South East Melbourne
Doctor News Autumn 2022
St John of God Berwick Hospital St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital St John of God Pinelodge Clinic St John of God Langmore Centre (opening mid 2022)
Welcome: Director of Medical Services
Welcome to our first Doctor Newsletter for 2022. I think we can all agree that this year has started off in a similar vein to the past couple — with changes coming at us in rapid fashion. Despite the chaos that continues to dominate world news, I am happy to acknowledge that we are starting to emerge from the tight restrictions that have impacted the medical community since the pandemic began. Around our hospitals, elective surgery has returned to 100 per cent, visitors have been welcomed back and QR requirements are no longer. The past two years have been challenging but St John of God South East Melbourne hospitals continued to adapt to recurring changes while still forging ahead with planning and establishing new services to meet growing demand. This month Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital launched its new palliative care service which addressed the severe lack of end-of-life care available in Melbourne’s south east and Mornington Peninsula region. Given SJGHC already provides inpatient palliative care at its Berwick campus, the idea to dedicate 10 of Frankston’s 60-bed rehabilitation facility seemed like an obvious choice when it came to meeting this fundamental community need. You can read more about this service on page six. In addition to expanding the palliative care services, our SEM hospitals are also focused on improving
the current cardiac care offerings. Set to open in coming months, Berwick Hospital is adding a cardiac investigation unit to its already established Cath Lab. It’s an exciting new service that will provide patients with a bulk billed diagnostic service closer to home. We look forward to bringing you more information soon and launching the new service in mid 2022. In other equally exciting news, the redevelopment of the former Berwick hospital location is forging ahead and is expected to open on time in August this year. A great deal of thought and attention to detail goes into the construction of a mental health facility and the Langmore Centre is no exception. From ensuring antiligature measures have been implemented across the entire hospital to asking caregivers to trial and provide feedback on seating options for comfort and style, safety and the needs of patients and those caring for them has remained at the forefront of design. We have a variety of programs and services that will be on offer, treating many types of mental health conditions. Turn to page 14 to get up-to-date on how the Langmore Centre aims to improve access to mental health services for people in our growing south east region. I look forward to bringing more news and information about our hospitals to you in our next edition. Until then, take care.
Dr John Monagle Director of Medical Services
Upgrades to hospital equipment
Berwick
Complex spinal surgery made possible through generous donation A generous community donation has made it possible for Berwick Hospital to invest approximately $1m in state-of-the-art technology that will enable surgeons to undertake complex spinal surgery.
• • • •
Dr David Oehme, neurosurgeon and spine surgeon at St John of God Berwick Hospital, was a huge advocate for the introduction of the Brainlab equipment which essentially allows spinal surgeons to navigate within the spine and very accurately place pedicle screws into spinal bones or vertebra. “Previously patients requiring complex instrumented spinal fusion surgery were transferred to other large metropolitan private hospitals to have their surgery,” explains David. “Now with the new equipment, these complex procedures can be performed locally.”
Brainlab Spine Navigation assists in the safe placement of implants, especially in anatomically critical areas. Real time visualisation of instruments leads to greater accuracy of implant placement while sparing X-Ray exposure to both patient and caregivers.
The Brainlab equipment also allows surgeons to check the position of the screws prior to waking the patient up by using CT quality 3-D scans. David also notes, “This technology allows for greater safety of instrumentation of the spine. Our first surgery was like a dream. The screws were flawless. The patient coped very well and overall the equipment worked perfectly.” The Brainlab machine will also be able to be used for cranial neurosurgery down the track as capabilities at St John of God Berwick Hospital are expanded.
placement of C1 - C2 screws complex deformity correction tumor surgery, and surgical planning
The combination of pre-planning and quick registration of adjacent levels allows for the support of complex procedures like deformity correction. The improved orientation of navigation and enhanced information from planning is especially valuable with deformed anatomy, resulting in less soft tissue trauma and greater efficiency. Faulty positioning of spine and pelvic instrumentation can lead to injury to neural structures, the chest and the abdominal region, and poses an increased risk of instability. It also can result in re-operation to reposition incorrectly placed implants. Accuracy in positioning the screws is therefore of the upmost importance and is drastically improved with the aid of intraoperative navigation.
More about Brainlab Brainlab Spine and Trauma Navigation combines stateof-the-art touch screen based image control with best-in-class registration methods for image guided surgery. As an open navigation platform, Brainlab Spine Navigation enables accurate pedicle and trauma screw placement as well as drastic reduction of X-Ray exposure to both the surgical team and the patient. Navigation of implants and instruments is possible in 2D images, 3D fluoroscopy scans, MR or CT datasets at all stages of surgery—from incision planning to implant placement.
