Streeterville Internal Medicine

Dr. O’Mara was my first PCP when I moved to Chicago. I picked her because of her strong medical background and convenient office location. Unfortunately, I had an insurance change and was not able to see her again last year. When I had to see another provider, the office visit experience was so different and made me miss having such a caring doctor. I made it a mission to find out if I could see Dr. O’Mara again with my insurance. This brings me back to this year, where I was able to have my routine physical with Dr. O’Mara. I was reminded why I liked seeing her in the first place. Her staff is very efficient and kind. Because I had a wait before I was seen, the medical assistants drew my blood beforehand and gave me a snack afterwards (which was must appreciated because I was fasting all day). Then when it was my turn, I was quickly roomed and seen by Dr. O’Mara promptly. My medication was sent and ready at my local pharmacy and I was able to pick it up that same day (after I stopped by Gino’s East for lunch — they are so close to the office and have amazing lunch specials!) Anyways, after having some insurance issues, I messaged the staff on the patient portal and was able to be in contact w/​Alex who addressed it immediately. I am extremely grateful for the patience of Alex and Dr. O’Mara as they helped me w/​everything. I highly recommend this practice!

When I first started seeing Dr. O’Mara, I thought she was nice, but it takes time to get to know a doctor, and after two years of seeing her several times for a variety of issues, she has proven that she lacks basic empathy and listening skills. She even asked me if I thought my diagnosis was fibromyalgia. Isn’t SHE supposed to determine what the diagnosis is? She became very dismissive and rushed (except when she brought in her students to sit in on my exam). I will not be seeing this doctor again and when I asked for a copy of my medical records to get a second opinion she became defensive and outright unprofessional.

For better or for worse, I have been in pharmaceutical sales for over 15 years. I’ve gotten to know the spectrum of doctors – the bright and the brainless, the caring and the cold, the wow and the wtf. Having been my internist for almost a year, O’Mara is one of those rare doctors who is both bright and caring — And wow! — she went to Yale Medical School and is a Clinical Instructor at Northwestern (do you know how hard it is to get into Yale Medical school???). Best of all, her practice is HER practice, so her care is truly focused on the patient, versus appeasing a managed care company or healthcare organization’s goals (which is so common these days). Also a shout-​out goes to her staff. They are fun, charming, and yet professional.

Dr. O’Mara and her team are outstanding and caring professionals. My first experience began a little bumpy in trying to get my records transferred to her office from a suburban hospital. The problem laid with the hospital yet, Dr. O’Mara’s office manager Alex, was very helpful and followed up regularly until the issue was finally resolved. Her phlebotomist Lauren puts you at ease very quickly and skillfully goes about her work in a virtually painless way. Her technician Michaela is very personable, upbeat and kind. It is clear Dr. O’Mara has developed an entire team that earnestly strives to provide the highest level of service to patients in a pleasant and caring manner. Dr. O’Mara’s high degree of competence is immediately apparent upon speaking with her. She was very thorough and allowed plenty of time for me to walk through my medical history. She clearly explained lab results and relationships among different physiological symptoms and systems. I came away understanding she is a dedicated medical professional genuinely interested in improving the lives of her patients. I was also impressed by the level of technology Dr. O’Mara employs in her practice. Streeterville Internal Medicine is a unique place where old school values like kindness, care, and compassion meet modern day technology and efficiency.

