About me
Vaani Panse Garg, MD, is a cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, nuclear cardiology, and adult comprehensive echocardiography.
Dr. Garg diagnoses and treats the full spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, from hypertension to heart failure. She is passionate about prevention and works with patients for the entire duration of their disease process.
She is particularly interested in structural echocardiography, which enhances her diagnosis of, and treatment decisions for, a variety of pathology. She is highly skilled at interpreting–and teaching other providers how to read–transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE), transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE), and 3-D echocardiography.
Her current research interests involve novel techniques and teaching approaches in echocardiography, as well as new initiatives to enhance provider wellness and medical education.
Dr. Garg earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She then completed an internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Hospital. Following her residency, she remained at Mount Sinai Hospital for a clinical cardiovascular disease fellowship, during which she served as chief cardiology fellow for two years.
Participating in several international projects throughout her training years introduced Dr. Garg to a global health perspective. This interest brought her to Soweto, South Africa, where she was a volunteer at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Cardiology Department, as well as Pune, India, where she was a public health service corps fellow with the William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service Program. She brings this broad, global health awareness to her practice today.
Prior to joining MedStar Health, Dr. Garg practiced at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where she also served as site director for the cardiology fellowship program (Veterans Affairs track) and the associate program director of the cardiology fellowship program. She was also a clinical assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Philosophy of Care
I always aim to understand each patient’s life and daily practices. This gives me a deep understanding of how to coach them on medications, exercise, and healthy lifestyle changes. I also emphasize hands-on health education. I draw diagrams, share images, and ensure all questions are answered. I fully explain the “why” of decision making, and in doing so, empower them to better manage their health.
In my partnerships with referring providers, I emphasize open communication and make myself readily available to discuss patient cases.
Clinical areas of focus
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cholesterol Screening
- Electrocardiogram
- Holter Monitoring
- Stress Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of Aorta
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Chamber Disorders
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiometabolic Disorders
- Cardiomyopathy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Cocaine Related Disorders
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Malformations Of Cardiac Chambers And Connections
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Veins
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Peripheral Vascular System
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Fibromuscular Dysplasia
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Murmur
- High Cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocarditis
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Vessel Disease
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Retinal Vein Occlusion
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Diseases
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Swelling In Legs
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Arrhythmia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Balloon Angioplasty
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Catheterization Interpretation
- Cardiac Loop Recorder Placement
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Pacemaker Measurement
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy With Pacemaker
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardiovascular Stress Testing
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol Screening
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Stenting
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiologic Study
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Ultrasonography
- Holter Monitoring
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Leadless Pacemaker Insertion
- MRA With Contrast
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Pacemaker Lead Replacement
- Pacemaker Pulse Generator Insertion
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Stress Echocardiography
- Tilt Table Test
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram With Strain Imaging
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
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
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- MultiPlan, Inc
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Student Resources
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- HumanaChoice PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna Basic
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- POS OA
- Police and Fire Clinic
- IH-Open POS II
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Optimum Choice
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Choice POS
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Navigate
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst EPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice POS II
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Beech Street PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- IH-EPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Sentara Health
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Medicare Direct
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Network OA
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- OA Plus
- IH-Open HMO
- TRICARE for Life East
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Tricare Reserve Select
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst NASCO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HighMark
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CIGNA PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Mount Sinai Hospital (2016)
Residency: Mount Sinai Hospital (2012)
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine (2009)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- American College of Cardiology Program Directors and Graduate Medical Educations Section and Leadership Council, Virtual Education Webinar panelist
Online recording: Sept. 19, 2020
- American College of Cardiology Cardiovascular Management Section Podcast Practice Made Perfect Storytellers, Guest Speaker
Airdate: Aug. 14, 2020
- American College of Cardiology Academic Leadership Council Academic Profiles, Interviewee Feature date: July 17, 2020
- Tufts Medicine “The Long Goodbye”
Article featured from personal work and travel blog: July 2008