[Laboratory centralization and the development of pathological and clinical biochemistry at the Charité hospital]

The development of the discipline "Pathological and Clinical Biochemistry" at the Charité hospital from 1963-1983 was described. In the beginning of the sixties new structures for the clinical chemistry were necessary. The role of biochemical diagnostics increased due to the rapid development of the mechanization and automation of clinical chemical analysis. The centralization period of the laboratories of the clinics of the university hospital Charité included two phases: 1963 - foundation of the department of clinical biochemistry of the clinic of internal medicine and 1971 - foundation of the department of clinical biochemistry of the Charité. The main stimulus for the centralization of the laboratories and the foundation of the department of Clinical Biochemistry of the Charité hospital was the increased requests for medical care of the patients. With the new building and the reconstruction of the Charité hospital (1979-1983) the prerequisite were given to establish the discipline as Pathological and Clinical Biochemistry and in form of an institute (1983). The main stimuli for this development were demands to meet all requirements of research, teaching, biochemical diagnostics and pathobiochemical interpretation of biochemical findings of patients.