As a person who is terrified of needles and has a history of fainting at the sight of a syringe, I was so happy to find Dr. O’Mara and her caring, understanding team at Streeterville Internal Medicine. From the moment I walked in the door, everyone on staff has made me feel comfortable and never brushed off my concerns.
The office is clean, welcoming, and conveniently located downtown. The modern, warm décor is far from the standard, cold furnishings of many medical practices. It’s amazing what hardwood floors, plants, and soft color can do to make a patient feel at home during what could so easily be an uncomfortable experience.
Dr. O’Mara is a great listener and has never ignored my concerns about my health or fear of needles. When I’ve needed blood work done, she advised her amazing phlebotomist of my anxiety and never made me feel silly for my extreme squeamishness. She takes the time to talk and thoughtfully remembers personal details like my husband’s name or my upcoming vacation plans. She has a kind, down-​to-​earth personality and takes the time to explain conditions and treatments without the condescending tone that I’ve experienced at other practices.
Their phlebotomist Lauren is amazing and I can’t sing her praises enough. When it comes to needles, I am a serial fainter who can’t even talk about blood work without getting worked up. (Seriously, it’s making me squeamish to even write about it) Lauren has always been abundantly accommodating and kind when she does my blood draw, even playing relaxing music to distract me. She has a very calm, compassionate demeanor that put me at ease and her skills made the process quicker and more comfortable than I’ve ever experienced. She even brought me an ice pack, pretzels, and water and chatted with me after she was done to ensure that I was ok. I’ve had this fear since as long as I can remember, so I am so thankful to have found someone as great as Lauren to make the process so much easier.

Dr. O’Mara is the best doctor I have ever worked with. She is amazing. I have asthma issues that have never been addressed with past doctors (it’s been 20+ years) other than RXs that had adverse reactions. She has nailed things on the spot that took other doctors a lot of tests to acknowledge, perhaps from a legal perspective, but she’s very smart and gets it. Beyond that, her demeanor is that of a girlfriend that you want to go have drinks with vs. a sterile doctor. And her office and staff are peaceful and calming. Can’t go wrong.

I first sought out Dr O’Mara following treatment for hodgkins lymphoma. I had been through the ringer and seen so many doctors; I needed someone who could help with holistic care as well as help me with ongoing thyroid issues. I have had nothing but stellar treatment in their office. My visits are always productive, but I am also quite diligent about prep and follow up. In addition to outright solving my thyroid challenges, Dr O’Mara’s recommendations and careful evaluation have helped me overcome several issues I had following cancer treatment. She is an excellent physician and one thing I really like about her is that she is always bringing alternatives and new research into her practice and recommendations. That’s hard to find. I would recommend Dr O Mara to a friend. In fact, I recommended her to my wife.

From the moment you walk into this office, you are put to ease. The staff is incredibly friendly, fun and engaging. This was my first visit to Dr. O’Mara and I was so incredibly pleased from start to finish.
I am in the medical industy myself, I have met and know many physicians personally, and can honestly say, she is top notch! How in the world did I ever miss not finding her earlier?
She is thorough, kind, engaging, not to mention very intelligent, and I am so glad I found her! I never felt rushed, I felt like I was all that mattered — and it was a first time visit!
Great staff, great atmosphere, and clearly I found a GREAT doctor to relate to. IF you want smart, engaging and staff you can relate to-​hurry and make your appointment they are the best I’ve ever found!
Who needs the cattle call doctor offices when you have someone like Dr O’Mara who cares about you as a patient!
Thanks to a great team-​you guys rock!

My wife and I moved to Chicago just over 1 year ago. My wife had had some pretty mediocre healthcare on our previous city which had led to complications with our feet. She picked the office from comments online and because it was so close to home. She came back after her first visit pleasantly surprised with the visit and encouraged me to also go for a check-​up also.
I have seen my fare share of doctors, both good and bad. As a former cancer patient I am very careful when it comes to my health. Dr. Omara and her staff seem to come from somewhere back in time, it is an office where the doctor actually takes the time to listen to you and completely investigate and discuss any of your concerns. It was probably one of the most comprehensive appointments I have ever had, as are all of the visits I have made. I travel frequently and her office has always gone out of their way to get me in when I am in a pinch. They follow up on their online portal super-​fast and have encouraged me to continue to improve my health. One night, my wife accidentally lost one of her last steroid pills and we were not sure what to do We called the after-​hours number on a Sunday, and the Doctor answered herself and talked to her for several minutes and called in a replacement medication.
Their office staff is both friendly and efficient and has always been able to work with my difficult schedule. I can’t think of anything bad to say other than please do not tell your friends, I don’t want the office to get super busy!!!

