During his nearly two decades as a physician, Sam Panjwani, MD, has found that he’s most effective providing care for patients when he takes the time to get to know them well and understand their health concerns thoroughly.
He has applied that approach during the more than six years he’s been in family medicine practice at Rush, and Panjwani now is bringing it to his new role with Rush Concierge Medicine, Rush’s membership-based health service, which he joined April 1.
“I’ve realized there’s no way to shortcut that process. You have to get the complete story. You have to get that relationship,” Panjwani says.
As a Rush Concierge Medicine physician, Panjwani will be able to develop those relationships to an even fuller extent. The program offers its members extended visits with him, same-day or next-day appointments, and direct access to Panjwani, day or night, seven days a week, if a medical need suddenly arises.
He’ll use his additional time with his patients to create personalized wellness plans for them based on an in-depth consultation, a comprehensive physical exam and extensive testing. This approach to care is designed for “somebody who wants to spend more time with their doctors, someone who wants to focus on prevention and long-term health and to have better access and responsiveness,” he says.
Medically thorough and easily accessible
Concierge medicine is well matched to the approach to care Panjwani has taken throughout his medical career, which centers on building strong relationships with his patients. “I accomplish that by spending time with every patient, listening to them, getting to understand them, getting to understand where they’re at within their health, getting to understand what their goals are, and getting to a point where I can explain what their best options are,” he explains.
He’ll work with Marie Runyan, RN, patient care navigator concierge nurse, who immediately was impressed with his approach when they recently began reviewing the medical charts of Rush Concierge Medicine patients.
“Given that he trains medical students and has a history of doing research, that lends him to be very medically thorough,” she says. (Panjwani is an assistant professor of family medicine at Rush University.) “He strikes a great balance between being very personable and warm and very professional and thorough.”
Runyan previously founded and operated a concierge nursing company in Southern California and brings that same level of individualized attention to Rush Concierge Medicine patients. “Having that access to your provider is really wonderful,” she says. “Patients can email me or call me as well as the doctor. There’s direct streamlined communication.”
Personalized care backed by renowned specialists
Unlike most concierge medicine practices, which are independent, Rush Concierge Medicine also gives members access to the Rush system’s nationally renowned specialists. “It isn’t just one person the room. You’re getting primary care at a personalized level, but you’re also getting the resources of an academic medical center,” Panjwani observes.
If patients need to see a specialist and choose a Rush doctor, Panjwani and Runyan can make their appointments for them and coordinate care with their other Rush. “Our patients will have a single point of contact with Rush and won’t have to navigate the health system by themselves,” Panjwani says.
Runyan notes that such care coordination makes it less likely patients will put off getting needed care. “It’s about reprioritizing your health and getting everything you need to get it done.”
Finding the richest reward in restoring health
Panjwani has extensive experience caring for patients with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. He also places strong emphasis on preventive care and works closely with patients to reduce their risk of developing chronic illness.
He frequently helps patients improve their health by implementing practical strategies for nutrition, physical activity, sleep and other lifestyle factors. He stresses that health improvement is always possible, no matter what current challenges patients are experiencing. “It’s never as bad as we think it is,” Panjwani says. “It’s just a matter of tweaking behavior.”
When musculoskeletal issues limit a patient’s ability to stay active, he draws on his sports medicine training and experience as a high school and college team physician to help diagnose and treat orthopedic problems. “We want you to be exercising for your health, and if you’ve been suffering from knee problems, back problems, we want to incorporate whatever we can to help you recover from those sorts of things and facilitate you moving around,” he says.
Helping patients achieve these types of patients is what motivates him. Panjwani finds his greatest fulfilment as a doctor in helping patients with difficult conditions improve their health: “Seeing patients who were in extremely complicated medical conditions being able to get control of their condition and being part of that has been really rewarding."
After practicing on Rush’s main campus in Chicago, his new role is literally a homecoming. Panjwani and his family live in Hinsdale, where the Rush Concierge Medicine office is located. His wife is a physician who works in the community, and their children attend local schools. “This role is meaningful both professionally and personally,” he says. “It’s always been my desire to care for people in the community where I live, and now I can do it and built long-term patient relationships here.”
If you are interested in learning more about Rush Concierge Medicine, or if you want to schedule a complimentary consultation with Panjwani, please call (630) 724-1680 or visit Rush Concierge Medicine.
