Duke University Hospital
Encyclopedia
Duke University Medical Center (commonly referred to as Duke University Hospital) is a 924-bed academic tertiary care facility located in Durham, North Carolina
. Since its establishment in 1930, the hospital has grown from a small regional hospital to an academic medical center. Duke University Hospital is the flagship teaching hospital for the Duke University Health System
, a network of physicians and hospitals serving Durham County
and Wake County, North Carolina
, and surrounding areas, as well as one of three Level I
referral centers for the Research Triangle of North Carolina (the other two are UNC Hospitals in nearby Chapel Hill
and WakeMed Raleigh
in Raleigh
).
established the Duke Endowment
to transform Duke University
(then known as Trinity College) into the research university it is today. In 1925, Duke bequeathed $4 million to establish the medical school
, nursing school
, and hospital. Two years later, in 1927, construction began on the original hospital (now known as Duke South), which opened on July 21, 1930, with 400 beds. In 1931, the hospital and medical school were officially dedicated on April 20 and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (Duke's in-house physician system) was organized on September 16. In 1935, less than five years after the hospital opened, the American Medical Association
ranked Duke among the top 20 of medical schools in the country.
introduced ultraviolet light to kill germ
s in the operating room as a way to combat post-operative staph infection
s, greatly reducing the number of infections and related deaths. In the same year, the hospital established the nation's first brain tumor
program, launching what would become one of the world's most renowned programs in the field of cancer
treatment. In 1937, Joseph Beard developed a vaccine
against equine encephalomyelitis, one of the first known vaccines to combat the mosquito
-carried disease.
In 1940, the hospital made its first expansion, adding a new wing to the original building. In 1947, the Bell Research Building became the first freestanding building on the hospital campus. In 1954, the Duke Poison Control Center
was organized, becoming one of the first two organized in the country.
In 1955, psychiatrist Ewald W. Busse established the Duke University Center for Aging, the first research center of its kind in the nation. Currently the oldest continuously operating facility in the United States, this center has pioneered long-term studies of health problems among seniors.
In 1956, Duke surgeons performed the first cardiac surgery
using systemic hypothermia
to bring a patient's body temperature down to less than 50 degree
s Fahrenheit in an effort to minimize tissue damage during lengthy surgeries. With the success of this experiment, systemic hypothermia has become standard procedure in all hospitals worldwide. In 1957, the hospital and medical school were renamed Duke University Medical Center. In 1958, Thelma Ingles, a professor and chair of the Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, developed the clinical nursing specialist program, becoming the first master's program of its kind in the United States. The establishment of the nursing specialist program paved the way for advanced clinical knowledge in the delivery and teaching of the nursing field.
The 1960s brought extraordinary firsts to Duke. In 1963, the first African-American student was accepted to the prestigious medical school. Two years later, in 1965, the hospital established the first physician assistant
program in the country. In 1966, Duke became the first medical center in the world to offer radio consultation with physicians in developing countries. This program, called Med-Aid (short for Medical Assistance for Isolated Doctors), met the critical needs of the physicians who lacked proper treatment. That same year, the Medical Scientist Training Program, a joint program leading to simultaneous M.D. and Ph.D degree
s, was established, becoming one of the first three in the nation. In 1969, the first recorded studies of human's abilities to function and work at pressures equal to a 1,000-foot (300 m) deep sea dive were conducted in the hyperbaric chamber.
was established under the National Cancer Act. Duke's cancer center, one of the first in the nation under this groundbreaking legislation, was officially designated as a "comprehensive" cancer center by the National Cancer Institute
in 1973. That same year, the Duke Eye Center was dedicated and opened on November 8. In 1978, the Morris Cancer Research Building opened, giving researchers a place to study and find cures for the disease.
In 1980, Duke moved into its present $94.5 million facility (Duke North) on Erwin Road, located just north of its original location. In 1985, with the emergence of AIDS
bringing alarm to the medical community, Duke became one of the first two hospitals to conduct human clinical trials on AZT
, the first drug to offer an improved quality of life in patients battling AIDS.
s invented a three-minute test to screen newborns for over 30 metabolic diseases at one time. This practice has since become standard worldwide.
In 1992, Duke's cancer center became the first hospital to develop an outpatient bone marrow transplant
program. That same year, the hospital performed its first lung and heart/lung transplants.
The year 1994 marked the beginning of accelerated expansion for Duke. That year, the Levine Science Research Center
and the Medical Sciences Research Center were opened. In addition, there were extensive renovations of the Duke Clinic (Duke South), additions to the Morris Cancer Research Building, a new Children's Health Center, a freestanding Ambulatory Care Center, and expanded parking options for visitors.
