Transplant hepatology is the field of medicine that deals with liver transplants. A hepatologist is a physician who specializes in diseases and disorders of the liver. This specialist may coordinate treatment with a transplant surgeon for a patient who requires a liver transplant due to liver disease or liver failure. During transplant surgery, the diseased liver is removed and a new liver is placed in the same location. This surgery is done through a large incision in the upper abdomen, and is performed under general anesthetic in a hospital.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Illinois has 15 practicing transplant hepatologists. Broken out by city, transplant hepatology doctor density in Bloomingdale is 1, in Bloomington is 1, in Bourbonnais is 1, in Burr Ridge is 1, in Chicago is 11, in Chicago Heights is 1, in Danville is 1, in Geneva is 1, in Glen Ellyn is 1, in Naperville is 1, in Olympia Fields is 1, in Orland Park is 1, in Sycamore is 1, in Urbana is 1, in Willowbrook is 1, and in Winfield is 1.

Most people think that Chicago, because of its size and popularity, is Illinois’ capital city, but that distinction belongs to Springfield, home of the Abraham Lincoln Museum. Illinois has hundreds of museums, numerous yearly art and ethnic festivals, a lakeshore bordering Lake Michigan, and the many national forests and parks that offers visitors camping, horseback riding, biking, kayaking, and fishing. Chicago is home to the Sears Tower, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and other cultural opportunities and restaurants in the Navy Pier area.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Illinois has a population of 12,763,371. Of this population, 3,172,677 are under the age of 18 and 1,523,937 are at or above the age of 65.