Med School prof Hanson dies suddenly

Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs Mark Kelley fondly recalled Associate Clinical Professor Clarence Hanson, the director of the Health Evaluation Center at HUP, as one of the last doctors who still made house calls. On Saturday, Hanson passed away suddenly at his home in Haverford. The 62-year-old Hanson had been on the faculty of the University since 1955 and also maintained a private practice in internal medicine. Hanson was also still active in emergency health care -- having worked at the HUP Emergency Room as recently as Thursday. Kelley spoke glowingly of Hanson, his former teacher, calling him "a very caring guy, a master physician and an excellent role model." "You almost never saw his patients in the hospital," said Kelley. "He used common sense rather than having to rely on massive diagnostic treatment." Kelley said that Hanson also had "an important bedside teaching role," as med students would follow Hanson on his consulting rounds in infectious diseases. John Eisenberg, Medicine Department chairperson, described Hanson as "a very humane, gentle, giving person." "His interest in individual patient care is what made him special," Eisenberg said. He emphasized Hanson's "major leadership roles," ranging from chief resident to director of the Health Evaluation Center. Hanson served as a director of emergency services at HUP and was one of the main developers of the toxicology program at the Emergency Center. Eisenberg also spoke highly of Hanson's private practice, saying that it was "seen as one of the top practices in the Delaware Valley." Physics Professor Michael Cohen was one of several professors who used Hanson as a personal physician. "He was the house doctor for the Physics Department," Cohen said. He added that generally professors and doctors seem to have trouble relating to each other, but that was not the case with Hanson. "I would say, seriously, that to retain the confidence of a bunch of physics professors, he had to be a very special doctor. He was a brilliant man who conveyed the impression of tremendous competence," Cohen said. Physics Department Chairperson Gino Segre said that Hanson served as his personal physician since Segre came to the University in 1967. "He was really an excellent doctor who cared a great deal for his patients," he said. Segre recalled Hanson's dedication in an incident that occurred 20 years ago when he was informed that a colleague of his had suffered a heart attack. "Bill Hanson said, 'Stay right there,' and rushed right out of the hospital," Segre said. Hanson was a member of several medical organizations including the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the American Medical Association, the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Philadelphia Emergency Physicians Society. He also was on the board of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Liability Insurance Co. and served on the technical advisory committee of the Philadelphia Poison Center. Hanson liked to play squash and was an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Hanson was a member of the Sons of the Copper Beeches, a national organization of Sherlock Holmes fans which meets to discuss the detective's famous cases. Hanson's son, William Hanson, is also a faculty member at the University, a lecturer in anesthesiology in the Medical School. A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the chapel of Episcopal Academy in Lower Merion.

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