What We Do

Hospice and Palliative Medicine (H/PM)

This specialty is a relatively new field of study in Vietnam. In 2010, the first in a series of annual lectures about palliative care were presented at Can Tho University (CTUMP), under the leadership of Dr. Cyrus Appell,MD a Hospice Director at Group Health Cooperative. The interest in this emerging specialty grew over the following years and the depth and breadth of the lecture series expanded as:

Extensive information about palliative medicine was translated into Vietnamese and published as a 200+ page handbook that was distributed to the faculty and students.

A 10 bed palliative care unit was created at the Can Tho Oncology Hospital.

The Can Tho faculty has asked the MEET team to assist them in the planning and implementation of a program that would integrate palliative care services into the health care system of the regional area that encompassed the entire Mekong Delta.

Amongst the challenges we face are:

  • Effectively expanding the teaching of Palliative Medicine into the medical and nursing curricula;
  • Strengthening the role of nursing, social work and behavioral medicine which are key elements of the foundation of palliative care;
  • Gaining greater acceptance and availability of opiates and other palliative medications in the pharmaceutical formularies;
  • Enlarging the personnel and financial support of our project.
  • We look ahead to the steady advancement of the role of palliative care in Can Tho and beyond. MEET hopes our collaboration with CTUMP will help provide comfort for the terminally ill and those suffering from chronic disease in the Mekong Delta.
Nursing, social work and behavioral medicine lecturers joined the team and participated in the lecture series and in health care facility rounding. Psychosocial Care in Oncology and Palliative Care" at the Oncology Hospital in CanTho, Vietnam.

Dr. Cyrus Appell, MD has led the Palliative Care Team (PCT) for the past several years and is committed to the growth of quality end of life services in the Can Tho region. Some of MEET’s additional PCT physicians have included Dr. Eric Feldman, MD, Oncologist and Dr. Raleigh Bowden, Hospice and Palliative Care specialist. Mental Health and Social Work practitioners have included Helen Sikov, MSW, LNHA, Dr. Richard Veith, MD, Psychiatry, Dr. Bronna Romanoff, PhD, Psychology and Trung Hoang, MSW.

Representing Nursing PC has been Tery Marthaus, ARNP, Ann Heath, RN, Karen Ssebanakitta, RN and most recently Marsha Smith.

Additionally, MEET is grateful for the efforts of Annette Fitzpatrick, ND UW Family Medicine for her efforts to obtain grant funding that will move Palliative Care forward in community settings in the rural communities. Dr. Pham Thi Tam, Vice Rector, CTUMP has been exceptionally supportive of bringing PC education for both faculty and student learning. Our partners at the Oncology Hospital are always welcoming, led by Dr. Vu Thanh Le, Vice Head, Department of Oncology and Dr. Trung Cao Quac, MD.

The last two tours in Palliative Care has focused on the role of Nursing and SW, and been conducted at the Oncology Hospital under the leadership of Dr. Trung Cao Quac, MD. Dr. Trung has demonstrated respect for the Multi-disciplinary team model, and values the contribution of each profession. In April MEET signed an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Oncology Hospital. In addition to Palliative Care, Radiology, Oncology, Anesthesiology, Cardiology, and ENT will have a role in the coming years.

The MEET November tour with the Oncology Hospital was organized by Dr. Trung and Helen Sikov, MSW LNHA due to the emphasis on Social Work and Nursing, and the psychosocial needs of patients in Oncology and Palliative Care. Our team will be an Interdisciplinary one that will include physicians, nurse, psychologist, and MSW's, as well as a Domestic Violence Specialist. Our team includes Dr. Cyrus Appell, MD, Dr. Paul Beck, MS, Dr. Susan Ikai, MD, Marsha Smith, LN, Bronna Romanoff, Phd Psychologist, Trung Hoang, MSW, Ming Chang, DVS, and Helen Sikov, MSW, LNHA.

Dr. Appell, as Lead for the Palliative Care team will be additionally presenting subjects to medical students at CTUMP, and possibly CanTho Medical College, with several members of the above team.