Mr David Oehme Neurosurgeon
The indication range covers: • pedicle screw placement in any area of the spine • trauma surgery, such as sacroiliac - joint screws
Consults: P: W:
St John of God Berwick Hospital, Ground Floor Consulting Suites, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick 1800 367 746 wwww.doneurosurgery.com
WELCOME: New doctors Dr Mugdha Kulkarni Gynaecologist/ Urogynaecologist
Dr Barveen Aisha Abu Baker Cardiologist
Dr Mugdha Kulkarni specialises in gynaecology, urogynaecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery. She works alongside Dr Natharnia Young. at the Australian Pelvic Floor Institute. Referrals accepted for: -General gynaecology -Incontinence -Urodynamics -Urogynaecology Languages spoken: Hindi, Marathi
Dr Abu Baker specialises in atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular ectopics, ventricular tachycardia and devices troubleshooting. Referrals accepted for: -Arrhythmias -Implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices including pacemakers and defibrillators. Languages spoken: Malay, Tamil, Indonesian
Australian Pelvic Floor Institute, 62 Clyde Road, Berwick P: 7067 8217 F: 1300 273 411
GenesisCare Cardiology Unit 2/11 Gloucester Avenue, Berwick P: 9794 2200 F: 8794 2210
Dr Satish Ramkumar Cardiologist
Dr Saj Rathnayake Obstetrician/ Gynaecologist
Dr Ramkumar is passionate about improving cardiovascular health outcomes in the community. Referrals accepted for: - General cardiology - Coronary artery disease - Valvular heart disease - Heart failure and cardiomyopathies - Cardiovascular risk assessment - Cardio-oncology - Atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm conditions - Hypertension and lipid management
Dr Saj Rathnayake has established private practice in Berwick after relocating with his family for his children’s education, sadly leaving SJG Geelong after 8 years of busy and rewarding practice.. Referrals accepted for: -Obstetrics -Gynaecology -Robotic surgery Languages spoken: Sinhalese
St John of God Berwick Hospital Consulting Suites, Ground Floor, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick P: 9791 3911: F: 9791 4262
St John of God Specialist Centre, Suite 1, Level 1, 55 Kangan Drive, Berwick P: 8560 2227 F: 8560 2229
Dr Manuja Premaratne Cardiologist
Dr Haider Najjar Gynaecologist
Manuja is one of Australia’s most well trained and highly qualified noninterventional cardiologists,. Referrals accepted for: -Cardiac imaging -Echocardiography -Cardiac investigations -Chest pain in women and non-English speaking patients -Cardiac oncology -Inflammatory, autoimmune and infiltrative conditions of the heart
Bayside Cardiology Group Suite 13, Peninsula Private Hospital, Frankston P: 9789 2080 F: 9785 6355
Dr Najjar has worked in the Monash Health service for over 20 years and been a consultant for the last 13 years. Referrals accepted for: -Gynaecology -Laparascopic surgery -PCOS Languages spoken: German and Arabic
St John of God Berwick Hospital Consulting Suites, Ground Floor, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick P: 9887 7772 F: 9887 7773
St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals
Dr Sugandha Kumar Obstetrician/Gynaecologist
Welcome to Melbourne Palliative Doctors
Dr Sugandha Kumar is committed to providing comprehensive women’s health care in the south-eastern suburbs. Referrals accepted for: -Preconception health optimisation and counselling -Individualised pregnancy care including for high-risk pregnancies -Office gynaecology (colposcopy, IUD insertion) -Minimally invasive gynaecological surgery -Menstrual disorders, fibroids, ovarian cysts -Menopause and perimenopausal transition
Languages spoken: Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu
Dr Scott King Palliative Medicine Physician
St John of God Berwick Hospital Consulting Suites, Ground Floor, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick P: 9873 6767 F: 9923 6636
GP support and education
Dr Indra Jayasinghe Palliative & General Physician
Our dedicated GP Liaison Officer, Merran Mackie is available to offer a variety of support services and education to GPs.
Dr Andrew Ng Palliative Medicine Physician
Please contact Merran if you’d like to: - receive the doctor newsletter by email - receive upcoming GP education events by email - arrange a VMO visit to your practice
P: E:
0438 168 903 merran.mackie@sjog.org.au
Dr Umbreen Qazi Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr Scott Reeves Palliative Physician & Geriatrician
P: 1300 677 035 F: 9088 9439 Consulting: South Eastern Oncology, 313 Princess Hwy, Noble Park, Vic 3174
DOCTOR NEWSLETTER- AUTUMN 2022
5
Palliative Care launches at Frankston St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital has identified the need to establish a palliative care service to meet the community need for specialised end-of-life care. “Palliative care relates to the care we provide people in their final year of life. It is important that we work with the person to understand their choices and support them to a comfortable and peaceful end. As humans we all know that our time on this Earth is limited, and our role is to assist and guide people during this challenging period,” explains Lisa Norman, CEO for St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals. “We have worked with palliative care specialist doctors to develop a model of care and adapt our environment to ensure we can deliver best practice care for our patients and their loved ones.” Given that St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) already provides inpatient palliative care at its Berwick campus, the idea to dedicate 10 of Frankston’s 60-bed rehabilitation facility seemed like an obvious choice when it came to addressing a fundamental community need. “SJGHC has always maintained a holistic approach to health care and it prides itself on offering services for each stage of a patient’s life, from birth and beyond,” says Lisa. “This new service has been developed in conjunction with a team of highly respected and experienced palliative care physicians and palliative care community organisations with every effort made
to renovate and redecorate with the comfort of our patients and their families at the forefront of design.” Under the leadership of Acting Director of Clinical Services, Karen Ward, the new palliative care unit opened in March. The unit features a sensory garden and patient lounge, along with state of the art palliative care equipment and access to services such as pastoral care, art and music therapy as well as other unique care options. “Through generous donations we have also been able to secure a Cuddle Bed for our unit which enables family members to safely lie with their loved ones during their final moments of life,” explains Karen. SJGHC also provides an array of additional support services such as Delta Dogs which provide social, emotional and physiological benefits, VR goggles which aim to take patients on virtual journeys away from their hospital beds and the Dream A Little Dream program which provides patients the opportunity to have a wish granted. It’s another of SJGHC’s programs that is made possible through our community donating services or money that allow us to bring the dream to life.
