Blanchard Valley Health System

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Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has acquired a TrueBeam linear accelerator system from Varian Medical Systems, improving treatment options for patients undergoing radiation therapy at The Armes Family Cancer Care Center (AFCCC), a division of the health system.

Radiation therapy treatments are designed to damage cancer cells to prevent them from dividing, without damaging other tissue. The team providing this treatment includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, nurses, dosimetrists, and physicists.

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Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has announced that Bihu Sandhir, MD, will become the organization’s Chief Medical Officer in October, after a national search led by an interview panel of BVHS physicians and advanced practice providers.

Dr. Sandhir has spent nearly 25 years in Ohio, spanning Medical Director roles with Kettering Physician Network in Dayton and with Premier Health. 

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Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has a new obstetric hospitalist program in which one of four physicians is now present at Blanchard Valley Hospital 24 hours a day, seven days per week to care for women delivering babies.

Dr. Brittany Berens, Dr. Dawn Hochstettler, Dr. Kim Perkins, and Dr. Kate Sanford are experienced physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, focusing solely on labor and delivery at Blanchard Valley Hospital.

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Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has a new educational partnership with Purdue Global, providing BVHS associates and their families tuition discounts on a variety of programs.

The Purdue Global School of Nursing offers an associate degree program, an RN-BSN program, eight master’s degree programs in nursing specialties, and a doctorate program for nursing. Additional Purdue Global offerings include programs for business, criminal justice, human services, and psychology, among others. The Purdue Global Law School and aviation programs are not included in this partnership.

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

The April meeting of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce featured a program by Renee Matthews, BSW RN, the administrator of Bluffton Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System.

For many, Matthews is a familiar face, and for nearly all, Bluffton Hospital is a familiar institution. The program was an opportunity to catch up on the most recent developments for Matthews and the hospital. Also providing updates was Albert Loayza, RNFA, operating room (OR) manager at Bluffton Hospital.

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By William H. Kose, MD, JD
Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System

On Monday, April 8, Northwest Ohio will get a front-row seat to a total solar eclipse. The moon will gradually begin to block the sun in the early afternoon, and the eclipse will reach totality (meaning the moon will entirely block the sun) at approximately 3:10 p.m.

Only a small region of the United States will experience the total solar eclipse, so Northwest Ohio anticipates visitors from outside the area for this once-in-a-lifetime event. At Blanchard Valley Health System, we encourage our community to plan ahead with health and safety in mind.

Eye safety is vital. Looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent damage to your vision, even if there does not appear to be much light.

Only look at the eclipse using eclipse glasses that indicate that they comply with ISO 12312-2 requirements. Regular sunglasses do not offer adequate protection. Eclipse glasses are designed for viewing the eclipse without a telescope, camera, or binoculars and should not be used with any of these devices.

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