Dr. Sean Cahill Concierge Internal Medicine Practice
Hinsdale Magazine Group (HMG): Why did you choose to open your own Concierge Internal Medicine practice in Chicago?
Dr. Sean Cahill: Quite simply, I wanted to have more time for better relationships with my patients, to be able to practice medicine the way it should be. I had 3500 patients at my prior practice; the average busy primary care doctor has 2000! Corporate medicine puts doctors and patients on a conveyor belt, with long waits, short appointment times, and serial surveys about the experience. No time exists to discuss sleep or new cutting-edge preventive care. Concierge medicine allows patients to hire their own semi-private doctor to address the issues they want to address in a timely fashion, including newer prevention concepts like CT calcium scoring, whole body MRI, and DNA cancer screening. I work for my patients, not a health system or insurance company. I chose the city in order to join a long-standing concierge practice with great partners, an affiliation with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the ability to teach at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
HMG: What can patients expect when they come to the city to see you?
Dr. Cahill: First and foremost, exceptional care on the patient’s terms guided by me, an experienced, board-certified internist. I have time to listen and create a personalized health plan based on individual needs, gender, age, family history, and habits. I spend a great deal of time discussing good and bad habits and how these influence health over time. I do not expect perfection, but steady progress toward healthier and more mindful. Overall, I focus on the 4 A’s of concierge medicine: Availability, Ability, Affability, and Advocacy. In addition, I have friendly staff who know patients when they call and help make imaging and specialist appointments. My office on Lake Michigan is beautiful, and the area is safe. We even validate parking!
HMG: Do you have any special interests you particularly like addressing with patients?
Dr. Cahill: I am board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and see patients 16 and older at my city office for general primary care. After 22 years in practice, I most appreciate the prevention of disease, because once you acquire a disease, it’s much more difficult to treat it. Longevity, weight management, and men’s health are of particular interest to me. I like to challenge my patients to think in terms of retirement planning. We all have spent a lot of time recently watching our retirement funds closely, but how closely do you watch your health? We do not spend enough time “training” our bodies for retirement, preparing for tasks like walking through an airport, lifting luggage overhead on a plane, or hiking with grandkids.
HMG: What do you see as the most challenging aspect of healthcare in the future?
Dr. Cahill: The biggest challenge to me is an aging population and no one coming out of med school and residency to take on the task of providing primary care. As doctors retire or leave practice, who is left to care for us as we age? Patients can choose to hire their own concierge physician. Generally speaking, our health system does not work very well for patients, doctors, and medical staff, and something needs to be done about pricing and transparency on the part of health systems, insurance companies, and pharma.
HMG: What do you enjoy the most about taking care of people from our community?
Dr. Cahill: I love seeing patients from the western suburbs, especially at my office in the city (I do have a small office in the western burbs for quick visits). I know they really want to be there, seeing me and be actively engaged in their health plan. They are motivated to live healthier and longer and are ready to partner with me to achieve that goal. Simply, I enjoy trying to make my community healthier.
Dr. Sean Cahill
680 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 118, Chicago, Illinois
312-470-8990
[email protected]
seancahillmd.com