Enquiries and referrals Complete referral form which can be found here: www.sjog.org.au/frankstonreferrals Phone: (03) 9788 3380 Fax: (03) 9788 3304 Email: FN-admissions@sjog.org.au
Our Palliative Care Doctors
Dr Indra Jayasinghe Palliative & General Physician
Dr Scott King Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr Andrew Ng Palliative Medicine Physician
St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals
Dr Umbreen Qazi Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr Scott Reeves Palliative Physician & Geriatrician
South East Melbourne Hospitals Your pull-out guide to specialists and important numbers Autumn 2022
St John of God Berwick Hospital 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick VIC 3806 To arrange admission under one of our consultants (cardiac, medical, orthopaedic, respiratory, urology and general surgical) call: Admissions Hotline:
Hospital Consulting Suites: Hospital Reception:
T: 8784 5085
T: 8784 5600
T: 8784 5000
St John of God Pinelodge Clinic 1480 Heatherton Road, Dandenong VIC 3175 Referrals for Inpatient Admissions:
T: 8793 9478 F: 8793 9335 E: triage.pinelodge@sjog.org.au
Referrals for Outpatient Appointments: T: 8793 9333 F: 8793 9330 E: referrals.pinelodge@sjog.org.au Hospital Reception:
T: 8793 9444
St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital 255-265 Cranbourne Road, Frankston VIC 3199 Inpatient Referrals and Enquiries:
T: 9788 3380 F: 9788 3304 E: FN-admissions@sjog.org.au
Outpatient Appointment Referrals:
T: 9788 3350 F: 9788 3280 E: fnmedicalreception@sjog.org.au
Hospital Reception:
T: 9788 3333
For GP visits, queries, GP education and assistance: Merran Mackie, GP Liaison Officer
T: 0438 168 903
E: merran.mackie@sjog.org.au
St John of God Berwick Hospital I Doctor Directory Surgeons Bariatric Surgery
Gynaecology- Oncology
Mr Paul Ah-Tye
9793 9043
Dr Sheryn Cheah (F)
9760 2777
Mr Zeev Duieb
8784 5600
Hepatobiliary
Mr Chris Hensman (robotic)
9760 2777
Mr Travis Ackermann
Mr Ray McHenry (robotic)
9760 2777
Mr Mithra Sritharan
Mr Ara Saravanamuttu (robotic)
9760 2777
Breast Clinic
9707 3664
Breast Surgery Mr Chilton Chong
9575 5100
Mr Justin James
9769 8206
Mr Jeremy Khoo
9793 9043
Mr Foong Loh
9707 3664
Miss Corinne Ooi
9575 5100
Miss Katrina Read
9340 5844
Mr Cyril Tsan
9793 9043
Cardiothoracic Surgery Mr Andrew Cochrane
8784 5600
Mr Sergei Mitnovetski
9515 0656
Colorectal Surgery
Dr Jane McNeilage (F)
9417 1331
Mr Jason Harvey (hand/wrist/elbow)
9038 5200
Mr Justin Hunt (spine/hip/knee/shoulder)
9421 6199
Mr Gayan Padmasekara (upper limb)
8849 9998
Mr Rohan Price (knee/shoulder)
9038 5200
9707 0685
Mr Rez Rahim (spine/hip/knee)
9796 2992
9707 3664
Mr Eden Raleigh (shoulder/knee)
9421 1900
Mr Robert Steele (hip/knee)
9038 5200
Mr Rabi Solaiman (hip/knee)
9803 8066
Neurosurgery Mr David Oehme
1800 367 746
Mr Andrew Tang (hip/knee)
9429 9944
Dr Caroline Tan (F)
9342 2446
Prof Ton Tran (M) (shoulder/hip/knee/foot)
9769 8523
Mr Craig Timms
9427 1104
Mr Otis Wang (foot/ankle)
9928 6969
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
Dr Poonam Arora (F)
9769 3223
Mr Charles Baillieu
9792 6655
Dr Kiran Atmuri (M)
9070 0966
Mr Tim Brown (cosmetic)
8768 5000
Dr Sasmira Bhatt (F)
9769 3223
Dr Yvonne Chow (F)
9792 6655
Dr Mei Cheah (F)
9796 1988
A/Prof Bruce Johnston (M)
9340 5858
Dr Dinesh Epitawela (M)
9886 7788
Mr Nelson Low
9792 6655
Dr Jodi Keane (F)
9887 9808
Mr Namal Munasinghe
8784 5600
Dr Jorg Kemper (M)
9796 2699
Mr Jeremy Richardson (cosmetic)
9486 6721
Dr Mugdha Kulkarni (F)
7067 8217
Dr Rebecca Wyten (F) (cosmetic)
8849 1400
Mr Hanu Chouhan (robotic)
9707 0685
(gynaecology & urogynaecology)
Mr Zeev Duieb
8784 5600
Dr Sugandha Kumar
9873 6767
Thoracics
Mr Eric Ee
9707 3664
Dr Jacques Lam (M)
9769 7611
Mr Cliff Choong
8784 5600
Mr Phillip Harris
9707 3664
