A Family Practice physician, Babatunde Thomas, MD enjoys seeing a wide range of patients each day. “When I was in medical school, I was interested in doing a little bit of everything – from treating adults and kids, to doing obstetrics and procedures, he explains. “There’s so much variety in family medicine, I think that’s why I enjoy it so much.”

Dr. Thomas is a strong believer in providing holistic care to his patients. “When people come to see you, they bring the entirety of their life. That’s why it’s important to discuss diet, fitness, family life – and how all those things impact health. I also talk with patients about their mental health, their emotional health, their spiritual health – everything that affects them on a daily basis. At the end of the day, it’s about communicating with the patient and learning how I can best help them.”

When treating patients that have an issue with their weight, Dr. Thomas encourages people to start with some small changes. “Oftentimes, making some simple changes in daily lifestyle can help,” he explains. “So, I will recommend that they start an exercise routine by walking each day or going to the gym. In terms of diet, I might suggest they eat more greens and consume less rice. I also encourage some of my patients to get a glucometer, so they can check their blood sugars easily. Using a glucometer, they can see what food causes sugar spikes and even how exercise affects their blood sugar readings. This helps them be more engaged in their care.”

Dr. Thomas says that he knows very well what it’s like to be a patient. “I suffered from kidney failure when I was younger and needed a kidney transplant,” he explains. “So as difficult as that was, it has taught me a lot about communicating with patients and being as empathetic as I can with them.”

When he is not busy seeing patients at Reliant, Dr. Thomas enjoys spending time with his wife and three sons. He also likes freshwater fishing and playing the saxophone. Originally classically-trained on the saxophone, he also enjoys writing music and songwriting from the piano.