About Dr. Habal
Dr. Hani Habal, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He has been practicing as a clinical rheumatologist since 2013. He earned his medical degree (MD) from University of Damascus in Syria in 2003. After that he moved to the US where he has had completed 3 medical trainings: Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Rheumatology. He was trained by several great mentors including master Dr Laura Carbone MD, MS (Section Chief professor Rheumatology, J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished University Chair in Rheumatology, Augusta University). Dr Habal is American Board certified and re-certified in both Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He has solid experience in managing many aspects of rheumatology including autoimmune rheumatologic diseases, soft tissue diseases /tendonitis, bone health, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory muscle diseases, autoimmune lung diseases, psoriatric arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, gout arthritis, and others. He has experience with geriatrics populations (did geriatrics medical training in Chicago) and has experience in pediatric rheumatology management as well. He considers himself expert in managing complicated lupus patients. He has earned a strong reputation amongst his medial colleagues of many medical specialties – while working for 9 years in Peoria Illinois – while managing shared complicated rheumatologic patients.
Dr. Habal philosophy is “To me, patients are more important than money”. He is passionate in fixing the dysfunctional US health care system, regaining TRUST in doctor-patient relationships, and in involving in his community and educating the public, medical students, and health professionals. He had taught several lectures for medical students at University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP). Also he has had presented several grand ground lectures at Internal Medicine department at UICOMP in Peoria, IL. In the upcoming future he is interested to learn and increase his knowledge and awareness of new emerging topic related to interaction of geriatrics and rheumatology (especially with the aging population). He sees this current new clinic (Doctor Habal Rheumatology Hub), by serving a real need in the community and doing both virtual and home visits, will cover the demand and importance of making medicine great again and regaining doctor-patient relationships to its roots, without 3rd parties interferences as possible (medical corporations , insurance…). He decided to open this private rheumatology practice with a hope encouraging other doctors to pursue similar path, in a time unfortunately independency in medicine has become rare/abandoned.
Dr. Habal lives in Central Illinois (Dunlap) since 2013. He is married with 2 children. He loves travel and meet new faces, he spends his time with family and in spiritual Islamic learning. He loves nature and cultures exploring, and he likes charcoal grilling. Plays soccer games monthly. He is born and raised in Syria speaks Arabic -and of course English-, and now he lives in the US for about 20 years.
If you looking for a doctor who you can trust, consider yourself you’ve just found one!
Dr. Habal will be shooting some educational or health related tips in News/blogs section. Feel free to visit.
Education & Training
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degree
University of Damascus, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic 9/1997 – 8/2003
POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINING
Rheumatology Fellowship. University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, TN 7/2011 – 6/2013
Geriatrics Fellowship. University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) 7/2010 – 7/2011
Internal Medicine Residency. University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL 6/2007 – 7/2010