Dr Haider Najjar (M) (gynaecology)
9873 6767
Mr Andrew Cochrane
8784 5600
Mr Brian Hodgkins
9707 0685
Dr Payam Nikpoor (M)
Mr Sergei Mitnovetski
9515 0656
Mr James Lim
9793 2687
(gynaecology & urogynaecology)
1300 510 130
Mr TC Nguyen (robotic)
9793 2687
Dr Saj Rathnayake (M)
8560 2227
Thyroid Surgery
Mr Kwang Tay
9793 2687
Dr Naz Syed-Noh (M)
1300 121 000
Mr Chilton Chong
9575 5100
Dr Mark Tarrant (M)
9796 1988
Mr Justin James
9769 8206
9700 1188
Dr Debby Utama (F)
9873 6767
Mr Suren Jayaweera
9707 3664
9769 3930
Dr Peter Yong (M)
9769 8745
Mr Jeremy Khoo
9793 9043
Mr Cyril Tsan
9793 9043
ENT Mr Guy Boag Mr Adnan Safdar
Dr Natharnia Young (F) General Surgery Mr Travis Ackermann Mr Paul Ah-Tye
(gynaecology & urogynaecology)
1300 273 400
Joy Maternity Clinic
8784 5300
Uro Gynaecology
9707 0685 9793 9043
Mr Hanu Chouhan (robotic)
9707 0685
Mr Zeev Duieb
8784 5600
Ophthalmology
Mr Eric Ee
9707 3664
Mr John Gioulekas
Mr Mikhail Fisher
9707 3664
Mr Philip Harris
9707 3664
Mr Chris Hensman (robotic)
9760 2777
Mr Warren Crossley
9707 0685
Dr Krati Garg (F)
Mr Neil Jayasuriya Mr Suren Jayaweera Mr Foong Loh Mr Ray McHenry
7067 8217
Dr Payam Nikpoor (M)
1300 510 130
Dr Natharnia Young (F)
1300 273 400
9768 9711 Urology
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Mr Brian Hodgkins
Dr Mugdha Kulkarni (F)
A/Prof Sree Appu (M) (robotic)
9563 7899
9088 2228
Dr Sarah Azer (F) (robotic)
9769 4805
9088 2228
Mr Tony de Sousa (robotic)
1300 702 811
9769 5824
Mr Joseph Gunn
9654 4400
Mr Scott Donnellan (robotic)
9769 4805
9707 3664
Mr Christopher Poon
9561 2811
Mr Dennis King (robotic)
9500 9577
9707 3664
Mr Michael Schenberg
9706 7990
Mr Paul Manohar
9769 4805
9760 2777
Mr Kevin Spencer
9347 3788
A/Prof Philip McCahy (M)
1300 307 876
Mr David Pan
9563 7899
Mr TC Nguyen (robotic)
9793 2687
Mr Niruben Rajasagaram
8548 0318
Orthopaedic Surgery
Mr Trung Pham
9792 6795
Miss Katrina Read
9340 5844
Mr Kosta Calligeros (hip/knee)
9789 7584
Mr Niero Rajarubendra (robotic)
9070 8890
Dr Sherry Salter (F)
9707 3664
Mr Harry Clitherow (upper limb)
9592 3388
Mr Shekib Shahbaz (robotic)
1300 702 811
Mr Ara Saravanamuttu (robotic)
9760 2777
Mr Vikram David (upper limb)
9769 8206
Mr Mithra Sritharan
9707 3664
Mr Andries de Villiers (hip/knee/shoulder)
5174 7299
Vascular Surgery
Mr PY Tan
9886 7788
Mr Will Edwards (foot/ankle)
9510 0100
Mr Yew-Ming Kuan (endovascular)
9793 3337
9793 2687
Mr Cam Fary (hip/knee) 8417 1023
Mr Lachlan Maddock
8060 4271
Mr Daniel Goldbloom (foot/ankle)
Mr Alan Saunder
9793 3337
Mr Ming Yii (endovascular)
8784 5600
Mr Kwang Tay Mr Cyril Tsan
9793 9043
9928 6188
Autumn 2022 Physicians Cardiology
Gastroenterology
Dr Barveen Aisha Abu Baker (F)
Dr Ashley Bloom (M)
9709 2777
Dr Alam Alamageer (M)
5970 5360
Dr Michael Braude (M)
9709 2777
Dr Mahesh Iddawela (M)
9548 5776
Dr Luke Crantock (M)
9709 2777
Dr Shaefat Jamil (M)
8784 5600
Dr Jacqui Dobson (F)
8791 8788
Dr Sem Liew (M)
8726 0628
9709 2777
Dr Esther Lin (F)
9575 5100
9709 2777
Dr Cam McLaren (M)
9707 3664
9791 8788
Dr Sanjeev Sewak (M)
9548 5776
Dr Andrew Strickland (M)
9548 5776
(electrophysiology)
8794 2200
Dr David Adam (M) (electrophysiology)
9592 2177
Dr Mohammad (Peyman) Alasti (M) (electrophysiology)
9789 6011
Dr Jeffrey Alison (M) (electrophysiology)
Dr Geetha Gopalsamy (F) Dr Darcy Holt (M) Dr Shara Ket (F)
9592 2177
Dr Joseph Amin (M)
Oncology
Dr Barry Lipschitz (M)(paediatric) 9576 2730 Dr Puneet Mahindra (M)
9709 2777
Dr Anton Rajadurai (M)
7023 0230
Paediatrics
Dr David Rubinstein (M)
9791 8788
Dr Lakshimi Etta (F)
8784 5600
Dr Ferry Rusli (M)
9709 2777
Dr Peter Forrest (M)
9791 1855
Dr Manjeet Sandhu (M)
9709 2777
Dr Datta Joshi (M)
9791 1855
Dr Catherine Sorell (F)
9709 2777
Dr Paul Machet (M)
9886 7788
Dr Adam Brown (M)
Dr Melanie Pillay (F)
8784 5600
(interventional)
9791 3811
