Frye Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce that Niranjana Chellappa, MD, and Chhabindra Nepal, MD, have joined the FryeCare Lung Center team. Both physicians specialize in pulmonary and critical care medicine, bringing extensive experience, academic achievement and a patient-centered approach to the greater Hickory community.

Dr. Chellappa joins Frye Regional’s growing team

Board-certified in pulmonary medicine and internal medicine and board-eligible in critical care medicine, Dr. Chellappa provides comprehensive care for adults and seniors. She treats a wide range of pulmonary diseases, including COPD, asthma and interstitial lung diseases. Dr. Chellappa is skilled in diagnosing lung cancer using advanced bronchoscopic procedures such as navigational bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound and transbronchial cryobiopsy. She also manages critical care cases, including shock, respiratory failure and post-cardiac arrest recovery. Fluent in English, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, Dr. Chellappa 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 earned her medical degree from Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai, India. She completed her internal medicine residency at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where she also served as chief resident. She then pursued fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Her professional honors include the best intern award during residency and recognition for leadership as chief resident. She is a member of the American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians and American Thoracic Society.

Dr. Nepal expands access to pulmonary care

Board-certified in pulmonary medicine, internal medicine and critical care medicine, Dr. Nepal specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary diseases, including asthma, sleep apnea, emphysema, chronic bronchitis/COPD, lung tumors and lung cancer. He also has extensive experience in pulmonary vascular conditions and obstructive lung disease.

His career includes numerous honors, including resident of the month and multiple academic distinctions during his medical training. Fluent in English, Nepali and Hindi, he is committed to serving a diverse patient population. His practice philosophy centers on involving patients in care decisions and striving for the highest standard of medical excellence.

“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, Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal, followed by a year-long rotatory internship. He continued his medical training in the United States, completing his residency in internal medicine at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center, in Brooklyn, New York, where he later served as chief resident. He then completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Same-week appointments available

Dr. Chellappa and Dr Nepal are now accepting new patients at FryeCare Lung Center, located at 415 N. Center St., Suite 102 in Hickory. Convenient, timely appointments are available. To schedule, call 828.322.2005 or visit FryeMedCtr.com/find-a-doctor.

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