About Us

	Mr. Zdenek Dubrava (Surgeon) Zdenek Dubrava is a specialist Gastrointestinal Tract surgeon with a focus on advanced keyhole surgery techniques. Zdenek specialises in the treatment of Oesophagogastric cancer, Reflux disease, Hiatus hernia and Morbid obesity. He also provides specialist General Surgery services including Gallbladder surgery, Hernia, Varicose veins, Splenectomy, Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy. Having attained his medical degree at the University of Melbourne in 2000, he went on to complete surgical training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and The Alfred becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2010. He then undertook a further 2 years of subspecialty training in Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric Surgery, and Endoscopy. Zdenek is a consultant surgeon at Monash Medical Centre where he has been appointed Head of Acute General Surgery. He is also Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Monash University Department of Surgery and holds appointments and operates at The Alfred, Sandringham and Casey hospitals, as well as Holmesglen Private Hospital . Zdenek consults at Holmesglen Private Hospital and both private and public referrals are welcome.
	Dr Lara Freeman Dr. Lara Freeman is a specialist Upper Gastrointestinal and General Surgeon with extensive experience in the most current minimally invasive techniques for both General Surgery and Bariatric (weight loss). She has completed a sub-specialist Upper GI and Bariatric Fellowship at the Austin Hospital and has also received the 2010 Young Investigators Award for outstanding research at the Australian National Bariatric Meeting. Trained in undergraduate medicine at Monash University, Lara graduated with honours in 2006 before entering the specialist general surgical training program at The Alfred where she received extensive training in general, laparoscopic (key hole) and trauma surgery, and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2016. Dr. Freeman is also a Gastroenterology Society of Australia-accredited endoscopist. Lara offers a comprehensive service focused on the individual, where treatment is tailored to fit the unique situation of each patient with short waiting times, a multidisciplinary approach and expert opinion. Dr Freeman also holds a public appointment at Sandringham Hospital, an Alfred Health affiliate. Dr Freeman consults at Holmesglen Private Hospital and both private and public referrals are welcome.
	Dr. Sam Kaldas Dr Sam Kaldas is a Consultant Physician/Internist with over 20 years of clinical experience managing acute and general complex medical problems. He has a strong interest and focus in perioperative care across a variety of surgical specialities, as well as diagnostic and complex care, vascular and musculoskeletal medicine. Dr Kaldas' private practice is in Internal and Perioperative Medicine with a strong focus on acute diagnostic musculoskeletal medicine and bariatric surgery. He offers regular consulting in Moorabbin, Frankston, Mornington and Rosebud. As a Diagnostician and Complex Care Medical Specialist, he believes in the increasing complexity and comorbidities of patients which requires broad medical knowledge and experience. Collaboration and communication with other sub-specialists maximises the care for different types of medical cases. Dr Kaldas recognises that Perioperative Medicine plays an integral part of an Internist's duties and is committed to the co-management of complex and general surgical patients. Dr Kaldas undertook Physician training at Austin Health and later continued advanced training in General Medicine/Acute Medicine at Western and St Vincent's public and private hospitals, obtaining a broad exposure over a variety of surgical sub-specialties. He also obtained experience as a Stroke Registrar at Monash Medical Centre in 2008 and completed Perioperative Medicine at Monash University and the Alfred Hospital in 2011. Dr Kaldas completed a Diploma of Clinical Ultrasound at Melbourne University and has undertaken extensive research studies in the Perioperative Medical field as well as vascular and bone health. He was first appointed as a Consultant Physician at Maroondah Hospital before commencing services at Peninsula Health. Dr Sam Kaldas MB BCh, FRACP (Consultant Physician) Qualifications: Dr Kaldas consults at Holmesglen Private Hospital and both private and public referrals are welcome.
	Dr. Jonathan Cohen Dr Cohen graduated from the University of Western Australia with honours and subsequently completed his training as a specialist endocrinologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. In 2008, Dr Cohen completed a fellowship in andrology and male infertility with Andrology Australia. Dr Cohen is committed to continuing professional education. He regularly attends endocrinology conferences both within Australia and overseas, and presents talks on his area of expertise to other medical professionals. He also provides training to medical students. Dr Cohen consults at Holmesglen Private Hospital and both private and public referrals are welcome.
	Ms. Mary Lucas (Dietitian and Nutritionist) Mary Lucas is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with a Bachelor in Nutrition and Dietetics with distinction. She has been in private practice for many years and provides expert nutritional advice on a wide range of chronic conditions such as diabetes, IGT, HT, coronary heart disease, obesity, hyperlipidaemia/dyslipidaemia, coeliac disease, IBS and gastrointestinal disorders. Mary has a particular interest in weight management, including expertise in the initiation and monitoring of VLCDs such as Optifast. Advice and help with IBS concerns are also a key interest. Mary consults at Holmesglen Private Hospital and both private and public referrals are welcome.
	Rebecca Clark (Accredited Exercise Physiologist) Rebecca Clark completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science (Rehabilitation) at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, New South Wales in 2009. She gained accreditation in 2010 with Exercise and Sports Science Australia. Throughout her career she has delivered tailored exercise programs to patients with a wide range of health conditions. She has a passion for using exercise as medicine and delivering evidence based practice to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals. Rebecca has previously worked in private practice as an exercise physiologist at Body Dynamics Health in Wagga Wagga. She has also worked as an allied health assistant at The Alfred Hospital in acute inpatients (respiratory, neurological, spinal, orthopaedics, trauma, cardiac, burns, plastics, surgery, general medicine, infectious diseases) and outpatients (lung and heart transplant rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, hydrotherapy and infectious diseases). She has worked as an allied health assistant at Caulfield Hospital in inpatient rehabilitation (orthopaedics, amputees, neurological, spinal, geriatrics and hydrotherapy). Rebecca has worked in research for the past four years at Alfred Health, previously in stroke looking at cardiovascular risk factors post stroke. Also in COPD looking at inpatient outcome measures and is currently working on a project looking at balance training for falls reduction in patients with COPD. She is currently employed as an exercise physiologist at Holmesglen Private Hospital, having worked across acute, inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation. She also works as an exercise physiologist at The Alfred Hospital in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and works the weekend service at Caulfield Hospital in the Acquired Brain Injury Unit.
	Dr. (Psychologist)