Dr Alvin Tan Chin Kwong

CV Highlights

• HMDP Fellowship at Asklepios Orthopädische Klinik Lindenlohe, Germany
• Founding Chairperson of Total Knee Replacement Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Workgroup in KTPH
• Country Representative, ASEAN Arthroplasty Association
• Singapore Orthopaedic Association Annual Scientific Meeting Committee 2015, 2023
• Past Chairman, Alumni Association of the King Edward VII School of Medicine and The Universities of Singapore and Malaya (Southern Branch)

Introduction

Dr. Tan Chin Kwong, Alvin is a fellowship-trained and accredited Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with an interest in partial, total, revision, and robotic hip and knee replacements. He obtained his MBBS from the National University of Singapore in 2005 and went on to pursue his specialist training, earning his Fellowship in the College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2015. Dr. Tan then continued his specialist career in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), where he served as Deputy Head of Department and holds the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS.

Dr. Alvin Tan is a strong advocate for evidence-based, value-driven care. At KTPH, he has introduced several initiatives to enhance the experience of patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. He developed the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Program, which includes an effective multimodal pain management regime, same-day rehabilitation, and early ambulation, resulting in expedited hospital discharges. Together with his team, he developed a novel screening tool to identify patients who require post hospitalisation care and posters detailing this tool have been accepted at local and international conferences.

In his pursuit of improving patient outcomes and recovery after total hip replacement, Dr. Tan has adopted minimally invasive anterior hip approaches such as the Direct Anterior Approach (DAA) and Anterolateral Supine Approach (ALS). He has received training from renowned experts in the field including Dr Joel Matta (Colorado, USA), Dr Heiko Gaichen (Munich, Germany), Dr Hiroyoshi Iwaki (Osaka, Japan) and Dr Phonthakorn Panichkul (Bangkok, Thailand). And in turn, he has conducted courses to teach these techniques to other surgeons in the ASEAN region.

Dr. Tan has also led the implementation of minimally invasive computer navigation and robotic knee replacement at KTPH, further advancing surgical precision and patient outcomes. He actively contributed to the development of hospital policies on Value-Driven Care, Venous Thromboembolism, and Hip Fracture Surgery to ensure the highest standards of patient care.

Dr. Alvin has been invited as a speaker to various international and regional meetings, including those in China, Thailand, and Malaysia. He represents Singapore in the ASEAN Arthroplasty Association. In addition, he served as the education lead for medical students from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at KTPH, overseeing their learning plans. He has received teaching awards as a core faculty member of the National Healthcare Group Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program. He was previously an instructor at AO Trauma courses and an Advanced Trauma Life Support Instructor.

Outside of his professional life, Dr. Alvin is a budding triathlete and is actively training for his first Olympic distance triathlon at the age of 42.

Dr Alvin Tan’s Bibliography

Current and Past Appointments

• Deputy Head and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, KTPH
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, YLLSOM, NUS
• Clinical Teacher, Lee Kong Chien School of Medicine, NTU
• Chair, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Workgroup (TKR)
• Chairman, QAC Review Committee
• Panel Member, Asia-Pacific Venous Thromboembolism Consensus in Knee and Hip Arthroplasty and Hip Fracture Surgery
• Member, Hip Fracture Service Workgroup
• Member, ICU Committee
• Member, Tissue Audit Workgroup
• Member, Anticoagulation Work Group
• Core Faculty, NHG Residency Programme
• Past Chairman, Alumni Association of the King Edward VII School of Medicine and The Universities of Singapore and Malaya (Southern Branch)

Professional Affiliations

• Member, Singapore Orthopaedic Association
• Country Representative, ASEAN Arthroplasty Association

Professional Awards

• MOH Health Manpower Development Program Award 2020
• Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• Master of Medicine (Orthopaedics), National University of Singapore
• Member, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland

Educational Activities (Selected)

• Invited Speaker for international and regional meetings in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
• Moderator, SOA/AOA Arthroplasty Symposium, 2022
• Invited faculty, South East Asia Cadaveric Knee Workshop, 2022
• Invited faculty, South East Asia Direct Anterior Approach Workshop, 2022
• Chair, Residency Hip and Knee Cadaveric Workshop 2021
• Chair, Effective Management of Complex and Revision Knee Webinar, 2020
• Invited faculty, 2^nd Shanghai Ren Ji Joint Replacement Meeting, 2018
• MBBS Examiner YLLSOM, NUS
• Core Faculty, NHG Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programme
• Peer Reviewer, Singapore Medical Journal