I have been seeing Dr. O’Mara for a few years now and every time I see her she makes me very uncomfortable. She’s not good at listening to what I say and helping me with my medical issues, and she’s been openly judgmental about issues I’ve brought up. Two years ago she told me I had to lose weight, and when I came back last year and I had dropped a few pounds she told me how proud she was without inquiring about how I had lost the weight– which was mainly due to stress from the loss of my father. Recently, she brushed off a complaint I had and made me feel dumb for bringing it up, and it the spiraled into a much larger issue when she should have caught it during our first appointment. I will no longer be seeing Dr. O’Mara and hope she sees this so she has the chance to improve her services for future patients.

First off, know this is going to be a stellar review even though I am hesitant to rave about Dr. O’Mara and her solo practice at Northwestern as I don’t want her to get so busy that things change. Selfish, I know. I went for six years without having a primary care physician. Luckily, I found Dr O’Mara and have a been a patient of Dr. O’Mara’s since January 2013. This has been a bumpy year medically speaking, and I am not sure I could have made it without Dr. O’Mara ! I have a different relationship with Dr. O’Mara than I have ever had with any other doctor. I feel freer in confiding in her than I have any other doctor and I know that feeling is not misplaced. She is warm, approachable, respectful, very observant, instills confidence, allows for disagreement, and is sensitive to LGBT health concerns. I value our doctor/​patient relationship with her highly. I have other doctors with whom it is difficult to get a message to. Dr. O’Mara and her staff correspond with via the portal where you can make appointments, leave and receive messages, and view lab work.
Dr. O’Mara’s solo practice is located in Streeterville. It is a modern, up to date office. Many tests can be done in the office and there is phlebotomy service in the office. On the web site Dr O’Mara states, «bureaucracy surrounding medical care acts as a hurdle to seeing a doctor. I think a smaller, personal practice environment encourages people to see their doctor in the first place, so a good doctor-​patient relationship can take root.» This is so very true and I see her following through with that commitment ! We have established a great doctor-​patient relationship and I am so appreciative of it.
The office runs on time and I have never felt rushed even though, as I said, I have been a needy patient this year.
I have never received this level of care from any doctor and I unequivocally recommend Dr. Rachel O’Mara !

The office is very conveniently located and contemporary and clean. They could use some better magazines in the waiting area, however! I came here because of the stellar Unilocal reviews and was not disappointed. The attention to technology is pretty great– I was able to populate my chart ahead of coming in for my visit and they are equipped to do a lot in the office, like EKGs, which is also a huge plus. I found the doctor herself to be very personable and intelligent with good listening and explaining skills. This is immeasurably important for me when dealing with physicians. Her staff (they have added a new person) are all very nice and professional. Going to the doctor is never fun or particularly comfortable but it’s nice to deal with people who realize that and try to make it as efficient and pain-​free as possible. Not sure of the costs yet but the website advises that their lab charges «hospital fees.» That can’t be good! If you are in the market for a new internist and your insurance is accepted here, definitely check out Streeterville.

I’ve been there twice and had an excellent experience both times. Dr. O’Mara is knowledgeable and listens well, and she really seems open to having a conversation about the issue and arriving at a course of action together with the patient. The online portal for managing records is also great, and they are very good at making sure all visits and test results are logged and available. Angie and Lauren (on-​site phlebotomist) are terrific as well.

Dr. O’Mara is great! I’m so glad I made an appointment. She took the time to ask questions and listen to what I had to say.

It’s very hard to find a great doctor who will actually take the time to listen to your concerns. I have finally found that with Dr O’Mara. She is warm and caring and spent almost and hour with me discussing my medical history and current health concerns. The entire staff is friendly and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my blood test results came back and the follow up from the doctor.

