SPRINGFIELD - Dr. David Gill has opted for a leadership job in state government rather than make another run for elected office.

He was named Friday as assistant director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, a $127,800-per-year job.

The 53-year-old Gill is an emergency room physician from Bloomington. He was named  to the job six months after narrowly losing a race to represent Illinois' 13th Congressional District. It was Gill's fourth failed bid to represent a part of central Illinois in the nation's capital.

He said he will focus his efforts on trying to address the issue of access to health care, as well as the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act.

In addition to losing to Republican Rodney Davis in November, Gill also lost three prior bids for Congress to former U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson of Urbana.

94.1 FM, WGFA