Plum Health Blog
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. Leslie Rabaut Featured on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson
Dr. Leslie Rabaut Featured on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson
Dr. Leslie Rabaut was featured on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson this morning. She discussed several issues regarding the Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, Delta Variants, and Booster Shots. Dr. Rabaut was interviewed by Jake Neher of WDET; Dr. Frank McGeorge of Henry Ford Health System and WDIV/Local 4 News was also interviewed about the following topics:
99% of new cases in Michigan over the past 4 weeks have been caused by the Delta Variant
Who needs to get a booster shot and why
Vaccine Hesitancy and some of the reasons our patients have been hesitant to get the vaccine
FDA and the full approval of the Coronavirus Vaccine and how it could help those who are vaccine hesitant to get the vaccine
Paul Thomas MD Interviewed on a New Podcast
This week, Dr. Paul Thomas was interviewed on a podcast. The episode gave a good overview of the Direct Primary Care model, its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s what the host, Jarod Ormsby, had to say about it:
Today I’m joined by Dr. Paul Thomas a family medicine physician based out of Detroit. Dr. Thomas is unlike most physicians that currently practiced medicine today. Dr. Thomas and his colleagues at Plum Health are not paid by insurance, but by patients directly. This model known as direct primary care and it could be the possible reform that our current healthcare system needs. Dr. Thomas shares how direct primary care works as well as insights in why he started his own clinic with this model. If you enjoy this episode please leave a five star review on Apple podcast or Spotify and share it with your friends. Enjoy this episode of The Healthy Die Young!Find Dr. Thomas' books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Thomas-MD/e/B07KRWZ5RN/ref=dpbylinecontpopebooks_1
Dr. Paul Thomas was recently interviewed by Jarod Ormsby on his podcast. The discussion focused on Direct Primary Care and how it lowers the cost of health care in the United States.
Dr. Paul Thomas Speaks at the AAFP National Conference 2021
Dr. Paul Thomas Speaks at the AAFP National Conference 2021
Dr. Paul Thomas of Plum Health DPC is speaking at the AAFP National Conference today, Saturday July 31st, 2021. The topic is Direct Primary Care as you’ve already guessed, and how it works to make health care more affordable and accessible in the United States.
This session was very well received and it had a ton of engagement from physicians, medical residents, and medical students who are looking to start and grow successful direct primary care practices!
I’m excited because the future is bright - as more and more physicians learn about the benefits of direct primary care, more people across our nation will have the option to have affordable, accessible, and personalized primary care services from a DPC doctor!
Thanks for reading,
-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC
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. Raquel Orlich Provides Excellent Pediatric Care in Detroit Michigan
Dr. Raquel Orlich is a family medicine doctor accepting new patients in Detroit Michigan. Dr. Orlich is an excellent physician and she provides health care services to patients of all ages and stages. Many people don’t realize that family medicine doctors take care of both adults and children. As a family physician, Dr. Orlich delivers excellent pediatric care in Detroit, Michigan, and she creates memorable health care experiences for the patients in her care, big and small.
Recently, one of our patients and their mom came in for a visit. This photo was taken and demonstrates the type of compassionate care that we deliver at Plum Health DPC. Thank you Dr. Orlich for being a great physician and delivering excellent care and service to your patients!
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!
Paul Thomas MD of Plum Health DPC is a Build Institute Graduate
This week, we were featured by the Build Institute as a notable alumnus - we started growing our business via the Build Institute and related Detroit small business ecosystem. There are so many resources in Detroit and beyond for budding entrepreneurs, and Build Institute is among the best of the bunch.
Three Excellent Family Physicians in Detroit Michigan Accepting New Patients
Detroit Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Paul Thomas MD, Raquel Orlich DO, and Leslie Rabaut DO are family medicine doctors accepting new patients in Detroit, Michigan. Their practice is called Plum Health and they see patients using a membership model for health care. Patients pay a low monthly fee to be a part of Plum Health, and with that membership, receive excellent primary care services.
Patients can come into the office whenever they want to be seen - we guarantee a same-day or next-day appointment for our Plum Health members. We also offer easy communication, with phone calls, text message, and email access to the doctors.
To see what all the buzz is about, you can enroll yourself, your family, or your small business into the Plum Health service via this link.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!
The Doctors at Plum Health DPC are Raquel Orlich DO, Paul Thomas MD, and Leslie Rabaut DO. They are all board certified family medicine physicians and they are all accepting new patients.
Connect with Dr. Paul Thomas on LinkedIn
If you’d like to connect with Dr. Paul Thomas on LinkedIn, follow this link: