About me
Akrithi U. Garren, MD, is an attending rheumatologist affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center. As an adult rheumatologist, Dr. Garren sees patients for all autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, vasculitis, gout, and many more. Having undergone rigorous training at top academic centers in the country, Dr. Garren is experienced in treating medically complex patients.
Dr. Garren received her medical degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She then completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a two-year rheumatology fellowship at Duke University Hospital, where she completed the Duke Medical Education Leadership Track. She is a member of the American College of Rheumatology.
Her treatment methods include a number of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapies as well as intra-articular and intra-bursal injections. She is proficient in administering non-ultrasound-guided steroid injections in the joints, specifically the shoulders, knees, elbows, wrists, fingers, and toes.
The field of rheumatology is rapidly evolving, now moving closer to a treat-to-target approach that can hopefully one day be personalized to each patient. Dr. Garren prides herself on staying at the forefront of rheumatology research and treatment advancements.
She has a special interest in clinical education, specifically working with medical trainees in the outpatient clinic and inpatient hospital setting. She was recognized for her dedication to clinical education when she received the inaugural Nancy Allen Teaching Award during her fellowship at Duke University Hospital.
Dr. Garren’s research interests are centered around optimizing medical education to medical trainees so they can better serve patients in the future. She also focuses on quality improvement initiatives to improve how care is delivered to patients within the field of rheumatology.
Philosophy of Care
“My philosophy of care is to trust and listen to the patient above all else. Each patient knows themself the best and, as a physician, I recognize the importance of openly receiving information and input from the patient on his or her health to help guide my treatment recommendations and approach.
“I love building lasting relationships with patients and accompanying them as they continue on their healthcare journeys. My goal is to approach each patient like I would my own family member. All patients who see me in the clinic deserve and will receive my respect and empathy. When it comes to patient care, I believe in two-way regular communication, attention to detail, efficient completion of tasks, and full transparency.
“Medically complex rheumatology patients need multidisciplinary care. I pride myself on my ability to work well with providers in other specialties. Teamwork is essential to delivering complete care to the rheumatologic patient.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Arthritis
- Gout
- Myositis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogrens
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Vasculitis
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Arthritis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Anti Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- Aortic Arteritis
- Arthralgia
- Arthritis
- Arthritis Of Multiple Joints
- Arthropathy
- Behcet Syndrome
- Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease
- Cranial Arteritis
- Crest
- Crystalline Arthritis
- Cutaneous Vasculitis
- Dermatomyositis
- Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
- Enthesitis
- Erythema Nodosum
- Familial Mediterranean Fever
- Fibromyalgia
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Gonococcal Arthritis
- Gout
- Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
- Iga Vasculitis
- Igg 4 Related Diseases
- Inflammatory Polyarthropathy
- Isolated Central Nervous System Vasculitis
- Joint Disorder Of Multiple Joints
- Joint Effusion
- Joint Swelling
- Lupus Nephritis
- Macrophage Activation Syndrome
- Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
- Monoarticular Arthritis
- Myositis
- Neonatal Lupus Erythematosus
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Periodic Fever Syndromes
- Polyarteritis Nodosa
- Polyarthralgia
- Polyarthropathy
- Polychondritis
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Polymyositis
- Positive Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Test
- Post Infectious Arthritis
- Pseudogout
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Raynaud's Disease
- Reactive Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sacroiliitis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogrens
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Still's Disease
- Synovitis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Systemic Scleroderma
- Tenosynovitis
- Tophus
- Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease
- Uveitis
- Vasculitis
Procedures I perform
- Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Blood Test
- Biologic Therapy For Rheumatologic Diseases
- Joint Injection
- Non Surgical Management Of Osteoarthritis
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select (aka Senior Advantage)
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CFBCBS EPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Open EPO Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Open POS II
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Open HMO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: POS
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- PPO and PPO Plus
- FIRST HEALTH
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Tricare Prime
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Opoen HMO Option
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- Network OA
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
Education
Fellowship Program: Duke University Medical Center (2021)
Residency Program: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2019)
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (2016)