Dr. Habig Named Director
Of Clinical Chemistry Lab
The Medical Center's Clinical
Chemistry Laboratory will begin a series
of changes under a newly appointed
director in the next few months to
provide more services at less cost to
patients.
Dr. Robert L. Habig, associate in
biochemistry and formerly acting director
of the lab was named director in March
by Dr. Stuart M. Sessoms. His promotion
to assistant professor of clinical
biochemistry will be effective July 1.
Clinical Chemistry at Duke, a
department which employs about 35
people, completes some 500,000
chemical tests on blood serum, urine and
other body fluids each year to aid
physicians in diagnosis of disease.
Scheduled changes in the lab’s
activities center around installation of
SMA 12/60 and SMA 6/60
AutoAnalyzers tr mechanize 18 common
medical tests. Si ,eral more tests will be
added to the list done manually in the
lab.
Other innovations will include
expanded data processing facilities to
speed recording of test results, a more
complete central emergency laboratory,
and a new central collection agency.
Details on operation of new emergency
lab services and the collection agency will
be announced when they go into effect in
July.
With automation of a large number of
routine tests, the laboratory will be able
to reduce substantially the cost of many
tests to patients during the next fiscal
year.
The SMA 12/60 will run tests for total
protein, albumin, calcium, phosphorus,
cholesterol, uric acid, creatinine, total
bilirubin, akialine phosophatase, CPK,
LDH, and SGOT at the rate of 60
specimens ■ per hour. The 6/60 will do
sugar, BUN, and electrolytes, also at 60
samples per hour.
In addition to supplying these tests to
inpatients on admission, the lab will offer
all 18 or a variety of combinations of
them to Duke outpatients.
New manual tests to be offered by the
lab include T4 (thyroid), osmolality
(measuring particles in solution), and
electrophoresis (a quantitative
fractionation of serum proteins).
DR. ROBERT HABIG
Dr. Habig came to Duke as assistant
director of clinical chemistry in 1966
shortly after he received his Ph.D. degree,
in analytical chemistry from Purdue
University. He was named acting director
in 1969.
A native of Middletown, Pennsylvania,
Dr. Habig graduated from Lebanon
Valley College with a B.S. in chemistry in
1962.
He is married to the former Arbelyn
Fox of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and they
have one son.
Ellis Jones at Work
In Employe Relations
"My job is to try to close the
communications gap between employes
and their supervisiors," says Ellis Jones,
new employe relations assistant in the
Medical Center Personnel Office.
Mr. Jones, who recently joined the
Med Cfenter, is in personnel to counsel
employes who need assistance with
job-related or even personal problems.
Much of his work involves interpreting
personnel policy at Duke, although he is
also in charge of the Medical Center
recreation program and employe
orientation.
Any employe who would like to talk
with Mr. Jones can stop in the Medical
Center Personnel Office (no appointment
necessary) or call him at extension.3424.
5
Letter
Dr. Stuart M. Sessoms
Director, Duke Hospital
Dear Sir:
During the year 1951, I was confined
to your hospital for about 10 days, and
left your hospital somewhat dissatisfied
since the personnel on that particular
ward were not very cooperative, and
since it appeared as though no one was
really interested in helping me.
However, just the opposite has been
true of my stay on Welch (401 IB).
Everyone has been most cooperative,
everyone has a smile on their face, and
everyone seems to "bend over backward"
to help you. This is most encouraging
and satisfyin g to a sick person.
I would like to take this opportunity
to thank you, and all of the personnel on
Welch Ward for such a pleasant visit at
your hospital. Oh yesl-the meals were
very good and those who planned, pre
pared, and served them did a splendid
job.
I shall certainly "sing your praises"
and be a booster for Duke Hospital.
Again, thanking you, the doctors, and
all the employes of the hospital for a
pleasant stay at Duke Hospital.
Very truly yours,
Al Mann, Jr.
2732 University Drive
Durham, North Carolina
MR. ELLIS JONES