General Physicians
Dr Antoine Pinto (M)
8572 1222
Dr John Counsell (M)
9791 3811
Dr Mohammed Al-Souffi (M)
8784 5600
Dr Khaing Wai (F)
5292 2299
Dr Mirza Baig (M)
8784 5600
Dr Minz Cheah (M)
9886 7788
Dr Eugene The (M)
8784 5600
(interventional)
Dr Deepu Balakrishnan (M) (interventional)
8794 2200 9789 6011
Dr Logan Bittinger (M) (electrophysiology)
1300 643 278
Dr Mark Freilich (M) (interventional)
9509 5009
A/Prof Robert Gooley (M) (interventional)
9791 3811
Dr Emily Kotschet (F) (electrophysiology)
9592 2177
Dr Michael Leung (M) (interventional)
9592 2177
Dr Colin Machado (M) (electrophysiology)
9791 3811
Dr Yuvi Malaipan (M) (interventional)
8784 5600
Dr Kiran Minnur (M) (interventional)
1800 302 111
Dr Nitesh Nerlekar (M) (electrophysiology)
9791 3811
Dr Manuja Premaratne (M) (interventional)
9789 2080
Dr Satish Ramkumar (M) (Cardiac Imaging Specialist)
9791 3811
Dr Ali Safaa (M) (interventional)
8794 2200
Dr James Sapontis (M) (interventional)
Dr Wai-ee Thai (F)
8784 5600
Dr Ramy Ghaly (M)
8784 5600
Dr Kim Tew (M)
8784 5600
Haematology Dr Pasquale Fedele (M)
9544 6448
Dr Gareth Gregory (M)
9544 6448
Dr Michael Low (M)
9544 6448
Dr Shreerang Sirdesai (M)
9793 9491
Dr Gaurav Srivastava (M)
0422 014 506
Dr Shahla Vilcassim (F)
9544 6448
8784 5617
Dr Gloria Seah (F)
9739 8353
Palliative Medicine Dr Indra Jayaasinghe (M)
1300 677 035
Dr Scott King (M)
1300 677 035
Dr Andrew Ng (M)
1300 677 035
Dr Umbreen Qazi (F)
1300 677 035
Dr Scott Reeves (M)
1300 677 035
Raphael Centre Perinatal Mental Health
1800 292 292
Rehabilitation Physicians
Infectious Disease Dr Babak Rad (M)
9739 8353
Dr John Monagle (M)
8784 5600
Interventional Radiology Dr Yen Chieng (M)
9709 6500
Joy Maternity Clinic
8784 5300
Dr Chris Baguley* (M)
8784 5468
Dr Nilu Rathnayake* (F)
8784 5468
Dr Bruce Shirazi* (M)
8784 5468
Dr Sook Fan Wong* (F)
8784 5468
* Berwick & Frankston
Respiratory Medicine
8794 2200
Dr Camelia Borta (F)
9769 8206
8794 2200
A/Prof Michael Farmer (M)
9791 3355
Dr Eric Kuo (M)
9791 3335
Dr Alex Voskobinik (electrophysiology)
9509 5009
Dr Bryan Wai
8794 2200
Dermatology Dr Rose Mak (F)
Dr Saad Ahmed (M)
Dr Sarah Donovan (F)
1300 227 341
Dr Matthew Swale (M) (electrophysiology)
Gerontology
Pain Management
MS Clinic Dr Deepa Rajandran (F)(neurologist)8784 5600
Sleep Medicine
Nephrology Dr Anuksha Gujadhur (F)
9773 2752
Dr Dan Seneviratne-Epa (M)
9707 3664
8535 4798 Neurology
Endocrinology
Dr Mahi Jasinarachchi (F) (EMG) 8784 5600
Dr Indra Jayasuriya (M)
9790 6000
Dr David Moses (M) (EMG)
8784 5600
Dr Chin Tan (M)
8393 1688
Dr Deepa Rajendran (F)
8784 5600
Dr Mor Aik Wee (M)
8393 1688
Dr Jayanthe Rupasinghe (M)
8784 5600
Epilepsy & Seizure Clinic A/Prof Udaya Seneviratne (M) 8784 5600
A/Prof Udaya Seneviratne (M) 8784 5600
Dr Camelia Borta (F)
9769 8206
Dr Chris Daley (M)
9591 0066
Dr Eric Kuo (M)
9791 3335
Dr Peter Solin (M)
9591 0066
Sleep studies enquiries
8784 5600
St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital Cardiac, multi trauma, neurological, orthopaedic and surgical, oncology, respiratory and complex rehabilitation, and chronic disease management
Rehabilitation Physicians
Psychologists and Neuropsychologists
Dr Bruce Shirazi* (M) Director of Medical Services
9788 3350
Chronic pain/orthopaedic Dr Christopher Baguley* (M) 9788 3350 Cardiac/oncology/orthopaedic Dr Mohit Dhir (M) 9788 3350
Dr David Tierney (M) Psychologist
9788 3367
Chronic pain/general psychology
Dr Heidi Newitt (F) Neuropsychologist
0491 601 139
General rehabilitation
Neuropsychological assessment/education and treatment following
Dr Su Yi Lee* (F) 9788 3350
neurological trauma/management of challenging behaviours/decision
General rehabilitation
making capacity evaluations
Dr Michelle Loh (F)
9788 3350
Chronic pain/general rehabilitation Dr Nilu Rathnayake* (F) 9788 3350
Palliative Medicine
