Our medical experts.

Hospital Affiliations

• St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Consultant Surgeon
• St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne, Consultant Surgeon
• Deputy Director, Hepatobiliary and Upper Gastrointestinal Unit, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne

Academic Appointments

• Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, University of Melbourne
• Founding Chair, The HOPE Fund (supporting oesophago-gastric cancer outcomes research)

Research Interests

• Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols for major upper GI procedures
• Exercise and metabolic optimisation in cancer care
• Long-term outcomes following oesophagectomy and metabolic bariatric surgery
• COVID-19 surgical impacts and perioperative risk management
• Upper GI and Hepatobiliary Research Group, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne

Clinical Expertise

• Oesophageal cancer and resection (oesophagectomy)
• Gastric cancer surgery
• Sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve fundoplication
• Hiatus hernia repair and anti-reflux surgery
• Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery
• Revision metabolic bariatric surgery
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and gallbladder disease

Selected Publications (60+ peer-reviewed articles)

• Outcomes following oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer, British Journal of Surgery
• Metabolic bariatric surgery outcomes and long-term metabolic effects, Obesity Surgery (Obes Surg)
• Perioperative impact of COVID-19 on major gastrointestinal surgery, Lancet Oncology
• Enhanced recovery protocols in upper GI surgery, Annals of Surgery (Ann Surg)
• Exercise prehabilitation in oesophago-gastric malignancy, Ann Surg
• Metabolic outcomes following sleeve gastrectomy versus gastric bypass, Obes Surg
• Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication: long-term outcomes, ANZ Journal of Surgery

Clinical Expertise

• Perioperative medical optimisation for bariatric and upper GI surgical patients
• Cardiology and cardiovascular risk assessment
• Pre-operative physician workup and medical clearance
• Management of complex medical comorbidities in surgical candidates

Role at Meridian

Dr Osborne provides physician-led pre- and perioperative assessment, ensuring patients undergoing bariatric or upper GI procedures are medically optimised before surgery and safely supported through recovery.

Professional Memberships & Accreditations

• Dietitians Australia, Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)
• American Society for Metabolic and Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), International Associate Member
• International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO)
• Australian and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS)
• Monash University FODMAP Accredited Dietitian
• World Obesity Federation, SCOPE Accredited Practitioner (in progress)

Clinical Expertise

• Metabolic bariatric surgery nutrition: pre-operative liver reduction diet, post-operative eating progression
• Medical weight management and GLP-1 receptor agonist dietary support
• Metabolic health nutrition: insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, lipid management
• Pregnancy nutrition following metabolic bariatric surgery
• Oncology nutrition in upper GI and oesophago-gastric malignancy
• Low-FODMAP diet assessment and implementation
• Body composition assessment and monitoring

Role at Meridian

Jessie leads the nursing department at Meridian Health, overseeing patient care coordination, clinical nurse consultations and the continuity of care between surgical, physician and allied health appointments. She is a central point of contact for patients throughout their care journey.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Pre-operative nursing education and preparation
• Post-operative wound review and monitoring
• Patient care coordination across the multidisciplinary team
• Bariatric and upper GI surgical nursing support

Clinical Expertise

• Emotional eating and disordered eating behaviour
• Food cravings and psychological drivers of weight
• Body image and self-esteem following metabolic bariatric surgery
• Behavioural change for long-term metabolic health
• Pre-operative psychological assessment for metabolic bariatric surgery candidates
• Post-operative psychological support and adjustment
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Role at Meridian

Dr Strang provides pre- and post-operative psychological assessment and ongoing support for patients undergoing bariatric and metabolic care at Meridian. Her dual medical and psychology training is particularly valuable in identifying and managing the complex psychological factors that influence metabolic health outcomes.