to about 100 senior citizens who had innumerable questions about health and wellness. They asked me about everything from high blood pressure, to diabetes, to nutrition, exercise, arthritis, and declining cognitive function. Also at this event, the community had organized fresh food distribution.

Dr. Paul Thomas at the Northwest Activities Center in NW Detroit after speaking to a group of senior citizens about health and wellness.

Both were inspiring in different ways, and also showed how we can make a big impact by reaching out to the community and educating people from elementary age to senior citizens. I think a lot about impact, and how we're making a positive impact in the community, and I wanted to share an essay I wrote earlier this month:

How a Family Doctor Makes an Impact

The problem that I am solving is access to affordable medical care, not just for individuals, but also for small businesses and communities. On the individual level, I cannot count the number of people who have presented to our clinic to establish care with a family doc for the first time in years, sometimes even decades. They feel comfortable because the price point is understandable, services and charges are transparent, and we've created a welcoming environment for all people.

I’ll give the example of the lifelong Detroit resident who had a uncontrolled blood pressure, who avoided medical care because the cost was simply too high. She signed up for a membership with us, and we are managing her blood pressure with medication that costs under $2/month. She is now at goal, and cried in our office after reaching this critical threshold.

Next, we’re solving a big problem for small businesses. Small business owners want to provide services and benefits that will help them attract and retain employees, and often times traditional health insurance products are financially out of reach. Rather, they choose to provide Plum Health and our health care services for their employees: an affordable product that’s understandable and easy to access for their workers. We are now seeing small businesses that are proud to offer our service as a benefit to their employees as a mean of attracting and retaining talent.

Finally, we’re solving the problem of neighborhood-based primary care services in Detroit, a city that is critically underserved from a primary care perspective. There are fewer than 100 primary care doctors in the City of Detroit, equating to roughly 1 doctor for every 6,300 residents. We are meeting a significant need in our Southwest Detroit location by serving a community that otherwise would not have access.

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC in Detroit, Michigan

The History of Wayne State University School of Medicine

This week, I was invited to give a presentation on the history of Wayne State University School of Medicine during its Sesquicentennial Celebration. Yes! The WSU SOM is 150 years old, and it has a rich history of diversity, inclusion, and innovation that should be celebrated. Interestingly, the history of the Medical School is the history of the University, as the University grew out of the Medical School. While I can't cover the entire history in a single blog post, I will give some highlights from the early years of the college below. When the full presentation is released later this year, I will post it to the blog as well. 

Theodore A. McGraw, MD, founder of the Detroit Medical College, which would later become Wayne State University School of Medicine.

The Detroit Medical College was founded in 1868 by five returning Civil War Veterans. One can only imagine the horrors that they saw on the battlefield and you can also imagine the inadequacy that they felt in treating wounded soldiers. In the 1860's, aseptic surgical techniques were only beginning to be used and anesthesia was not fully understood. 

Can you imagine what it might have felt like to be a battlefield clinician, and not having the proper tools or training? Dr. Theodore McGraw, founder of the Detroit Medical College is quoted as saying: "I had discovered in my two years of army activity that I was deficient in that exact knowledge of anatomy that was essential to good surgery.  The advent of antiseptic and aseptic surgery, besides, had opened a new field for operative work, that of the abdomen, which demanded a study of anatomical relations which had never been taught in the schools."

Dr. Theodore McGraw was focused on both teaching and learning, and that desire is summed up in this quote "We entered into the matter with unbounded enthusiasm – enthusiasm for teaching and developing ourselves."

To this end, the charter of the Detroit Medical College elucidated how this would be achieved. In the charter (pictured below), it is written that "Pains will be taken to instruct each Student in PRACTICAL DIAGNOSIS. For this purpose the advanced Students will be called upon in turn to examine patients. After pronouncing a Diagnosis, questions will be asked in relation to differential symptoms... ...Little benefit can result to the Student from seeing cases diagnosticated and treated by the Professor of Practical Surgery and Medicine, unless he is first allowed to exert his own powers, and test his own knowledge, by personal examination of the patients."

