Today we’d like to introduce you to Korlu Wolobah-Kuyon.
Hi Korlu, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey into healthcare started with a simple but deep-rooted belief that has stayed with me ever since I moved to this country: you must always look out for others and take care of people first, and the rest will naturally follow. After spending decades working in psychiatry and advancing my career to the doctoral level, I found myself growing tired of a system that often treats patients like numbers on a spreadsheet or just another paycheck; I wasn’t satisfied with that, so I decided it was time to return to a way of practicing medicine that treats every patient as a true individual. I teamed up with my long-time colleague, Dr. Jimmy Bello. We’ve worked together for years and actually finished our doctorates around the same time, so it made sense for us to open First-Care Wellness & Medical Services together right here in Glen Burnie. We specifically chose this location because it’s a hub for multiple bus lines and sits so close to Baltimore, making us accessible to the people who need us most. We truly want to reach those in underserved communities, especially those on Medicaid who might otherwise neglect their health because they’re worried about finances. Coming from a culture that prides itself on community, that spirit of service has never left me, and our goal today is to make sure that no one feels overlooked when they walk through our doors.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Learning how to run a medical practice while being a full-time employee elsewhere was one of the hardest and most expensive lessons I’ve ever had to learn. I went into this as a provider, but I quickly realized I had to be the HR department, the marketing team, and the administrative lead all at once. I’ve handled everything from complex insurance credentialing to just making sure the rent was paid. At one point, I was putting nearly $10,000 of my own personal investment into the business every month just to keep the doors open while I worked my other job. We originally opened right before the height of COVID, which was a massive risk that unfortunately didn’t pan out the first time, forcing us to close down and start completely over. Reopening meant reaching out to my old patients to let them know I hadn’t given up on them, and it’s when I finally brought in my partner, Dr. Bello, to help shoulder the load. It is a constant, difficult balance between my heart as a provider and my responsibilities as a business owner; sometimes that means the paperwork gets backed up or the billing is late because we are so focused on the person sitting in front of us. I am just so grateful to have a flexible team that understands we are wearing multiple hats and still figuring things out as we grow. This business has my entire heart, and despite the financial and emotional hurdles, I am determined to give it a winning hand because our patients deserve that level of dedication.
We’ve been impressed with First-Care Wellness & Medical Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At First-Care Wellness & Medical Services, we treat both the body and the mind under one roof. We offer a full range of services including primary care, urgent care, women’s health, and medical weight loss, but we are especially known for our deep expertise in psychiatric-mental health and chronic disease management. We take the time to focus on the individual, especially those in our underserved communities who might feel overlooked by the larger healthcare systems. I am most proud of the fact that we are a practitioner-owned “heart-led” brand. When you come to see us, you aren’t just a number in a database, you are a member of our community. I want readers to know that whether you are coming in for a physical, help with a chronic condition like diabetes, or support for your mental well-being, you will be met with high-quality, professional care that respects your finances and your dignity. We’ve worked hard to modernize our practice with things like telehealth and easy digital scheduling, but at our core, we remain a neighborhood clinic where the mission is to provide a “winning hand” to everyone who walks through our doors.
How do you define success?
I define it by how well I use my God-given talents to make a real, tangible difference in someone else’s life. I truly love the daily interaction with my patients, and I see our relationship as a partnership where we are “in this together” on the road to wellness. In my years of practice, I’ve seen how much stigma still surrounds mental health, but I always tell my patients that the mind can get sick just like the body can, and there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of because recovery is always possible. We consider it a huge success when a patient walks into our clinic and feels completely at home, because it’s only in that environment of safety and dignity that we can get to the root of their problems and help them heal. To look at a patient and see the positive impact our care has had on their quality of life—that is the only metric of success that truly matters to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://firstcarewellnesscenter.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstcarewellnessandmedicalservices/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-care-wellness-and-medical-services/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/first-care-wellness-and-medical-services-glen-burnie
- Other: https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/first-care-wellness-and-medical-services-173532
