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FEATURE

TEXAS LIVER

INSTITUTE

PROVIDES FOCUSED CARE

FOR AN AGE-OLD DISEASE

By Mike W. Thomas, BCMS Director of Communications

The Texas Liver Institute’s mission is to find new ways to treat the disease merited its own institute, Lawitz said he was inspired to
an old disease. Liver ailments such as fatty liver disease have always launch a liver disease-focused practice.
been around, but new technology and research are making it possi-
ble to provide better care and treatment for a condition that effects The Three Pillars
and estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population. Lawitz said TLI is focused on providing excellent clinical care for
Founded in 2012, the Texas Liver Institute (TLI) is one of the patients, providing teaching resources and conducting research and
largest diagnostic and treatment centers of its kind in the world and development.
is globally recognized as a leading research facility in the field of “Those are the three pillars of our practice,” he said. “We are dif-
liver disease. ferent from other (medical practices) because we only do liver disease.”
TLI was founded by TLI has grown steadily since it was founded and is now a place
Eric Lawitz, MD (at where many researchers come to conduct trials for Phase II and
right), who now serves Phase III drugs. The institute has developed a strong reputation and
as its medical director its doctors regularly publish their work in a number of high-impact
and is also a clinical pro- academic journals.
fessor of medicine at A lot of the top research into liver diseases that is presented at
UT Health San Anto- international conferences is conducted in here, Lawitz adds.
nio. Lawitz came to San TLI’s strong reputation has helped it to recruit some of the best
Antonio after serving in doctors in the field, Lawitz notes.
the Army and did his This past year, TLI treated more than 800 patients for Hepatitis
postgraduate training at C, a common liver ailment. Lawitz said his goal is to bring patients
Brooke Army Medical to a healthier state with their livers and maintain a family-friendly
Center. He is board cer- atmosphere at all of its clinics.
tified in the area of
Gastroenterology/He- Community support
patology. TLI currently has three locations, one in San Antonio, one in
Lawitz said he was inspired to start TLI after surmising what he Cedar Park and another in Austin.
saw as a paucity of liver care available in San Antonio. Believing that Most of TLI’s patients are local or regional, but some have trav-

28 San Antonio Medicine • August 2018