The Detroit College of Medicine charter from 1868, signed by founding physician Thodore A. McGraw, MD. The charter puts forth the founding principles of the institution. 

This ethos of having students practice medicine, to serve the community, and to learn by doing, echoes throughout the history of the School of Medicine. This is the very foundation of the University and the key to its enduring greatness. It is also the reason that I chose to attend WSU SOM - I wanted to immerse myself in the diversity of the city and the breadth of clinical opportunities available in Detroit, from serving homeless and uninsured patients in community clinics to learning from some of the leading minds and researchers in the country at the University clinics. 

At its inception, the Detroit Medical College set up a relationship with Harper Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital, which allowed students to learn from and serve the people of Detroit. The focus is, and has always been, learning by doing. The early photos below illustrate these tenets. 

The above photo series include the following images: first is the Detroit Medical College, which housed the medical school after 1868, the second image shows students during anatomy lab sometime around 1900, which is not very different than anatomy lab at the School of Medicine today. The third image is St. Mary's Hospital, one of the two clinical training sites after 1868. The fourth image is the operating theater at St. Mary's Hospital in 1898. The Operator is Dr. Henry O. Walker. At his left, hands behind his back, is Dr. Theodore McGraw, the founder of the Detroit Medical College who emphasized teaching by doing. The final image is Harper Hospital, the primary clinical training site for students at the Detroit Medical College. 

It was an honor to be able to relay the history of Wayne State University School of Medicine to my physician colleagues this weekend, and it is a great reminder of what makes doctors from Wayne State unique and so  skilled - the focus on hands-on clinical training and the diversity of the people we have the privilege of serving. 

Thanks for reading,

- Dr. Paul Thomas, Physician with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health at TechTown Detroit

This week, I was invited to speak at TechTown Detroit's Retail Boot Camp, and as a proud alum of the program, of course I said "yes!"

If you're unfamiliar, Retail Boot Camp is about training young entrepreneurs and equipping them with the skills to start or grow a small business in Detroit. Some successful graduates of the program include House of Pure Vin, Paramita Sound, Tribalfare, Mama Coo’s Boutique, Third Wave Music and 2015 Hatch Detroit winner Live Cycle Delight.

The students had 45 minutes to ask me anything about my business and about what it takes to be a successful business in Detroit. I participate in events like this because small businesses are the backbone of a successful economy. I'm a life long resident of Southeast Michigan and I want to see Detroit and its surrounding communities thrive. Part of having thriving communities and growing economies is having a robust start-up/entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Below are some photos from the session! Thanks for reading,

- Dr. Paul Thomas, MD with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health on Bonfires of Social Enterprise

Last month, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Romy Kochan on her podcast, Bonfires of Social Enterprise. Bonfires of Social Enterprise is focused on highlighting social entrepreneurs and we were happy to be featured on this podcast!

I believe that Plum Health DPC is a social enterprise because we not only focus on growing the business in a traditional sense (revenue, profit & loss, etc...), but we also focus on making a positive impact in the community by providing a medical service that is much needed the SW Detroit community. 

Romy was a great interviewer and made me think differently about my own practice, prompting me to say something I've never said before. She asked if I could dream big, and envision a future for what I'm doing, what could this look like?

I responded by saying, "I think this could look like a nation where we get rid of these old notions of what 'good health care' looks like, and starting to realize that it doesn't look like a piece of plastic in our wallet. It looks like a relationship with someone in our community that is a healer, that can listen, and has time to address your concerns".

The conversation had a broad scope from how we got started, to the impact we're having, to the reaction to our service from the community. Here's how Romy describes it:

We’re back with another episode here on social enterprise. We have a doctor on this show who has been making a big impact in Detroit. It is Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health Care DPC. He has a dream of changing the notion of health care from a plastic card in your wallet to true healing from a healing doctor!  What a concept!

This was a wonderful interview and I am so grateful to Romy Kochan for having me on her podcast. Check out the full episode here, and have a healthy week!

