Neurology Department
Overview
Neurological diseases are disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves throughout the body. In medicine, the nervous system is the system that controls most bodily functions. Therefore, structural, biochemical, or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord, or nerves can lead to a range of symptoms. The Neurology Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital is one of the most comprehensive neurology departments in the country. When you consult and treat neurological conditions in this department, you will experience the “3 SPECIALIZED” approach – deep expertise, dedicated care, professional service.
- Deep expertise: Doctors and nurses are trained intensively and are proficient in specialized techniques for diagnosing and treating neurological problems. The department has dedicated teams for each field within neurology, including epilepsy, movement disorders and Parkinson’s disease, memory and cognitive decline, epilepsy, neuromuscular diseases, neuroimmunological diseases, clinical psychology...
- Dedicated care: Every staff member in the Neurology Department is devoted, always aiming for the health of patients, ensuring the optimal use of all resources to help patients recover as best as possible and return to life with the highest quality, providing comfort and satisfaction to patients.
- Professionalism: The department has complete inpatient and outpatient treatment areas and rooms for electromyography, electroencephalography, neurovascular ultrasound, and transcranial magnetic stimulation equipped with modern, internationally standard equipment. All department staff are trained to provide the most professional patient service. Additionally, the Neurology Department closely collaborates with other departments, units, and facilities in all disease treatment activities, and has comprehensive procedures for care and multidisciplinary cooperation to achieve the highest treatment effectiveness. For these reasons, the Neurology Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital is considered one of the most trusted national centers for neurological examination and treatment.
Unit
Primary Memory and Cognitive Decline Form
Primary Clinical Psychology Form
Primary Motor Disorder Form
Primary Acute
Strength
With a foundation of high‑quality staff, the Neurology Department of University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City proudly stands as a leading center in neurology with many specialized units for each field within neurology:
Stroke Unit and Neuro‑interventional Unit: Capable of performing all emergency techniques and stroke treatments, awarded the World Stroke Organization Diamond Award for quality of stroke care and treatment. The most notable achievement is a door‑to‑needle time (from patient arrival to administration of thrombolytic drug) averaging 30 minutes, far surpassing the international standard (requirement ≤60 minutes).
Movement Disorder Unit: The largest center in the country performing Botulinum Neurotoxin treatment for tone‑related disorders (hemifacial spasm, eyelid spasm, cervical dystonia, etc.), muscle rigidity, and refractory chronic pain. It is also one of the first two centers in the nation to perform electrode implantation surgery for Parkinson’s disease, and currently the only center offering an intensive training program in this field for hospitals nationwide.
Memory and Dementia Unit: Strongly develops assessment and treatment activities for memory impairment and dementia, including maximized supportive therapy for patients.
Clinical Psychology Unit: Provides counseling and therapy for psychological issues. The Neurology Department also closely collaborates with the Pathology Department, forming the first center in Vietnam to perform standard muscle biopsies with support from international experts.
In addition to its independent activities, the Neurology Department closely collaborates with the Pathology Department, forming the first center in Vietnam to perform standard muscle biopsies with international expert support. Moreover, with deep expertise and extensive experience, the department has physicians who are specialists in neuromuscular, epilepsy, neuroimmunology, headache, and dizziness, capable of comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of these conditions and able to manage complex cases referred from elsewhere.
Training & Research
The Neurology Department – University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City consistently emphasizes parallel development of training, scientific research, and international cooperation, viewing this as an essential foundation to improve diagnostic quality and serve patients.
Not only does it focus on training doctors and nurses belonging to the unit, the Neurology Department of University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City also organizes training courses to enhance knowledge and skills for doctors, nurses working in hospitals nationwide, as well as students and postgraduate trainees.
Offer advanced training classes on stroke and movement disorders for physicians.
Continuous medical education programs covering specialized neurology fields such as stroke, movement disorders, memory, epilepsy, neuromuscular, etc., for doctors and nurses.
Provide theoretical and practical training for fifth‑year medical students, nursing trainees, medical secretaries, and psychologists.
Train postgraduate learners including doctoral candidates, master's students, Level 1 and Level 2 specialist physicians, and residents.
In addition, the Neurology Department of University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City has international cooperation programs. Notably, it sends personnel to train in Japan and receives professional support to become the first center in Vietnam to perform standard muscle biopsies.
Collaboration and academic exchange programs with major hospitals and universities in South Korea (Yonsei, Asan), Taiwan (TMU, Taichung Veterans Hospital), Thailand (Chulalongkorn), and France (French Neurology Society) are also being promoted.
The doctors of the Department of Neurology, University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City also participate in multi-center international clinical studies such as Enchanted, Thales, Affinity, Dragon, Empower,… At the same time, they lead and conduct on-site scientific research, aiming to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment as well as disease prevention.
Equipments
The outpatient facilities of the Neurology Department are clearly divided into zones. Each room is fully equipped with modern technology and advanced devices to support diagnosis and treatment. The acute stroke intensive care unit provides comprehensive care for stroke patients with full monitoring and treatment equipment.
The treatment area includes a severe disease treatment room equipped with modern devices and a nurse call system. The procedure room, especially the botulinum toxin treatment suite, is specially equipped accordingly.
The video EEG room, equipped with the latest generation video EEG machine for 24–72 hour monitoring, assists in diagnosing complex and drug‑resistant epilepsy and supports epilepsy surgery programs. Intracranial stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) is also a high‑tech tool used for challenging cases in evaluating surgical indications for epilepsy.
In addition, the department has one standard EEG machine in the outpatient area and two portable video EEG bedside units to diagnose and treat epilepsy and status epilepticus in various wards, especially severe cases requiring intensive care.
A new‑generation electromyography (EMG) system, consisting of one unit in the outpatient area and another in the inpatient department, performs standard EMG, single‑fiber EMG, evoked potentials, EMG in movement disorders, and assesses autonomic nervous system function.
Transcranial Doppler and carotid artery ultrasound devices located in the department enable rapid, timely diagnosis of vascular status in stroke patients and assessment of vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The latest generation transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device assists in diagnosing and especially treating neurological conditions ranging from memory impairment and dementia, post‑stroke rehabilitation, neuropathic pain, to depression and other disorders.
Staff
The staff of the Neurology Department of University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City clearly demonstrates a professional spirit. Almost all doctors have graduated from the neurology residency program, many doctors have pursued further studies, completing advanced training programs both domestically and abroad such as PhD, Master's, and Level 2 specialist physicians. Each staff member always emphasizes enhancing knowledge and honing work experience over the years.
Furthermore, many doctors of the department are leading experts in neurology as well as leading specialists in subfields such as stroke, movement disorders, memory and dementia, epilepsy, neuromuscular, clinical psychology, including experts holding key positions in professional societies, such as Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Stroke Society, President and Secretary‑General of the Vietnam Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Society, President and Secretary‑General of the Vietnam Memory and Dementia Society.
Moreover, the nursing team of the Neurology Department of University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City is also highly regarded. Most are nursing graduates, some have attained a Master's degree. Each staff member has excellent expertise and understanding of the neurology field, always dedicated in caring for patients.