In 1998, the Duke University Health System
was created with newly established partnerships with Durham Regional Hospital
and Raleigh Community Hospital. That same year, the National Institutes of Health
partnered with Duke to offer the first joint master's of health science in clinical research degree. With this extraordinary partnership, the NIH became the first organization to offer a joint graduate degree program with a major university.
In 2001, the hospital was the first to establish a center dedicated exclusively to Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
.
Today, Duke University Hospital is still seeking life-changing breakthroughs to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world. In addition, the hospital is undergoing a major expansion project that will increase the size of its surgical ward and add two additional helipads to the hospital.
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. Since its establishment in 1930, the hospital has grown from a small regional hospital to an academic medical center. Duke University Hospital is the flagship teaching hospital for the Duke University Health System
Duke University Health System
The Duke University Health System, combines the Duke University School of Medicine, the Duke University School of Nursing, the Duke Clinic, and the member hospitals into a system of research, clinical care, and education.-Duke University Hospital:...
, a network of physicians and hospitals serving Durham County
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
and Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
, and surrounding areas, as well as one of three Level I
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
referral centers for the Research Triangle of North Carolina (the other two are UNC Hospitals in nearby Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
and WakeMed Raleigh
WakeMed
WakeMed Health and Hospitals is a 870-bed healthcare system with multiple facilities placed around the metropolitan Raleigh, North Carolina area. WakeMed’s main campus is located on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh, North Carolina...
in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
).
1924–1935: early years
The institution can trace its roots back to 1924, six years before the opening of the hospital, when James Buchanan DukeJames Buchanan Duke
James Buchanan Duke was a U.S. tobacco and electric power industrialist best known for his involvement with Duke University.-Personal life:...
established the Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment is a private foundation established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke. The mission of the foundation is to serve the people of North Carolina and South Carolina by supporting selected programs of higher education, health care, children's welfare, and...
to transform Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
(then known as Trinity College) into the research university it is today. In 1925, Duke bequeathed $4 million to establish the medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
, nursing school
Nursing school
A nursing school is a type of educational institution, or part thereof, providing education and training to become a fully qualified nurse. The nature of nursing education and nursing qualifications varies considerably across the world.-United Kingdom:...
, and hospital. Two years later, in 1927, construction began on the original hospital (now known as Duke South), which opened on July 21, 1930, with 400 beds. In 1931, the hospital and medical school were officially dedicated on April 20 and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (Duke's in-house physician system) was organized on September 16. In 1935, less than five years after the hospital opened, the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
ranked Duke among the top 20 of medical schools in the country.
1936–1969: a number of firsts
In 1936, a team of physicians led by Dr. Julian Deryl HartJulian Deryl Hart
Julian Deryl Hart served as President of Duke University, North Carolina, United States, from 1960 to 1963. Previously, he was the Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Duke. During his presidency of three years, he planned and initiated programs to enhance the "academic...
introduced ultraviolet light to kill germ
Germ
Germ may refer to:* Microorganism, especially a pathogen; see Germ theory of disease* Germ cell, an ovum or sperm, or one of its progenitors* The Germ , a periodical established by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood to disseminate their ideas...
s in the operating room as a way to combat post-operative staph infection
Staphylococcal infection
Staphylococcus is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria which includes several species that can cause a wide variety of infections in humans and other animals through either toxin production or invasion....
s, greatly reducing the number of infections and related deaths. In the same year, the hospital established the nation's first brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
program, launching what would become one of the world's most renowned programs in the field of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
treatment. In 1937, Joseph Beard developed a vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
against equine encephalomyelitis, one of the first known vaccines to combat the mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
-carried disease.
In 1940, the hospital made its first expansion, adding a new wing to the original building. In 1947, the Bell Research Building became the first freestanding building on the hospital campus. In 1954, the Duke Poison Control Center
Poison control center
A poison control center is a medical facility that is able to provide immediate, free, and expert treatment advice and assistance over the telephone in case of exposure to poisonous or hazardous substances...
was organized, becoming one of the first two organized in the country.
In 1955, psychiatrist Ewald W. Busse established the Duke University Center for Aging, the first research center of its kind in the nation. Currently the oldest continuously operating facility in the United States, this center has pioneered long-term studies of health problems among seniors.
