About Us
Ballarat Heart Centre was established in 2019 by our cardiologists Associate Professor Ernesto Oqueli and Dr Anand Sharma. They both live in Ballarat with their families and are committed to providing the Ballarat community with local, professional, and friendly cardiac services.
Dr Matthew Hadfield is a vascular surgeon who provides a valuable consulting service as part of the Heart Centre team.
Ballarat Heart Centre is also home to other specialists including:
- Dr Mohammad Al-Ansari, Gastroenterologist
- Dr Susheel Sharma, Nephrologist
- Dr Thwe Thwe Soe, Nephrologist
Appointments for these specialists are managed through Ballarat Heart Centre, see the contact us page for more details.
Visiting Specialist – Dr Stephen Joseph specialises in Electrophysiology and devices. Dr Stephen Joseph appointments and enquires should be directed to his Melbourne office:
Wattletree Cardiology, Suite 50, Cabrini Medical Centre, 183 Wattletree Rd, Malvern VIC 3144
Phone: 03 9509 5977
Associate Professor Ernesto Oqueli
Associate Professor Ernesto Oqueli is a consultant cardiologist and interventional cardiologist with over 30-years’ experience in cardiology.
An Interventional cardiologist specialises in diagnosing and treating conditions and diseases of the heart and blood vessels using nonsurgical catheter-based procedures and specialised imaging techniques.
A/Professor Oqueli graduated with Honours from the School of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. Completed full advanced training in Internal Medicine and then in Cardiology, this last at the Favaloro Foundation, a prestigious Heart Hospital founded by Professor Rene Favaloro the pioneer of coronary artery by-pass surgery. During his time at the Favaloro Foundation as a consultant cardiologist, he was appointed as personal physician to the President of Argentina.
A/Professor Oqueli trained in Interventional Cardiology at the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne. He moved to Ballarat in January 2009, and he has been the Director of Cardiology at Ballarat Base Hospital, now Grampians Health Ballarat, since 2010. He was appointed Clinical Associate Professor at Deakin University in June 2012.
A/Professor Oqueli’s clinical interests include percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease and management of acute coronary syndromes.
He is affiliated with the following hospitals:
- Ballarat Base Hospital, Grampians Health Ballarat.
- St John of God Hospital Ballarat
- University Hospital Geelong
A/Professor Oqueli’s research profile can
be accessed at Google Scholar.
Dr Anand Sharma
Dr Anand Sharma received his general medical training in the United Kingdom, after gaining his Bachelor or Medicine / Bachelor or Surgery 2001 at the prestigious Kasturba Medical College in India. He commenced his General Cardiology training at the Townsville Hospital before moving to The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) in 2011.
Anand completed a Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at the Westmead Hospital, Sydney and also in Canada, before pursuing a Fellowship in Cardiac Electrophysiology at Waikato Hospital in New Zealand. Anand is interested in all aspects of Cardiology, and has particular expertise in performing coronary angiograms, angioplasties, intra-coronary imaging (IVUS & OCT), functional studies (FFR), and device implantation including pacemakers and defibrillators. He regularly performs and reports on Echocardiograms and Stress Tests, including Stress Echocardiograms. Anand also has an interest in the non-invasive management of heart failure and valvular heart disease.
Anand and his young family enjoy living in Ballarat and all the benefits of living in beautiful regional Victoria.