- Dr. Paul with Plum Health DPC

PS: you can find this episode on the podcasting platform of your choice:

I Tunes

TuneIn Radio

Stitcher

PRX.org (Public Radio Exchange)

Google Play

I Heart Radio

PPS: Follow us on Instagram!

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Plum Health with the Black Health Academy

Last month, we had a great visit from and interview with Lisa A. Smith with the Black Health Academy. We first met during a small business course with the Build Institute in Detroit, and it was great getting back together for this interview! She has a passion for health and wellness and helping people reach their full potential. Here's how she tells her story on her webpage:

Lisa A. Smith, MBA, is the founder of Professionally Fit INC and The Black Health Academy. She began her own weight loss journey in 2012 at 190 lbs. She fell in love with fitness, nutrition and self-development, lost over 60 lbs and gained a bottomless amount of confidence. It wasn't until she gained confidence in her physical health that she was able to gain confidence in her career. With her new found confidence she launched Professionally Fit in July of 2015. Professionally Fit is an executive coaching platform which provides both the customization and accountability necessary for high performing entrepreneurs and executives to achieve their health and wellness goals from anywhere in the world.

Health disparities in detroit

Our conversation focused on health and wellness in the black community. There are almost unbelievable health disparities between white Americans and black Americans, and we discuss some of these differences during our interview. Lisa also highlights these disparities on her website: 

Here are the facts:

• 47.8% of African Americans are considered overweight or obese
• African Americans are 20% less likely to be treated for depression
• 13.6% of African Americans have fair to poor health
• 40.9% of black men over the age of 20 have high blood pressure
• Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the leading causes of death in the black community

Topics covered during our masterclass

During our Masterclass, we discuss these health disparities, what inspired me to become a physician, the community-focused efforts at Wayne State University School of Medicine, why other physicians might not practice in a more community service-oriented way, what Plum Health is, how we manage the volume of patients in our practice, our range of services or scope of practice, the type of feedback that we've been getting from our members, trends in African American health, on not making assumptions about people's health and meeting people where they're at, and on making lifestyle recommendations versus taking medications. 

I really loved this interview with Lisa A Smith - it was like siting down with an old friend. If you want to learn more about her and what she does, please visit the Black Health Academy or follow her on Facebook. 

Thanks for reading and watching, and have a wonderful day!

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

PS Follow us on Instagram! 

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Plum Health on Daily Detroit

This week, we were featured on the Daily Detroit Podcast. It was great meeting up with Sven Gustafson and Jeremiah Staes, the journalists behind the publication, and hosting them in our office in Southwest Detroit. 

You can listen to the full episode here:

Here's what Sven Gustafson wrote about our practice, in the context of the interview:

Dealing with health insurance is few people’s idea of a good time — if you can afford it at all, that is.

Now, a doctor operating out of an office in a former Detroit Police Department precinct headquarters? That’s flipping the script on the traditional model of health care.

On this episode of the Daily Detroit Happy Hour podcast, we schedule an appointment with Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health in Southwest Detroit. He’s practicing a model known as direct primary care in which patients pay a membership rate, starting at $10 a month for children and climbing to $89 a month for seniors, directly to the doctor. In exchange, patients get more personalized care, better access and lower-cost medications, imaging and laboratory services.

Dr. Thomas, who graduated from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, estimates he can cover 80 to 90 percent of most people’s health care needs. So he acknowledges it’s not a complete solution to our country’s problem-plagued health care system.

We talk to Dr. Thomas about how direct primary care works, how it differs from traditional insurance-directed health care and how it affects both patients and his life as a working physician. He also tells us about the various ways he’s using digital technology to facilitate his job and market his business.

Find us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever fine podcasts are downloaded. Previous episodes are here.

Daily Detroit's tagline is "what to know and where to go in Detroit" - it's worth knowing more about Detroit, if you're a resident, a Metro Detroiter, or from another part of the world. Sven and Jeremiah cover interesting stories and give great insights, so their podcast is worth a listen/subscription. 

