Vinmec – Penn Cancer Center

Cancer is a burden for global healthcare. It afflicts badly the lives of millions of its victims and their family. Facing cancer, humanity has been working relentlessly to update new knowledge and new equipment at a rapid pace. Today, cancer no longer means a death sentence as a lot of cancers could be cured while some controlled by medication in the same way as for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

With our hope to create a better life for Vietnamese people, Vinmec is proud and honored to partner with University of Pennsylvania – the world’s top university in Oncology – Hematology and officially establish Vinmec – Penn Cancer Center. It operates in accordance with Center of Excellence (COE) model and is invested with equipment of international standard to ensure timely, efficient and comprehensive Screening – Diagnosis – Treatment – Prevention – Monitoring for patients with cancer or hematologic conditions. On top of that, the center’s operation adheres to JCI standards – the most rigorous standards on patient safety so as to achieve optimal care for patients’ satisfaction and security. Nevertheless, we believe that above all else, the human factor always plays the key role. Hence, it is our joy and pride to welcome to Vinmec – Penn Cancer Center experts from University of Pennsylvania (USA) who will join a team of experienced and passionate Vietnamese doctors in our fight against cancer. We would like to present:

Selina M. Luger, M.D., FRCPC, graduated from Harvard University in 1982 and was awarded a medical degree from McGill University in 1987. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh in 1990 and her fellowship in Hematology and Oncology in 1993 before joining the faculty where she is currently a Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Luger is an internationally renowned professor in Hematology-Oncology with a clinical practice and research interests which focus on hematologic malignancies. She has served as the director of the Leukemia Program at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center and is co-chair of the Leukemia Committee of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. She also led the Abramson Cancer Centers multidisciplinary research program for all of oncology for the national clinical trials network. She has won many awards for her accomplishments and is active in teaching and research with over 200 publications in top international medical journals.

Dr. Luger has been a member of the clinical leadership in the department of medicine as well as several medical provider working groups involved in development of new programs and transitions. She co-chaired the development of the hospital’s inpatient electronic chemotherapy ordering and chaired the chemotherapy taskforce. She was a member of the hospital’s multispecialty electronic medical record (EMR) oversight committee and chaired the committee that developed and implemented the outpatient EMR for oncology. She has been a member of the hospital’s medical board, pharmacy and therapeutics committee and executive committees. She has been Chair of the hospital’s committee on quality initiatives and recently completed a 2 year appointment as Chair of the hospital’s medical board. She is hoping to soon be able to come to Vietnam but for now is looking forward to working remotely with the team at Vinmec Times City Hospital.

Kelly M. Smith M.D., Asst. Prof. graduated from Stanford University in 1997 and was awarded a medical degree from University of California, San Francisco in 2004. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Washington in 2007 and her fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington in 2011. Dr. Kelly practiced in a busy community oncology practice for 8 years and has extensive experience treating solid tumors, hematologic malignancies and benign hematology. She has held many leadership roles and has had an active role in clinical research as well as medical training. Working at University of Pennsylvania starting in June 2020, Dr. Kelly is an important link in the Vinmec-Penn partnership and she plays a vital role in our journey of building an Oncology Center of Excellence at Vinmec Times City International Hospital.

Yi Hyeon Gyu, Assoc. Prof, M.D., Ph.D., graduated from Inha University College of Medicine in 1999 and completed his residency here in 2007. Successfully defending his PhD. thesis, he was appointed Medical Professor in Hematology and Oncology in 2008 and become lecturer in Hematology and Oncology at Inha University College of Medicine. He has founded and assumed key position in large organizations. Prof. Yi has more than 50 works published on international journals in the fields of Hematology, Oncology, cell therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplant and research on monocular genetics. Aside from his main job as a doctor at Vinmec Times City Hospital since 2017, Dr. Yi also participated in project of VinUni establishment.

Quach Thanh Dung, M.D., MSc, completed her postgraduate course on Oncology at Hanoi Medical University and received intensive training at Cho Ray Hospital, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Hai Phong Medical University. Thanks to her outstanding ability, since 2020, Dr. Dung has been assuming the role of Head of Oncology and Hematology Inpatient Ward.

Tran Ngoc Hai, M.D., MSc., finished his residency on Oncology at Hanoi Medical University in 2004 and then, went on to work there as a researcher. Dr. Hai had worked and led the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology at Bach Mai Hospital for many years. He then continued his medical training at National University Hospital of Malaysia (NUH Malaysia) and National University Hospital Singapore (NUH Singapore) before becoming a full-time doctor at Vinmec.

Specialist level I doctor Nguyen Thi Phi Yen has 20 years of experience in medical oncology, especially palliative care. She is a member of Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) and The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance. She was awarded certification in palliative care and pain management by MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA) and Singapore National Cancer Center. Before working at Vinmec, Dr. Yen was Deputy Head of Pain Management at K Hospital.

Alyssa A. Grissom, MSc., graduated Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Wright State University and then Master of Science in Nursing Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist with Oncology Specialty from Loyola University Chicago (Illinois). She has been awarded with advanced certificates in oncology patient care with highest American standards. She is now working at Vinmec as a representative from University of Pennsylvania to take charge of building nursing program for Oncology Center of Excellence and ensure optimal and quality care and treatment for Vinmec’s oncology patients.