Lihong Wei, MD

Lihong Wei, MD, is board-certified in hematology, medical oncology and internal medicine and specializes in Hematology and Oncology at Northwell Health. She is an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. After attending Shandong Medical University in China, Dr. Wei came to the United States in the early 1990s as a researcher, studying why cancer develops in humans. The deeper she explored the topic, the more she learned about other aspects of oncology, including clinical experience. The fast pace of innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment led to an interest in medical oncology, so she did a residency at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn and a fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. As a result, she has dual training in China and the United States as well as in clinical research and the practice of medicine. Afterward, she joined Queens Medical Associates, which became part of Northwell in 2020. The practice provides culturally sensitive and cutting-edge care for the borough, and the connection with Northwell gives patients a community-focused practice with considerable resources, including access to clinical trials. Physicians and staff represent fluency in over 30 languages, an important part of making patients feel at ease. Dr. Wei says that her research background helps her better convey to her patients what's new in oncology. She also values being at a practice with many Chinese patients because she knows a language barrier can often lead to misdiagnosis due to poor communication, or significant delays in treatment since people may not know where to go or feel hesitant about trying to be understood. "I'm excited to be in a place where I can use my knowledge to help people, particularly those who may have been unable to get adequate care because of a language issue," she says. "We were already serving this part of the city very well, but with Northwell we have more resources for comprehensive care. Bringing all of this together truly is a golden opportunity for our physicians and patients." Patients can expect that Dr. Wei will care not just for their physical health, but also their emotional needs. She's focused on helping patients live their best and happiest lives, no matter what might be going on. "This can be a horrendous disease, but even in the midst of that, you can approach every day with an optimistic, uplifted mindset," she says. "That's what I try to do for my patients and their families."