Learn More About Me
Specialties: Cardiac Surgery, General Surgery, Structural Heart Disease Cardiology, Thoracic Surgery
Languages: English
410-554-6534
About me
Rachel Harrison, MD, is a cardiac surgeon at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. She is board certified in general and thoracic surgery.
Dr. Harrison treats ischemic cardiac disease, structural heart conditions, valvular disease, and rhythm disorders, often through minimally invasive approaches. She is uniquely skilled in complex lead extraction and management, related to pacemakers and defibrillators, which may be necessary due to infections, device recalls, and other complications.
As a result of Dr. Harrison’s advanced surgical training, she offers her patients high levels of confidence in her technical expertise. She’s also had significant experience caring for very sick patients––prior to joining MedStar Health, she managed advanced heart failure, providing mechanical support, such as LVADs, and heart transplantation. She has served as an educator in the fields of lead management and heart failure, sharing her knowledge with other clinicians.
Dr. Harrison’s current research interests focus on structural heart and valvular protocols, including minimally invasive methods for replacing and repairing the tricuspid and mitral valves.
Philosophy of Care
“Every patient of mine is number one––in the clinic and in the operating room. I ensure the whole care team is united in our goals for surgery, always prioritizing what’s best for the patient. I treat each person as if they were a member of my own family and help guide them through decisions with a measured approach. I am conservative when recommending surgery and will only do so if it is truly in the best interest of the patient.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Complications Of Procedures
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Reoperative Cardiac Conditions
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Dissection Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Atrial Septum Supplement
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Surgical Device Explantation
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cerebral Embolic Filtration
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Failure Surgery
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Transplantation
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Left Ventricular Reconstruction
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
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
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Basic
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Choice Fund PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- TRICARE East Prime
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Administrators
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- IH-Indemnity
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Beech Street PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Network OA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Choice POS
- Aetna HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- OA Plus
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Choice POS II
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-POS Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Navigate
- Choice POS II Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA Indemnity
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-PPO
- IH-HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Medicare Direct
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Medicare FFS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst EPO
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Open HMO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Optimum Choice
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-POS
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- TRICARE East Select
- POS OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2016)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2014)
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (2009)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2025
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Gangadharamurth D, Furqan MM, Klein AL, Malhotra S, Harrison R, Jaikumar L, Pidikiti, Richards, LeBaron, Patel, Jagtap, Prather J. Timely Recognition and Successful Clinical Outcome of an Acute Debakey Type I Aortic Dissection. Circulation;142:A13504, 12 Nov 2020.
Shi J, Tricot GJ, Malaviarachchi PA, Szmania SM, Kellum RE, Storrie B, Mulder A, Shaughnessy JD, Barlogie B, van Rhee F. Bortezomib Down-Regulates The Cell-Surface Expression Of HLA Class I And Enhances Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Lysis Of Myeloma. Blood. 2008 Feb; 111(3): 1309-1317.