Frye Regional Medical Center has announced the addition of two lung specialists, Dr. Niranjana Chellappa and Dr. Chhabindra Nepal, to its FryeCare Lung Center team. Both physicians bring expertise in pulmonary and critical care medicine to the Hickory area.
Dr. Chellappa is board-certified in pulmonary and internal medicine, with board-eligibility in critical care medicine. She provides care for adults and seniors, treating conditions such as COPD, asthma, and interstitial lung diseases. Her skills include diagnosing lung cancer using advanced bronchoscopic procedures like navigational bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, and transbronchial cryobiopsy. She also manages patients with shock, respiratory failure, and post-cardiac arrest recovery. Dr. Chellappa speaks English, Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu and offers both in-person and telehealth visits.
“Patients and their families are at the center of everything I do,” said Dr. Chellappa. “I strive to empower them with the best medical advice so we can make decisions together for stronger, healthier outcomes.”
Dr. Chellappa completed her medical education at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai, India. She did her internal medicine residency at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital in Michigan where she was chief resident before completing a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital in Pennsylvania.
Her professional recognition includes a best intern award during residency as well as acknowledgment for her leadership as chief resident. She is a member of organizations such as the American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, and American Thoracic Society.
Dr. Nepal is board-certified in pulmonary medicine, internal medicine, and critical care medicine. He focuses on treating pulmonary diseases including asthma, sleep apnea, emphysema, chronic bronchitis/COPD, lung tumors, lung cancer as well as pulmonary vascular conditions and obstructive lung disease.
His achievements include several academic honors such as resident of the month during his training years. Fluent in English, Nepali, and Hindi he emphasizes serving a diverse patient community with a practice philosophy that encourages patient involvement in decision-making.
“I believe in empowering patients to take an active role in their health care decisions,” says Dr. Nepal. “My goal is to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care that meets the unique needs of each patient.”
Dr. Nepal earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Tribhuvan University’s Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal before moving to the United States for further training at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in Brooklyn where he was also chief resident; he then completed his fellowship at the University of Kentucky.
Both doctors are accepting new patients at FryeCare Lung Center located at 415 N. Center St., Suite 102 in Hickory; same-week appointments are available by calling 828.322.2005 or visiting FryeMedCtr.com/find-a-doctor.
