About me
Dr. James Higgins is Chief of The Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. Dr. Higgins specializes in complex reconstruction after trauma, microsurgery, congenital hand surgery as well as fractures and disorders of the arm and wrist. He is fellowship trained in hand surgery and board certified in plastic surgery.
Dr. Higgins is recognized as a leading surgeon in the field and a sought-after national and international presenter and visiting professor. His numerous research studies and clinical trial research projects are published in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. While treating commonplace hand conditions he has been recognized as a leader in complex areas of hand surgery including microsurgery, hand replantation and transplantation, and wrist reconstruction.
Dr. Higgins believes in treating all patients in the same way that he would treat a family member. His dedication to patient care and compassion led him to be named a Top Doctor by Baltimore Magazine, most recently in 2023, and a Super Doctor by The Washington Post.
Each year the two largest national scientific organizations of hand and microsurgery select a travelling ambassador surgeon from among their ranks of thousands of surgeons around the globe. Dr Higgins has served as the selected ambassador and travelling fellow for each of these groups. In 2010 Dr. Higgins served as the Godina travelling fellow for the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery. In 2013 he then served as the Sterling Bunnell travelling fellow for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Dr Higgins is one of only two surgeons globally who have ever received both of these prestigious accolades.
Awards
Dr. Higgins was named a 2023 and 2020 “Top Doc” by Baltimore Magazine for Hand Surgery and has been recognized since 2015.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Ganglion Cysts
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Hand Tendon Repair
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Trigger Finger
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acantholytic Disorders
- Acquired Absence Of Limb
- Acquired Finger Deformity
- Amputation Of Fingers
- Arthritis
- Benign Tumor
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Infection (OSTEOMYELITIS)
- Bone Nonunion
- Boxer's Fracture
- Broken Hand
- Bursopathy
- Complications Of Reattachment And Amputation
- Congenital Malformations Of Limb
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Crush Injury Of The Hand
- Cutaneous Abscess, Furuncle And Carbuncle
- De Quervain’S Tenosynovitis
- Dislocated Finger
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Early Complications Of Trauma
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Arthritis
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enteropathic Arthropathies
- Finger Arthritis
- Finger Joint Dislocation
- Finger Sprains
- Finger, Hand, And Wrist Open Wound
- Forearm And Elbow Joint Instability
- Forearm Blood Vessel Injury
- Forearm Fracture
- Forearm Tendon Injury
- Fractured Wrist
- Ganglion Cysts
- Gout
- Hand And Finger Nerve Damage
- Hand And Wrist Arthritis
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Hand Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Hand Tendon Injury
- Joint Derangement
- Joint Disorder
- Kienbock's Disease
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Limb Deformity
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Connective And Soft Tissue
- Mallet Finger
- Median Nerve Compression
- Muscle Disorders
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis Of First Carpometacarpal Joint
- Osteoarthritis Of The Finger
- Osteochondropathies
- Osteonecrosis
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Polyosteoarthritis
- Presence Of Functional Implants
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of Hand
- Scaphoid Fracture
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Amputation
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Tendon Injury
- Syndactyly
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendinous Disorders
- Tendon Damage In The Hand
- Tendonitis Of The Hand
- Tenosynovitis Of The Wrist
- Thumb Synovitis
- Trigger Finger
- Trigger Thumb
- Wrist And Hand Amputation
- Wrist And Hand Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Blood Vessel Injury
- Wrist Joint Dislocation
- Wrist, Hand, And Finger Crushing Injury
Procedures I perform
- Arthritis Procedures
- Articular Fracture Treatment
- Bone Graft
- Bone Graft With Microvascular Anastomosis
- Burn Treatment
- Bursa Excision
- Capsulotomy Of Wrist
- Carpal Bone Fracture Treatment
- Carpal Replacement
- Carpal Reposition With Internal Fixation
- Carpal Scaphoid Fracture Fixation
- Carpal Tunnel Release
- Carpectomy Of All Bones Of Proximal Row
- Carpectomy Of One Bone
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Club Hand Reconstruction
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- Digital Neuroplasty
- Distal Radius Fracture Fixation
- Dupuytren Contracture Treatment
- Elbow Arthroscopy
- Elbow Ligament Repair
- Elbow Replacement
- Excision Of Bone Cyst Or Tumor Of Radius Or Ulna
- Excision, Olecranon Bursa
- Extensor Tendon Grafting
- Extensor Tendon Sheath Incision
- Fasciectomy With Release Of Single Digit
- Finger Arthroscopy
- Finger Contracture Release
- Finger Phalangeal Joint Fusion
- Free Osteocutaneous Flap With Microvascular Anastomosis
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Hand Arthritis Treatment
- Hand Fracture External Fixation
- Hand Tendon Excision
- Hand Tendon Repair
- Intercarpal Arthroplasty
- Interphalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Left Axillary Lymphatic Autologous Supplement
- Lunate Dislocation Treatment
- Median Nerve Excision
- Median Nerve Release
- Metacarpal Fracture Treatment
- Metacarpal Joint Arthrodesis
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Capsulectomy
- Microsurgery
- Minimally Invasive Hand Surgery
- Muscle Flap
- Muscle Release
- Nerve Conduit
- Palmar Fasciectomy
- Pectoralis Major Transfer
- Pedicle Formation
- Percutaneous Osteoplasty
- Percutaneous Sacral Nerve Release
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Phalangeal Shaft Fracture Treatment
- Phalanx Bone Excision
- Phoropter
- Radius And Ulna Fracture Treatment
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Scar Revision
- Skin Graft Urethroplasty
- Skin Harvest For Tissue Cultured Skin Autograft
- Surgical Repair Of Flexor Tendon
- Sympathectomy
- Synovectomy Of Tendon Sheath
- Tendinitis Treatment
- Tendon Sheath Drainage
- Tenolysis
- Tenotomy
- Thumb Fracture Treatment
- Tissue Expansion
- Ulnar Nerve Release
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
- Wrist Instability Treatment
- Wrist Manipulation
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
3333 N Calvert St
2nd Fl
Baltimore, MD, 21218
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
- IH-Network Only Plus
- UHC Passport
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- IH-Open HMO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- POS OA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- TRICARE East Select
- Choice POS
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA EPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Blue Choice Advantage
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Choice Fund PPO
- Navigate
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna VA Exchange
- OA Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Choice POS II
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- HighMark
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Optimum Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-POS
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Student Resources
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Medicare Direct
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Indemnity
- Network OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- TRICARE East Prime
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Medicare FFS
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna HMO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Basic
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Fellowship: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital at Baltimore (2002)
Residency: University of Rochester School of Medicine GME (2001)
Residency: University of Rochester School of Medicine GME (1999)
Medical School: University of Rochester (1996)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine Top Doc - 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015