Thanks for reading and listening, and have a wonderful day,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

A Sample of Lab Test Cost Savings

A friend posted this image on Facebook with the notation: "thank God for health insurance". 

While it's important to have health insurance, it's also important to understand how it inflates and distorts prices for health care. In the above photo, the insurance price for laboratory testing is shown clearly. What's interesting is if these labs were obtained through our clinic, they would have cost a fraction of the amount reported. Here's a test by test comparison:

A comparison of lab costs between typical insurance billing and our prices at Plum Health DPC

What's crazy here is that the person is being billed at a 765% mark-up from the actual cost of the service. This is why health care in America is so much more expensive - hospitals and health care providers dramatically mark up costs and then 'discount' these costs for insurance companies.

This price 'gamesmanship' is bad for health care consumers. It's bad for folks with insurance and even worse for folks who are uninsured. For example, if this person had 80/20 insurance coverage for these labs, they would end up paying $162.20 - the insurance company would 'pay' $658.80 or 80% and the insured person would pay the remaining 20% of costs or $162.20. 

However, if this person were uninsured, they would bear the full brunt of these charges. The uninsured person would pay the entire $811 for labs that actually cost $106. 

Thanks for reading, and have a great day,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health DPC Mentioned in Business Insider

This week, I was delighted to see Plum Health DPC mentioned in two different publications. The first was an excellent, comprehensive piece on Direct Primary Care in Business Insider by Lydia Ramsey.

Ms. Ramsey and I have spoken over the phone about the Direct Primary Care movement, and she asked several insightful questions about our practice in Detroit, Michigan. She has spoken with roughly 16 other DPC doctors and synthesized a great summary of the movement in her article.

I loved the chart she used to compare and contrast traditional Fee-For-Service medicine with Direct Primary Care services:

Next up, we were mentioned in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel article on Direct Primary Care written by Ron Hurtibise. The article discusses Direct Primary Care and the efforts in the Florida Legislature to make DPC 'legal' in that state. 

Fortunately, in Michigan, Direct Primary Care has been 'legalized' via the efforts of State Senator Patrick Colbeck and his Senate Bill No. 1033. I have placed legal and legalized in quotations above because practicing Direct Primary Care or retainer-based medicine is not illegal, but having laws on the books like Senate Bill No. 1033 in Michigan and the proposed HB 37 in Florida removes any potential legal challenges and allows doctors who want to practice DPC medicine a clear path.

And we need more doctors having a clear path to the type of medical practice that they can enjoy and sustain for the long term. We need more doctors practicing primary care medicine. One of the arguments against DPC is that the panel size is smaller in the typical DPC practice as compared to the traditional Fee-for-Service practice. In the Sun-Sentinel article, a part of my LinkedIn article was quoted:

"As to the charge that Direct Primary Care contributes to the shortage of primary care doctors, Paul Thomas, a doctor with Plum Health DPC, wrote in an essay published on LinkedIn.com last year that the model might actually encourage more medical students to become primary care doctors, rather than pursue higher-paying specialty fields.

"A Direct Primary Care practice with 500 members can provide a primary care provider with more income than some earn with 3,500 patients at a fee-for-service practice, Thomas wrote. And the increased time for personal interaction eliminates “role strain” and allows the provider to address patients as whole people, he said.

I believe that Direct Primary Care practices provide physicians and patients with a better primary care experience, and will allow doctors to practice for longer periods of time without retiring early or leaving the field completely because of burnout. I'm happy to see the DPC movement spreading across the country, and I'm happy to be quoted in these two publications.

Thanks for reading!

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Guy Gordon Discusses Direct Primary Care on WJR

Today, Guy Gordon and Senator Patrick Colbeck discussed Direct Primary Care and the potential impact that it can have on the health and wellness of Michigan residents as well as the sustainability of the Michigan economy. The discussion was held on WJR News Radio (AM 760).

