Being a member of South Shore Health anesthesia department is personally and professionally rewarding. I believe having high standards of care allows for a safe and effective patient experience.

I received my undergraduate nursing degree from Boston College and my masters in anesthesia from Northeastern University. Practicing in the Boston area has been important to me as my children grow. We enjoy our friends and family as well as skiing, soccer and the outdoors.

My mission as an emergency department physician is to provide timely and excellent care to patients while helping them through what are likely very stressful and difficult emergency situations.

I grew up in southern New Hampshire and attended Providence College in Rhode Island. I then obtained my MD at the University of Connecticut. I completed my emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati and while I loved the Midwest, I always planned to come back to New England and was happy to move to the South Shore. In my free time I enjoy hiking, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.

As an admitting hospitalist, my focus is to facilitate a smooth transition between the emergency department and the inpatient  admission. 

Waiting to be admitted to the hospital can be nerve wracking, emotional, and even scary. My goal is to ease  your transition from waiting in the ER to being admitted, explain your condition, and answer all questions you may have. Raised and educated locally, it is my pleasure to serve this wonderful community of people who call the South Shore home. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, and exploring/discovering all that the area has to offer.   

Dr. Christopher Cannell is a doctoral-trained Physician Associate with over 22 years of multidisciplinary clinical experience in Emergency Medicine (CAQ-EM), Orthopedics, Critical Care, and Internal Medicine. He is nationally recognized for his leadership and expertise in healthcare quality, patient safety, and risk mitigation.  He is a frequent invited speaker on Provider Clinical Risk Management and a blogger for medical liability companies on these critical topics.

Dr. Cannell is a successful entrepreneur leading a six-figure consulting firm where he also trains and encourages other healthcare provider entrepreneurs to explore their passions, niches, and grow their own business.

Dr. Cannell has held key leadership positions including current President of PAs in Legal Medicine, Board of Directors for the Academy of Doctoral PAs and previously with Massachusetts Association of PAs, and Board Advisor for the SCUHS Doctor of Medical Science program. He has led clinical teams as an APC Director, Department Lead, healthcare system, program manager and thought leader and Chair of APC career letter committee, driving innovation in quality improvement, documentation, onboarding, population management, operations, and value-based care initiatives across health systems.  Created POCUS acute care program for PAs and NPs at the largest community hospital in Massachusetts in alignment with the department ultrasound director. 

Dr. Cannell is an experienced medical professional legal consultant (MPLC) and expert witness, certified through Auburn University and The Center for Legal Studies. He has over 8 years of experience providing expert witness and consulting services focused on clinical risk assessment, discovery, and standard of care.  His collaborative consulting work spans clinicians, legal teams, malpractice insurance consultants, executives, AI technology, and life sciences organizations.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Cannell serves as Assistant Professor Doctor of Medical Science Program at The University of Lynchburg, current adjunct faculty for the Doctor of Medical Science Program at Marshall B. Ketchum University and also previously with South College (Healthcare Law & Policy), and currently for Northeastern University School of Medical Sciences PA Program, and the Tufts School of Medicine PA Program. He is a subject matter expert in generative AI development, educational consulting for early career and transitional career NPs and PA’s, and interprofessional collaboration to advance the Quadruple Aim.

Dr. Cannell completed leadership training in Just Culture, High Reliability, as well as patient safety through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He earned his DMSc from the University of Lynchburg, MPAS from MCPHS–Boston, and BA in Pre-Medical Studies and Psychology from Muhlenberg College. He has done additional leadership training from AAPA from The Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management.

As the Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at South Shore Health, I work to tackle the defining medical challenge of our time: Substance use and alcohol use disorder.

In addition to seeing adult patients at South Shore Hospital, I work with colleagues across South Shore Health to develop and implement a comprehensive addiction medicine treatment program. This program will connect patients with the resources they need to manage substance use disorder, no matter if they come to us through the Emergency Department, primary care, or another setting. Additionally, I serve as Medical Director for Spectrum Health System's opioid treatment program, ATS/detox, CSS, and therapeutic community in Weymouth.

Prior to my work at South Shore Health, I helped launch the Bridge Clinic at Boston Medical Center, which connected patients with treatment options for substance use disorder. I also served as Medical Director for Spectrum Health Systems’ Opioid Treatment Program in Weymouth.

In my spare time, I enjoy baseball, reading fiction, snowboarding, and cooking.

It has been my privilege to practice medicine and to have made a difference in the lives of my patients over the past 21 years. I enjoy the challenges of practicing internal medicine in a hospital setting and working as part of a team with our excellent hospitalist providers, consultants, nursing and ancillary staff. I served as Medical Director of the Hospitalist Department from 2009-2015 and am proud to say that we have an amazing program with dedicated clinicians who genuinely enjoy the care of hospitalized patients and are committed to excellence in their every day work. I enjoy giving back by participating in the Pan Mass Challenge which raises critical funds for cancer research and the Multiple Sclerosis cycling events. I enjoy boating, hiking and camping, and long distance bicycling and, most importantly, spending time with my family.