The Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen has a historically significant and prestigious past. Hungarian legislation established the foundation of the University of Debrecen and a public hospital suitable for educational purposes in Act XXXVI of 1912. It is a source of pride that the university complex was envisioned to be built in the most beautiful part of the city, among the trees of Nagyerdő. Construction of the clinical site, designed by architect Flóris Korb in the Neo-Baroque style, began in 1914.
The Hungarian Royal University of Debrecen was inaugurated on October 23, 1918, in the Admission Building of the clinical site—currently serving as the Administrative Building of the Presidential Office of the Clinical Centre—by King Charles IV and Queen Zita.
After years of preparation, the Faculty of Medicine officially opened on November 4, 1921. Construction of medical facilities continued over the following years, significantly contributing to the development of education and research activities related to medical care. The employment of newly arriving, nationally and internationally recognized experts also laid the foundation for further success.
Due to World War II events, in October 1944, the Medical Faculty continued its operations in Budapest. By the end of 1944, only four of the faculty's fifteen appointed professors remained in Debrecen, ensuring the continuity of medical services.
Professor Csilléry, appointed government commissioner for the relocation of Hungarian universities, initiated negotiations with the German embassy about transferring the universities to Germany. According to the agreement, rural faculties were to be moved to the Halle/Saale area. However, by June 1945, strong aspirations to return emerged among the teachers, staff, and students. Those who returned to Debrecen resumed their work. As a result of their tireless efforts, by the 1945/46 academic year, 116 instructors were employed full-time, and the number of medical students rose to nearly 400.
In 1951, a decree of the Council of Ministers separated the faculties of medicine from universities, creating the independent Debrecen Medical University (DOTE). Over the years, new clinics and institutes were established, a dental program was introduced in 1976, and in 1988, the Health College of Nyíregyháza opened, eventually becoming the Faculty of Health Sciences of DOTE.
After years of preparation, on January 1, 2000, the University of Debrecen was established, enrolling about 20,000 students and integrating five university faculties and three college faculties.
The Debrecen Medical University, established as an independent university by Decree 27/1951 (I.28.), became a member of the integrated University of Debrecen as of January 1, 2000. Based on the former medical university's foundation, the Medical and Health Science Centre was created, incorporating the Faculty of Medicine, the Institute of Dentistry, the Institute of Pharmacy, the School of Public Health, and the Faculty of Health Sciences in Nyíregyháza.
Within the Centre, medical care was provided with 1,690 clinical beds, ensuring progressive healthcare for the population of the Tiszántúl region and Northeastern Hungary. Thanks to its nationally and internationally recognised services, the Centre attracted a large number of patients from other regions as well. Led by seventy world-renowned professors, ninety internationally known associate professors, and 140 senior lecturers, nearly 1,000 doctors and 2,000 healthcare professionals contributed to the treatment of about 150,000 patients annually.
A milestone in organisational transformation occurred on January 1, 2014, when the centres were dissolved, and the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen was established alongside the University’s 14 faculties.
The next stage of institutional development—marking a new era for healthcare in Debrecen—was the organisational and professional integration realised on January 1, 2021. As a result, the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen became one of the largest healthcare providers in Hungary. A key sign of this transformation was the establishment of the Kenézy Gyula Campus and the Nagyerdei Campus within the new Clinical Centre.
The well-organised and dynamic integration led to the founding of new, independent clinics according to professional standards. Efforts were made to eliminate redundancies, simplify and clarify patient pathways, and improve patient information and communication. An important achievement was the elevation of organisational units operating on the Kenézy Gyula Campus to clinical status, creating a partially centralised, partially two-pole care system.
All these measures aimed to enhance patient satisfaction, improve the safety and quality of healthcare services, and ensure equal access to clinical care.
Special attention was given to infrastructural and structural development and modernisation, resulting in the construction of new clinical buildings and the modernisation of equipment.
A significant organisational change was the integration of the Count Tisza István Hospital in Berettyóújfalu, with a history spanning nearly a hundred years. From July 1, 2023, the hospital operates as a clinical campus of the Clinical Centre under the name Count Tisza István Campus.
As a result of these integration processes, the institution now operates nearly 3,500 beds with the contribution of more than 7,200 employees within a structure comprising three clinical campuses. It stands as one of Hungary's and Central Europe's most prominent healthcare institutions, treating over four million patients annually across approximately 25 clinics, 14 care departments, six care centres, and nine diagnostic units at the highest level of care.
Our fundamental goal and mission are to continue dynamic development, based on the respect for traditions, while providing efficient and devoted healthcare services across all medical fields at the highest contemporary standards. We also prioritize the advancement of the highest-level diagnostic and therapeutic activities, the creation of national and regional profiles, the implementation of interdisciplinary cooperation, and the establishment of international relations.
In addition to healthcare services, as part of the University of Debrecen, we emphasise the university's triple mission of education, research, and patient care at all clinical campuses. We aim to function as a health and training centre recognised both nationally and internationally, continuously expanding our knowledge in new scientific fields to open new possibilities for disease prevention and treatment.
References:
Nándor Kapusz – Alica Petrovics – Ferencné Vásárhelyi: Ninety Years of Medical Education in Debrecen. University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, 2008