In 1956, Duke surgeons performed the first cardiac surgery
Cardiac surgery
Cardiovascular surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease , correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease from various causes including endocarditis, rheumatic heart...
using systemic hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
to bring a patient's body temperature down to less than 50 degree
Degree (temperature)
The term degree is used in several scales of temperature. The symbol ° is usually used, followed by the initial letter of the unit, for example “°C” for degree Celsius...
s Fahrenheit in an effort to minimize tissue damage during lengthy surgeries. With the success of this experiment, systemic hypothermia has become standard procedure in all hospitals worldwide. In 1957, the hospital and medical school were renamed Duke University Medical Center. In 1958, Thelma Ingles, a professor and chair of the Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, developed the clinical nursing specialist program, becoming the first master's program of its kind in the United States. The establishment of the nursing specialist program paved the way for advanced clinical knowledge in the delivery and teaching of the nursing field.
The 1960s brought extraordinary firsts to Duke. In 1963, the first African-American student was accepted to the prestigious medical school. Two years later, in 1965, the hospital established the first physician assistant
Physician assistant
A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
program in the country. In 1966, Duke became the first medical center in the world to offer radio consultation with physicians in developing countries. This program, called Med-Aid (short for Medical Assistance for Isolated Doctors), met the critical needs of the physicians who lacked proper treatment. That same year, the Medical Scientist Training Program, a joint program leading to simultaneous M.D. and Ph.D degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s, was established, becoming one of the first three in the nation. In 1969, the first recorded studies of human's abilities to function and work at pressures equal to a 1,000-foot (300 m) deep sea dive were conducted in the hyperbaric chamber.
1970–1989: a period of growth and expansion
With the dawn of the 1970s, Duke underwent a period of expansion that continued well into the 1980s. In December 1971, the Duke Comprehensive Cancer CenterDuke Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Duke Cancer Institute is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, research facility, and hospital. The center is part of the Duke University Health System located in Durham, North Carolina, United States....
was established under the National Cancer Act. Duke's cancer center, one of the first in the nation under this groundbreaking legislation, was officially designated as a "comprehensive" cancer center by the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
in 1973. That same year, the Duke Eye Center was dedicated and opened on November 8. In 1978, the Morris Cancer Research Building opened, giving researchers a place to study and find cures for the disease.
In 1980, Duke moved into its present $94.5 million facility (Duke North) on Erwin Road, located just north of its original location. In 1985, with the emergence of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
bringing alarm to the medical community, Duke became one of the first two hospitals to conduct human clinical trials on AZT
Zidovudine
Zidovudine or azidothymidine is a nucleoside analog reverse-transcriptase inhibitor , a type of antiretroviral drug used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It is an analog of thymidine....
, the first drug to offer an improved quality of life in patients battling AIDS.
1990–present: accelerated growth, expansion, and a glance towards the future
In the 1990s, the medical research at Duke reached the forefront for detection of ailments that can be treated with a larger success rate. In 1990, Duke geneticistGeneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
s invented a three-minute test to screen newborns for over 30 metabolic diseases at one time. This practice has since become standard worldwide.
In 1992, Duke's cancer center became the first hospital to develop an outpatient bone marrow transplant
Bone marrow transplant
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the transplantation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cell or blood, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells, or umbilical cord blood...
program. That same year, the hospital performed its first lung and heart/lung transplants.
The year 1994 marked the beginning of accelerated expansion for Duke. That year, the Levine Science Research Center
Levine Science Research Center
The Levine Science Research Center is a facility on Duke University's west campus located at 450 Research Drive Durham, NC 27708. The LSRC is currently the largest single-site interdisciplinary research facility in the U.S...
and the Medical Sciences Research Center were opened. In addition, there were extensive renovations of the Duke Clinic (Duke South), additions to the Morris Cancer Research Building, a new Children's Health Center, a freestanding Ambulatory Care Center, and expanded parking options for visitors.
In 1998, the Duke University Health System
Duke University Health System
The Duke University Health System, combines the Duke University School of Medicine, the Duke University School of Nursing, the Duke Clinic, and the member hospitals into a system of research, clinical care, and education.-Duke University Hospital:...
was created with newly established partnerships with Durham Regional Hospital
Durham Regional Hospital
Durham Regional Hospital , located in northern Durham, North Carolina is a general-services hospital that has been part of the Duke University Health System since 1998...
and Raleigh Community Hospital. That same year, the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
partnered with Duke to offer the first joint master's of health science in clinical research degree. With this extraordinary partnership, the NIH became the first organization to offer a joint graduate degree program with a major university.
In 2001, the hospital was the first to establish a center dedicated exclusively to Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
.
Today, Duke University Hospital is still seeking life-changing breakthroughs to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world. In addition, the hospital is undergoing a major expansion project that will increase the size of its surgical ward and add two additional helipads to the hospital.