Bellevue brings cancer care services closer to home

BELLEVUE — In collaboration with The Toledo Clinic, The Bellevue Hospital will soon bring cancer care services close to home for Bellevue residents and the surrounding areas. This service will be housed in the hospital and located on the first floor. "When someone receives a cancer diagnosis, it is important to be able to access physicians and services near home," said Timothy Buit, The Bellevue Hospital's president and chief executive officer. "That is why The Bellevue Hospital and The Toledo Clinic have decided to collaborate to provide the expertise needed to help our residents navigate through this challenging disease without traveling to a larger city for care," Buit said. Beginning April 11, The Bellevue Hospital will be offering a new physician-run hematology/oncology clinic led by The Toledo Clinic Cancer Center's Dr. Apoorva Chawla. In addition, The Bellevue Hospital's staff will provide services such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a treatment that uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer. 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. He has more than seven years of experience and graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor's degree in science degree with distinction and Indiana University School of Medicine with his doctorate of medicine degree. Chawla 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, the 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." Chawla is accepting new patients. A physician's order is required. In addition to Cancer Care Services, The Bellevue Hospital's Infusion Services are 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," according to a statement. The Bellevue Hospital's infusion services staff works with individuals and their primary care providers to support the patient's unique needs. Cancer care and infusion services are available Monday through Friday. Visit bellevuehospital.com for more information and a full list of services.