Parkinson’s disease/movement disorders/neuro-rehabilitation/
Dr Indra Jayasinghe* (M)
Palliative Medicine
1300 677 035
orthopaedic
Dr Scott King* (M)
Palliative Medicine
1300 677 035
Dr Andrew Ng* (M)
Palliative Medicine
1300 677 035
Dr Umbreen Qazi* (F)
Palliative Medicine
1300 677 035
Dr Scott Reeves* (M)
Palliative Medicine
1300 677 035
Dr Sook Fan Wong* (F) 9788 3350 General rehabilitation * Frankston and Berwick
Geriatricians and Neurologists Dr Ganga Ganesvaran (M) Neurologist & Geriatrician
9788 3350
* Frankston and Berwick
Parkinson’s disease/movement disorders Dr Sie Wuong (Stephen) Loi (M) Geriatrician
9005 1246
Geriatric and memory assessment/falls and balance assessment/ polypharmacy management Dr Rajesh Singh (M) Geriatrician 9005 1246 Movement disorder/fall/pain/incontinence
St John of God Pinelodge Clinic
Dr Yogendra Agrawal (M) Dr Farazdak Al Wahab (M) Dr Neeraj Gupta (M) Dr Geoffrey Hogan (M) Dr Gurvinder Kalra (M) Dr Brij Kishore (M) Dr Vineet Kumar (M) Dr Kanishka Muruththettuwegama (M) Dr Melvin Pinto (M) Dr Sangeeta Raghav (F) Dr Muhammad Usman Riaz (M) Dr Kavitha Shankar (F) Dr Igor Shvetsov (M) Dr Ravi Talluri (M) Dr Mina Tolat (F) Dr Jayani Wickrematunga (F) Dr Sam Jasinarachchi (M) - Physician
Off-site Psychiatrists Dr Sadaf Khattak (F)
T: 9975 7447
Dr Colin McIver (M)
T: 8743 9910
Dr Jane Nguyen (F)
T: 9501 7240
Dr Rajiv Siotia (M)
T: 5947 7862
Complex medical care and chronic pain. Acute and perioperative medicine
Youth Psychiatry
WorkCover, TAC, DVA
Women’s Mental Health
Trauma/PTSD
TMS
Psychotic Disorders
Personality Disorders
Perinatal Mental Health
Pain Management
Old Age Psychiatry
OCD
Mood Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Adult ADHD
Outpatient Appointment Referrals: T: 8793 9333 F: 8793 9330 E: referrals.pinelodge@sjog.org.au
Addiction Medicine
Mental health and addictions
Berwick: Maternity update Welcome: new obstetricians Dr Saj Rathnayake
Dr Suganda Kumar
We are thrilled to welcome Dr Saj Rathnayake to St John of God Berwick Hospital. As a well-respected and established obstetrician and gynaecologist, Saj has relocated with his family to Melbourne and comes to us from St John of God Geelong, where he has practised since 2013. His warm and caring manner, professional integrity and open communication is appreciated by his Geelong patients and colleagues within the maternity team.
Dr Sugnadha Kumar is new to the St John of God Berwick Hospital team and we are so pleased to have her on board! She will be delivering babies and providing comprehensive gynaecological services and individualised pregnancy care including for high-risk pregnancies. Dr Kumar has a strong focus on improving outcomes for her patients by offering up-to-date and evidence-based treatment options.
Referrals P: F: E: W:
Referrals: P: E: W:
Obstetrician/gynaecologist
St John of God Specialist Centre, 55 Kangan Drive, Berwick 3806 03 8560 2227 03 8560 2229 reception@drsaj.com.au www.drsaj.com.au
Obstetrician/gynaecologist
St John of God Berwick Hospital Consulting Suites, Ground Floor, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick 3806 03 9873 6767 infokumar@create-health.com.au www.drskumar.com.au
Supporting our patients: new maternity app Your patients will now be further supported by a brand new app called Eve when you refer them to St John of God Berwick Hospital’s JOY program or one of our obstetricians for their maternity care. The Eve app will offer patients a suite of educational videos, blogs, countdowns, timers and tools, as well as a library of midwife-moderated forums where they can ask questions and have them answered by both a midwife and the maternity community. Eve will educate patients and give them a valuable tool at their fingertips to stay well, healthy and informed during their pregnancy.
