Springfield, Illinois
Health care becomes an issue in any size town or city for many reasons. In poor economic areas, the concern is getting any reliable healthcare at all. In prosperous places like Springfield, the concern is getting enough. Making an informed choice sometimes gets harder as the choices grow. Health Grades lists all of the hospitals in Illinois with ratings for specific procedures. The United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois website provides a wealth of information on health care, disabilities, and prevention of certain disabilities. Individual doctors in Springfield can be found and evaluated with UCompare Health Care, a free online database service. You can also refer to the Illinois Hospital Directory for contact and medical information.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine at Springfield is key to the world-class healthcare available at Springfield area hospitals and clinics. Other excellent medical institutions include St. John’s Hospital, offering value-based, compassionate care. A number of outstanding programs include the Prairie Heart Institute and Carol Jo Vecchie Women and Children’s Center.
Memorial Medical Center, with its Regional Cancer Center, Regional Burn Center and Regional Kidney Center, is the flagship of the Memorial Health System in Springfield, IL.
The Greater Springfield area has a wide spectrum of private physicians, clinics, dentists, and mental health specialists. The number of alternative practitioners is growing steadily in the area. An abundance of public and private assisted living, nursing home, and hospice care services are also readily available.
Springfield, Illinois is the county seat of Sangamon County. In 1839, Springfield became the third and current capital of the State of Illinois. Springfield is located on the flat plains of east central Illinois and occupies an area of 54 square miles. Springfield, IL had an estimated population of 116,482 in 2006 (U.S. Census Bureau). Over 200,000 residents live in the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Sangamon County and adjacent Menard County.
The economy of the Springfield area is quite diversified. High-tech industries, over a dozen nationally known insurance companies with headquarters in Springfield, and metal fabrication companies for industrial concerns (a large niche export market) are joined here by major corn and soybean production, which powers the livestock and poultry feed industries in Springfield.
If shopping were an industry, then Springfield could add that to the list, as they certainly have the market cornered. The retail face of the city reaches out 40 to 50 miles from town center, attracting consumers from adjacent towns to the more than 20 shopping centers plus the downtown shopping district. White Oaks Mall is a major shopping destination with Bergner’s, Famous-Barr and Sears as the anchor stores. Traditional national retailers are well represented in the area, including JC Penney, K-Mart, Kohl’s, ShopKo, Wal-Mart, Gordman’s, Target, Meijer, and Best Buy.
Over one million visitors a year come to see the Abraham Lincoln sites, which include the Lincoln home, law offices, the Lincoln tomb and dozens of other historical sites from the 19th Century. Modern day attractions generate a fair share of tourism and excitement, including the Old Capitol Art Fair in May, the International Carillon Festival in June, the Illinois State Fair in August, the Springfield Air and Rendezvous Air Show, and the Route 66 Festival.
Springfield, Illinois residents enjoy a multitude of well-maintained neighborhood, community, and regional recreational opportunities. There are more than 30 public municipal parks providing abundant recreational activities such as tennis courts, ice rinks, swimming pools, and golf courses; there are nine public golf courses and several par excellent country club courses. Additionally, you can find wildlife sanctuaries, a zoo, numerous hiking areas, equestrian and bike trails, and a water park.
