About me
Dr. Chami is an experienced, fellowship trained, board certified transplant nephrologist with more than 15 years of experience in the field.
She joins the team as the associate medical director of kidney transplantation as well as the transplant fellowship director. She comes to MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute from Tufts Medicine where she served as the medical director of kidney transplantation.
Dr. Chami has been featured in multiple news stories and appeared on the cover of Boston magazine Top Doctors.
She earned her medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, completed a nephrology fellowship at Weill Cornell Medical Center and a Transplant Fellowship at Emory University where she practiced as a transplant nephrologist for 10 years.
Her areas of special interest and expertise include kidney transplantation, immune suppression management, including once monthly belatacept immunosuppression infusions, living kidney donation, and managing patients before and after kidney transplantation.
Her research focuses on the use of belatacept to improve the long term survival of renal grafts, HLA matching in kidney transplantation, and expanding living donor criteria by exploring acceptance criteria. Her research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and she has authored book chapters as well as presented at national conferences and meetings. She is a member of the American Society of Transplantation, the Transplantation Society, and the American Society of Nephrology.
Dr. Chami is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
Dr. Chami’s medical approach is to care for every patient as a whole person. She treats each patient as a unique individual, tailoring treatment plans to fit their specific needs and personal goals.
When she is not working, she enjoys travel, live music and exploring international cuisines.
Clinical areas of focus
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Hematuria
- High Blood Pressure
- Hypertension
- Kidney Stones
- Long Term Drug Therapy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Anuria
- Azotemia
- Berger's Disease
- Blood In Urine
- Cardiorenal Syndrome
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Chronic Tubulo
- Chronic Tubulointerstitial Disease
- Chronic Tubulointerstitial Nephritis
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Congenital Malformation Syndromes Affecting Multiple Systems
- Contracted Kidney
- Cystinuria
- Diabetes Mellitus Due To Underlying Condition
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Dialysis Care
- Disorders Of Renal Tubular Function
- Electrolyte Disorders
- End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Fluid Overload
- Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
- Hematuria
- Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
- High Blood Pressure
- Hydronephrosis
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Hypernatremia
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypertension
- Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis
- Hypokalemia
- Interstitial Nephritis
- Kidney Cancer
- Kidney Infection (PYELONEPHRITIS)
- Kidney Inflammation
- Kidney Stones
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Lupus Nephritis
- Medullary Sponge Kidney
- Membranous Nephropathy
- Minimal Change Disease
- Nephrocalcinosis
- Nephrolithiasis
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Nephrotic Syndrome Due To Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
- Neutropenia
- Obstructive And Reflux Uropathy
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Proteinuria
- Proteinuria (EXCESS PROTEIN IN URINE)
- Pyelonephritis
- Rapidly Progressive Nephritic Syndrome
- Recurrent Hematuria
- Renal Agenesis And Reduction Defects Of Kidney
- Renal Artery Stenosis
- Renal Cyst
- Renal Cysts
- Renal Hypertension
- Renal Insufficiency
- Renal Tubular Acidosis
- Renovascular Disease
- Secondary Hypertension
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Small Kidney
- Systemic Connective Tissue Involvement
- Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
- Uremia
- Vasculitis
- Wilms Tumor
Procedures I perform
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Treatment
- Acute Kidney Injury Treatment
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test
- Cardiorenal Syndrome Treatment
- Creatinine Clearance Test
- Duplex Scan Of Abdominal Organs
- Electrolyte Imbalance Treatment
- Electrolyte Management
- Electrolyte Panel
- End Stage Renal Disease Treatment
- Fluid Management
- Fluid Overload Management
- Fluid Overload Treatment
- Graft Placement
- Hematuria Treatment
- Hyperkalemia Treatment
- Hypertension Treatment
- Kidney Function Test
- Limited Retroperitoneal Ultrasound
- Lupus Nephritis Treatment
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Nephrectomy
- Nephritic Syndrome Treatment
- Nephrocalcinosis Treatment
- Nephrology Consultation
- Nephrotic Syndrome Treatment
- Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
- Peritoneal Cavity Irrigation With Dialysate
- Phosphorus Management
- Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Management
- Potassium Management
- Proteinuria Treatment
- Renal Biopsy
- Renal Nutrition Counseling
- Renal Vein Thrombosis Treatment
- Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Treatment
- Sodium Management
- Urinary Filtration Performance
- Vascular Access Creation
- Vascular Access Management
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
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- First Health PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- POS OA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Employee Health Plan
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Beech Street PPO
- First Health PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Sentara Health
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- HighMark
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Navigate
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Network OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-POS
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Choice POS
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice
- Choice POS II
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- UHC Passport
- Blue Choice Advantage
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Student Resources
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- OA Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- IH-EPO Plus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-HMO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Medicare Direct
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Indemnity
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna HMO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst EPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology
Fellowship: Emory University Hospital-GME (2011)
Fellowship: New York Presbyterian Hospital (2009)
Internship: Emory University School Of Medicine (2006)
Medical School: McGill University (2003)