Oh, JOY! Private maternity care for only $990* out of pocket.
*T&Cs apply. Please visit www.sjog.org.au/berwickmaternity to learn more
HOW YOU CAN FIND A SPECIALIST Did you know how easy it is to find a St John of God specialist? Not only do we include a pull-out guide in this newsletter with a complete list of our specialists across south east Melbourne, you can also direct your patients to our easy online search tool.
www.sjog.org.au/find-a-specialist
Search by SPECIALITY Search by SPECIALIST NAME Search by POSTCODE
Search by HOSPITAL
Contact details including address, phone, fax, email and map
Specialist bio Print profile
ONCOLOGY REHABILITATION Oncology Rehabilitation is a specialised form of rehabilitation which aims to improve the wellbeing of cancer patients. It can help patients to live their best quality of life, assisting them in feeling better, having more energy and maintaining their strength during cancer treatment. Our program incorporates exercise, education, tai chi/mindfulness and symptom support. The program is run by a multidisciplinary health team who are specially trained to assist your patients on their cancer journey.
BERWICK referrals
E: BW.OutpatientRehab@sjog.org.au
FRANKSTON referrals
E: Frankston.OutpatientsPlanning@sjog.org.au
St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals
P: (03) 9788 3351 P: (03) 9788 3304
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY: COVID-19 vaccination clinic St John of God Berwick Hospital has proudly partnered with Monash Health over the past twelve months with a joint mission to vaccinate both healthcare workers and the broader community against COVID-19. Here’s a snapshot of what our dedicated team achieved.
Clinic opened 9 March, 2021 and closed 26 March, 2022
A total of 47,668 vaccinations were administered
It offered amazing access for the community – with multiple adult vaccines, vaccinations for kids aged 5-11, out of hours access and more!
The clinic was run by a pool of 76 nurses - a mixture of Accredited Nurse Immunisers, RN vaccinators and EENs.
Busiest month: September 2021 with 10,717 vaccinations administered Busiest Day: Sunday 19/9 with 539 vaccinations administered
Twice weekly sessions over a 5-6 week program Private health insurance required or self-funded Available at Berwick and Frankston
DOCTOR NEWSLETTER - AUTUMN 2022
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Berwick news
Keeping up with the Kempers How many Kempers does it take to deliver a baby … or five of them in one morning? Two officially — but when the whole Kemper family is full of doctors you could probably rely on any one of them in a pinch. Meet Jörg, Irene, James and Jessica — they make up the Kemper family. The same family that has been gracing the halls of Berwick Hospital (although not always as doctors) since 1991. While these days you can witness the father and son team delivering babies together at St John of God Berwick Hospital (SJGBH), James jokes that both him and his sister Jessica’s careers at Berwick Hospital started long before they ever stepped foot inside med school. “I have been affiliated with SJGBH (or the prior Berwick Hospital) since I was a baby — Dad used to take Jess and me into work with him when he was called in,” notes James, who can fondly recall the midwives and theatre personnel spoiling them with juices and biscuits. Jörg, who is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist, always wanted to do be a doctor despite the fact that he came from a family of mostly miners. In contrast, Irene who is a consultant geriatrician (also attending to SJGBH patients and who goes by her maiden name of Wagner), grew up with a cardiologist father which meant medicine ultimately
coursed through her veins from an early age. For James, the path forward was also very clear, “I never had a Plan B,” admits James. “I knew I wanted to study undergraduate medicine at Monash University. I knew I wanted to intern at Monash Health. And I knew I wanted to pursue speciality training in obstetrics and gynaecology,” he states matter-of-factly. Since 2020, James has been surgically assisting his dad and more recently operating out of SJGBH as part of Monash Health’s shift of public patients to private hospitals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, James has completed more than 170 procedures at Berwick Hospital. Unlike James and her parents however, Jessica was not quite so confident that a career in human health care was for her. Instead she had a number of vocations she was considering pursuing — becoming a vet was one of them. Luckily for Jessica their family cat would (not so luckily) need the help of a veterinarian to treat recurring abscesses when Jessica was in Year 9. After visiting three different clinics and the subsequent sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes Jessica
St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals
would experience, indicated that she had a significant allergy to animals. Despite undergoing a desensitisation program, Jessica later learnt that most vets develop allergies as their careers progress, prompting Irene to suggest that following a career in medicine rather than vet science would likely be the more suitable option, adding that “patients of doctors tend to scratch and bite less than those of a vet!” Fast forward to 2022 and Jessica has indeed followed in her parents’ footsteps, most recently finishing her internship, and soon registering for surgical assisting — with her sights set on orthopaedics at the present time. It’s been 30 years since Jörg and Irene began their relationship with Berwick Hospital which would later come under the umbrella of St John of God Health Care. During that time the impressive duo have embedded themselves in the fabric of the local community with Jörg attending to the mums and bubs and Irene caring for their elderly loved ones. “All the family frequently come home with tales of meeting the women whose babies I have delivered or the babies themselves who have now grown into adults, along with the elderly folk who have been helped by Irene,” says Jörg. “Increasingly though, the flow is going in the other direction with various staff commenting to us about having worked with our children.” Fondly referred to as the ‘Hatch & Dispatch’ team, Jörg and Irene’s specialties meant routine family time was at the mercy of their conflicting