We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tomar Mills a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tomar, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

After being a RN for 9 years, I decided to go back to school to receive my Masters degree in nursing (MSN) and a certification as an Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. My goal after graduation was to open a clinic that targeted adults and the elderly population for a low cost. I started researching and found that it was very expensive renting a brick and mortal and acquiring all the equipment and supplies necessary to open. So I prayed, started networking and found out I could open a mobile IV hydration company with minimum overhead. The main steps were establishing my DBA, LLC, hiring a medical director, which is required in the state of Texas, taking start up courses and establishing accounts with suppliers. Some of my challenges were finding a trusting medical director who specialized in primary care or Internal medicine who was trust worthy and accessible whenever I needed them. This part was tough until someone advise me to hire one through indeed. I did and received 40 candidates. I interviewed 4 and hired one and she’s been wonderful. I wouldn’t change anything. I think everything worked out like it was supposed to. I learned so much going through the process. I since then added other services such as telehealth, make house calls for minor illnesses and services, prescriptions, labs, and diagnostic imaging at a low cost. The advice I would give is to establish relationships with like minded people, network, research your state requirements, and don’t let adversity, obstacles or several declines stop you. Give yourself grace. Success is not easy or fast.

Tomar, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a registered nurse for 17 years. I love taking care of people and I’m really passionate about preventative health care. I recieved my ADN from Lonestar College and my BSN & MSN from UT Houston Cizik School of Nursing. I’m a board certified Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. I’ve been at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a register nurse in pre-op/PACU for 9 years and now
in Radiation Oncology, GYN as a nurse practitioner for 5 years. As a nurse practitioner, this allowed me to provide more healthcare resources to the underserved and other patients without insurance, outside of my career at MD Anderson. I’m a one women show which is one thing that stands out about me and my company. Who ever I service, they don’t ever have to worry about time. Which most clinics focus on due to other patients waiting. We’re in the comfort of their home or office which allows them to express themselves and be open about whatever concerns they may have and not have to rush. I spend as much time as I need with each patient. I provide quality, safe, efficient, and effective care to all my patients. Some patients may not know what questions to ask their providers or which specialist they need to seek. I provide those resources as well. Some patients lack knowledge about how serious their condition is or what could happen if it’s not addressed. That’s why I provide patient education to every patient I encounter and do speaking engagements regarding healthcare every chance I get.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My mother nor father finished high school but they worked very hard to provide for us. My father is a retired Metro bus driver and my mother was a CNA. So, while growing up we didn’t have conversations about going to college. It was all about getting a job. While in school though, I was surrounded by classmates who talked about college all the time and thats when I decided I was going as well but had no clue of what I was going to major in and how I was going to pay for it until I learned a little about financial aid. I attended college at Texas Southern University for 1 year and due to mis-managing my financial aid, I wasn’t qualified the next year. So, I went to Houston Community College because they were affordable at the time.
I started working at the post offiice, and was there for 9 years, which was a true blessing, and had my first born, my handsome son. While at the post office, I had my beautiful daughter and was able to live comfortably and take care of my kids without a degree. Then I decided to become a nurse. This was after I visited my mothers job and witnessed the nurses there. I enjoy taking care of people and knew I could live comfortably. I met my husband, now of 23 years, had my 3rd child, my beautiful daughter. So, I worked fulltime, went to school at LoneStar college, and took care of my family. All while sacrificing sleep and outings. It was so worth it. Even though my parents didn’t finish school, they had to work and help around the house, I thank God my siblings and I decided to break the generational curse. We all finished high school and graduated college.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My clientele will recieve the truth about what’s going on with their body, their condition, or conditions, what could happen if not addressed or treated, and what could be done to prevent certain conditions or diseases. They will also recieve love, kindness, safe, quality, efficient, and effect care.
Being honest, truthful, treating each patient as if they were my family, and following through on my word has been the most effective for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://essentialivfusion.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essentialivfusion/profilecard/?igsh=eHhrNDBpcG50ZzBp
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/VFyaufQzEM6vWZoK/

Image Credits

OnyxView Photography