Dr. Thomas Lobe earned some publicity when he stepped up to help 83-year-old actress Cloris Leachman get back on her feet after her exhausting turn on the reality series “Dancing With the Stars.”
Armed with that physician-to-the-star credits, the pediatric surgeon opened a Beverly Hills clinic, the Beneveda Medical Group, earlier this year. But it’s not just any clinic. He wants to introduce nontraditional diagnosis and treatment to corporate wellness programs.
Lobe is betting that his new company, Executive Wellness Programs Inc., will find a market in New Age-friendly companies in Los Angeles thanks to its high-tech “aura replenishing” therapies and medical intuitive counseling. That’s in addition to the usual corporate health offerings of physical exams, weight-control workshops and the like.
“I’ve found that these energy-balancing tools better help my patients deal better with chronic pain and recover better after surgery,” said Lobe, who’s studied alternative medicine for 30 years. He still commutes to Columbus, Ohio, to maintain his surgery practice there, and Memphis, Tenn., where he has a home with his wife.
Lobe’s diagnostic tools include everything from standard treadmill stress tests to not-so-standard Kirlian photography, which allegedly captures an image of a person’s “energy field.” Depending on the diagnosis, Lobe and his colleagues may recommend acupuncture, water or electromagnetic therapy, nontraditional physical therapy or nutritional changes.
So far, his corporate clients are mostly out-of-state businesses, but he’s starting to market locally. His closest client company is in Palm Springs.
All employees of a client company take an online wellness survey, and top executive can opt for a more extensive workup. Fees are in line with conventional programs, with the initial company evaluation running between $2,500 and $5,000, plus $10 per employee for the online health “snapshot.” A full-day evaluation for executives can run $3,500.
The “snapshot” even includes information about the employees’ families so the service can make recommendations on health care and lifestyle.
“If family members are having problems, that often means an employee is less productive at work, too,” Lobe said.
