Outpatient Clinics
The IOSI has outpatient clinics in the 4 main hospitals of Canton Ticino.
Our basic philosophy is to centralise only what is necessary (see inpatient ward), while we want to ensure that the majority of patients can be cared for as close to home as possible.
Each outpatient department is led by a medical and a nursing manager. The different teams meet regularly to offer the same standards in all locations.
- Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, sede Italiano
6962 Viganello
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 79 00
- Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli, Bellinzona
6500 Bellinzona
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 91 47
- Ospedale Regionale di Mendrisio
6850 Mendrisio
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 33 96
- Ospedale Regionale di Locarno - La Carità
6600 Locarno
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 45 76
Radiotherapy
- Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli, San GIovanni
6500 Bellinzona
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 86 75
- Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, sede Italiano
6962 Viganello
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 76 02
Inpatient Ward
The main IOSI inpatient ward is located at the Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli in Bellinzona and includes 31 beds. The ward is divided into three medical and nursing teams with specific competencies: radio-oncology and nuclear medicine, palliative and supportive care and haemato-oncology. From May 2021, the IOSI also includes a palliative and supportive care inpatient unit at the Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, located at the Ospedale Italiano, with 10 beds.
Although most oncological treatments are now carried out on an outpatient basis, in some situations hospitalization is necessary. Some examples of reasons for inpatient treatment are: some chemotherapies to be administered simultaneously with radiotherapy, patients who for medical or social reasons are not in a position to receive treatment on an outpatient basis, therapies that require an isolation regimen (e.g. leukaemia or stem cell transplants), and people who require intensive treatment for symptoms that are difficult to control at home.
Primary medical care is provided by the medical oncology service: first line by assistant doctors, one per team, supervised by a full-time head of unit. Secondly, by primary doctors at regular intervals. Cases and problems are discussed daily with the responsible medical supervisor. The heads of the IOSI services carry out regular consultancies for the patients on the wards under their responsibility.
Each care team has a team of nurses organised in three daily shifts. The personnel of the individual teams are specifically trained or educated for the area of specialisation.
The rooms have one or two beds, all equipped with their own bathroom and shower.
There is a lounge for patients and visitors equipped with a library and refreshments.
Oncological Institute of Southern Switzerland
Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli
6500 Bellinzona
Tel: +41 (0)91 811 86 12
Fax: +41 (0)91 811 91 85