My name is Paul Thomas, M.D. and I am a family medicine doctor practicing in Southwest Detroit. I believe that healthcare should be affordable and accessible for everyone. I also believe that we can achieve this goal through direct primary care medicine.

It is a dream of mine to see and help more family doctors and primary care physicians transition from the fee-for-service model of healthcare to the direct primary care model. This will allow more doctors to deliver compassionate, truly patient-centered care with transparent pricing in our great state of Michigan. 

To this end, I will be speaking at the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians statewide conference in mid July in Kalamazoo, Michigan about this very topic.

Thanks so much for reading and watching, and have a wonderful day!

– Dr. Paul Thomas, M.D.

Most Visited Family Medicine Physician in Detroit

In February, HealthGrades sent us a note informing us that we had one of the most visited Family Medicine Physician pages on their website. 

It was really cool to see that we were in the 97th percentile nationally and the 95th percentile in Detroit, Michigan for page views on HealthGrades in 2017. I think this is due to our services at Plum Health DPC being so highly rated on the HealthGrades website. As of this post, we have 54 Five Star reviews on HealthGrades! 

Because of these rankings, our service is pushed to the top of the HealthGrades algorithm, and that's probably why we have so many page views. 

Thanks for reading!

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Plum Health Featured on the Detroit Rising Podcast

This week, Plum Health DPC was featured in Crain's Detroit Business in an article by Senior Reporter Chad Livengood. There is an accompanying audio recording of the interview, here. 

The Detroit Rising Podcast focuses on business and commerce and the intersection of Public Policy in Detroit. It was a pleasure to be featured on the podcast and on the Crain's Detroit website. Additionally, Chad Livengood brings excellent insights along with his investigative reporting. 

In the audio segment, Mr. Livengood states, "one of the biggest challenges to rebuilding Detroit is getting service-based businesses to set up shop after decades of disinvestment." And, Plum Health DPC is one of those service-based businesses, and it was exciting to discuss how we're making health care more affordable and accessible in Detroit.

During the interview, we talk about the Direct Primary Care business model, the availability of primary care physicians in Detroit, and what the City of Detroit is doing to improve the quality of life in the city. 

Thanks for reading and listening, and have a wonderful day,

- Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

A screenshot from the Crain's Detroit webpage featuring our interview.

On February 20th, we were featured on the front page of the Crain's Detroit Business webpage, you just might have to squint to see us!

Family Doctor Accepting New Patients in Detroit Michigan

During the busy days and weeks of the year, sometimes we forget to make one thing clear - we are a family medicine service in Detroit, Michigan and we are accepting new patients in our family medicine clinic. 

Family Doctor Accepting New Patients in Detroit Michigan

My name is Dr. Paul Thomas and Plum Health DPC is a family medicine clinic in Southwest Detroit and we are accepting new patients. As a family medicine doctor, I take care of patients of all ages and stages. This means that I can take care of children or pediatric patients as well as adults.

What We Treat

We treat a broad range of conditions, from the acute care concerns like sore throats to coughs and colds as well as influenza. We also treat high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Additionally, we perform procedures like Pap tests, skin lesion removal and biopsies, as well as rapid strep test, rapid influenza testing, and rapid mono testing.

Why We Are Different

We are different because we're available, affordable, and accessible. Our service is just a click away, so don't hesitate to send us a note here or through any of our other social media channels.

Thank you so much for reading and watching, and have a wonderful day!

– Dr. Paul Thomas, M.D.

Detroit Medical Students Run a Free Medical Clinic

For the last 6 years I've been volunteering at a free medical clinic on Detroit's East Side called the Robert R. Frank Student Run Free Clinic or the SRFC. The SRFC services Detroit residents who are uninsured, and as their name implies, it is run by medical students.

Last night we had a stakeholders meeting and I am continually impressed by these medical students and their diligence, commitment, and compassion. 

If you'd like to help these students serve more uninsured Detroit citizens, you can donate here, participate in their upcoming 5K, or participate in their upcoming Golf Outing (date TBD).