I think I found the best internist, EVER. Setting up an appointment was a breeze — the receptionist, Angie, is a sweetheart, and she was able to squeeze me in when luckily there was a cancellation. The office is located off of St. Clair in the Northwestern Memorial building (and there is validated parking available); the office is very cute, clean, and modern, and I waited less than 10 minutes after my scheduled time (which is pretty much unheard of; the receptionist also apologized which I thought was ridiculous!). I filled out basic medical history and such on their patient portal beforehand, which I thought was quite convenient and makes things more efficient. I was really excited with all the raving reviews on not only on Unilocal,but on other health websites that rated Dr. O’Mara. When the doc walked in, she was extremely nice, very knowledgeable, straightforward, a great listener, gentle, professional, and very informative. She listened to all of my health issues as well as my thoughts and opinions, and basically gave me a plan of action. She took her time with me, asking questions, and the whole time, I was not felt rushed! The best thing is that she was very genuine and I was extremely comfortable, being a new patient with all these high expectations! There is a lab on-​site, and the phlebotomist, Lauren P., was so sweet and kind, and drawing blood was not at all uncomfortable (considering I have a very low threshold of pain and am such a pansy!). Dr. O’Mara and everyone on staff seems to be extremely detail-​oriented and organized (which I absolutely love). The high ratings on the doc do not do her justice — she really is AWESOME. I have a follow-​up next week am actually looking forward to a doctor’s appointment — isn’t that crazy?! I am looking forward in being Dr. O’Mara’s patient for years to come!
+ask for Angie, the receptionist: D
+Dr. O’Mara = AWESOME
+limited parking (park at garage)

I found Streeterville Internal online and had read good reviews so thought I’d give it a try. I arrived to my appointment on time and there was no wait. It was a very efficient process and both the nurse and Dr. O’Mara were friendly and made the whole experience very comfortable. She sent two follow up messages through the Streeterville internal medicine patient portal that were informative and helpful. I’m normally use to getting a phone call from my doctor with results, but the portal message was nice because I could check it on my own time. Great experience and I’m grateful to have found a friendly, professional internist in Chicago.

Yes, Dr. O’Mara is pretty amazing!
She is thoughtful, thorough, a great listener, very knowledgeable, and responds quickly to e-​mails! I really don’t want too many people knowing about her though lol. I want her all to myself,…and she definitely will make you feel like you have your own personal physician.

I wish I could give Dr. O’Mara higher praise than 5 stars. I have recommended friends and coworkers alike, and now I recommend her to you.
Dr. O’Mara’s office is a clean, modern one-​physician practice. She exhibits all of the professionalism and knowledge I have come to expect and appreciate from Northwestern practitioners and affiliates. I was randomly assigned to her through Northwestern’s physician referral practice after I suffered a serious medical event and I was shocked by how great my experiences with her have been.
My initial consultation was in her office, where she interviewed me about all of my health concerns, family history, and really took the time to get to know both me as a person and my health issues.
Despite a relatively complicated health history, Dr. O’Mara has gone above and beyond. She takes the time to research issues about my medicine and listens to my questions, no matter how silly they may seem to me, in a non judgmental environment. She has followed up on problems or before procedures through phone calls about things I, at times, hadn’t even thought about. She is always eager to explain these things to me.
She truly cares about her patient’s well being and happiness — even following up on what I thought about places she had sent me for a referral.
In short, I have never received this level of care with any doctor before. Her assistant, Angie, is also very nice and helpful. To top it off, it’s extremely easy to make appointments here, and Dr. O’Mara keeps an electronic portal where you can ask her questions, view your test results quickly, and access other features from your visits. If you need a new internal medicine doctor, visit Dr. O’Mara.

What a combination — a doctor who is caring and thoughtful and one who embraces technology! It was such a pleasure to skip all the paper forms and enter my own information online. Making an appointment was easy — even changing my appointment was easy. Dr. O’Mara was very attentive during my appointment and the personal email from her explaining my lab results was the icing on the cake.
I feel like I’ve found the Holy Grail!
I’ve found my long-​time internist.