TBH and The Toledo Clinic Bring Cancer Care, Close to Home

The Bellevue Hospital (TBH) hosted an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 16 to showcase its Cancer Care & Infusion Services department. The official ribbon cutting was presented by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County.

“Getting care close to home is especially important when someone receives a cancer diagnosis,” said Timothy Buit, TBH’s president and chief executive officer. “You want to be able to access physicians and services near home.  That is why The Bellevue Hospital and The Toledo Clinic are collaborating to provide the expertise needed to help our residents navigate through this challenging disease without traveling to a larger city for care.”

On Tuesday, April 11, TBH began offering a new physician-run hematology/oncology clinic led by The Toledo Clinic Cancer Center’s Apoorva Chawla, M.D. In addition, TBH’s skilled staff will provide services such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a treatment that uses a person’s own immune system to fight cancer. This service is housed in the hospital and conveniently located on the first floor.

“We have many opportunities for providing cancer treatment to Bellevue and its surrounding communities,” said Dr. Chawla, who is medical director of TBH’s Cancer Care Services. “We can now offer targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and focus on pathways that drive cancer. We can reduce delays in getting high quality care. Together, we can focus on prevention, early detection, therapeutics, support and rehabilitation, and palliative care / survivorship.”

Dr. Chawla is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology by the American Board of Medical Specialties.  He specializes in breast cancer, lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancers.  Dr. Chawla has more than seven years of experience and graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s of science degree with distinction and Indiana University School of Medicine with his doctor of medicine degree.  He completed an internal medicine residency at Harvard Medical School: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a clinical fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at The University of Chicago Medical Center.    

“The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers are dedicated to defining, delivering and coordinating standards for evidence-based, value-driven cancer care across Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan,” said Dr. Rex Mowat, Managing Partner of The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers.  “This commitment is evident in the constant partnerships, like our new collaboration with The Bellevue Hospital, and enhancements of services, programs, outreach and new initiatives.“

Dr. Chawla is accepting new patients. To make an appointment in Bellevue, call 419.484.5440.

In addition to Cancer Care Services, TBH’s Infusion Services is housed in this space and is staffed by skilled and compassionate registered nurses who are specially trained to administer IV medications and perform wound care. TBH’s infusion services staff works with individuals and their primary care provider to support the patient’s unique needs. The Bellevue Hospital’s Infusion Services opened in September of 2019. The medical director for Infusion Services is Dr. Nathan Samsa, board certified in pulmonary disease, internal medicine and critical care medicine.

Cancer Care and Infusion Services is available Monday through Friday. For more information and a full list of services, visit https://www.bellevuehospital.com/services/cancer-care-and-infusion-services.