rosters. “Throughout our married life, Jörg and I have always eaten breakfast together. At times this would be the only meal we may have together for several days, because of our conflicting on call rosters,” explains Irene. “When the children arrived they too always had breakfast with us, so that if either parent was late home for whatever reason, we still saw them each day.” Jörg’s commitment to his job and his patients meant that family time away had to be scheduled nine months in advance, with any kind of staycation completely out of the question. “Jörg felt unable to stay at home and not be on call during the holidays, which is why we always travelled,” shares Irene, who also notes that the week prior to going away was always an exhausting one with many patients desperate to deliver their babies before Jörg left. “However, having booked and paid for all holiday expenses in advance, we never cancelled, no matter how busy the last week was or how tempted we were to just stay home.” While Jörg questions why this lifestyle and the irregular hours he worked didn’t dissuade his children from following suit, James offers up the fact that working together actually enables them to see each other more, particularly through the challenges of COVID over the past two years. “During COVID, I couldn’t visit mum and dad, but I could meet them for coffee within the hospital, and I could operate with Dad; as such, the only time we saw each other for those lockdown months was at SJGBH.” Perhaps growing up in an environment where get-togethers
occur at short notice or on the understanding that no one can guarantee attendance, paved the way for the Kemper kids to follow their parents into the medical profession, after all as James puts it, “The non-traditional working hours make family catch ups difficult. If we include our extended family, it is almost impossible for all of us to come together at the same time,” explains James. “But none of us have ever been particularly beholden to the actual day of celebration, eg. birthdays or Christmas, instead we use the occasion as the reason to celebrate — even if it has to be on a different day to fit our schedules.” On the rare occasion the Kemper calendars do align, you could be forgiven for thinking that medicine is the last thing the family of doctors would want to discuss. But as Jörg puts it, “Sadly medicine dominates, but we all like books, current affairs and the state of the world as well.” When asked if they ever seek out far less heavy material to watch or discuss such as reality television, Jörg replied with a firm no. “We don’t understand who has the time for such drivel when there is real living to do.” It’s a quote befitting of a man responsible for bringing more than 10,000 babies into this world, and a particularly important one when you consider that one of those babies will go on to deliver many thousands more in the Kemper name. “It is a wonderful privilege to work so closely with your father,” says James. “Dad is widely respected and loved by the SJOG community. It is fantastic to see him deliver babies, see the skill with which he operates, and the joy he is able to share with his patients.”
Dr Jorg Kemper Obstetrician/Gynaecologist Consults: 50 Clyde Rd, Berwick P: 03 9796 2699 E: drskemwag@aol.com
DOCTOR NEWSLETTER - AUTUMN 2022
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MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
coming soon to Berwick
Berwick’s St John of God Langmore Centre is set to open in Spring 2022 and will provide both private inpatient and outpatient mental health services to the south east Melbourne community. ADULT MENTAL HEALTH Our adult mental health unit will cater to people aged 18+ years. These patients may be facing a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, a mood disorder or PTSD. Our multi-disciplinary team are specialists in providing compassionate care backed up by strong clinical outcomes.
ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS People sometimes have a picture in mind around what addicition looks like — scary and dangerous. In reality, everyday people can become addicted to a variety of substances and require assistance in removing them from their lives. Living with a physical ailment may lead someone to become addicted to their pain medication, a glass a day after work may become a bottle a day or a bit of fun starts to become a big problem.
PARENT INFANT MENTAL HEALTH Having a baby is a life-changing event. While it is usually a happy one, sometimes the change in life can be difficult for new parents. Perinatal mental health issues can present in new parents either during pregnancy or after the birth of the baby. Our custom designed and secure unit will offer spacious rooms for new parents and their baby to seek the care they need, allowing them to bond and learn new skills and coping techniques, all under the guidance of our clinical team.
DAY PROGRAMS Our suite of day programs will cover a broad range of concerns and themes and are available to both inpatients and outpatients. They will allow patients to spend a half or full day in a group environment, focussed on a specific goal and engaging with clinicians to learn coping strategies, skills and management tools.
rTMS Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a specialist treatment which can be offered to both inpatients and outpatients in our custom designed suite. The non-invasive treatment uses magnetic stimulation to treat major depressive disorders when other treatments have been exhausted. The patient is completely alert during the treatment, which is quick, safe, painless and has a low risk of side-effects.
ECT Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be offered to patients who have not responded to other treatment for their depression or bipolar disorder. It uses brief electrical stimulation and is administered under a general anaesthetic. ECT can trigger changes in brain chemistry which can reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions.
CONSULTING Our consulting suites will be a busy hub for our team of psychiatrists to offer treatment by appointment. GP referral is required.
St John of God Langmore Centre will be a 60-bed mental health hospital located at Gibb Street, Berwick and is expected to open in August 2022.
DOCTOR NEWSLETTER - AUTUMN 2022
St John of God Health Care South East Melbourne Hospitals