About me
Selena Heman-Ackah Briggs, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, is the Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Briggs is a neurotologist-skull base surgeon. She completed her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, followed by a surgical internship and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at the University of Minnesota, and a fellowship in neurotology at New York University. Dr. Briggs earned an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She also earned a doctorate in otolaryngology from the University of Minnesota for her research on prevention and management of age-related hearing loss. She previously served as the director of Otology, Neurotology and Audiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and as an assistant professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Briggs is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University and a Wellness Champion.
Dr. Briggs treats patients with a wide variety of ear and skull base-related concerns. She has a clinical interest in cochlear implantation and hearing loss (congenital and acquired), treatment of chronic ear disease and cholesteatoma, management of ear canal atresia or stenosis, repair of encephalocele and meningocele of the middle ear and mastoid, management of temporal bone fractures, care of vestibular and balance disorders, and treatment of tumors of the skull base (e.g. schwannomas, meningiomas, chordoma, etc.). In caring for patients with these concerns, she strives to provide each patient with the individualized, personalized and caring treatment that they deserve. Dr. Briggs maintains that it is critical to listen, to understand and to take the time to provide holistic care that prioritizes the patient's individual goals for their own best exceptional outcome, optimized care and quality of life.
Clinical areas of focus
- Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
- Acute Sinusitis
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Benign Neoplasm Of Middle Ear
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Candidiasis
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Flash Electroretinography
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Migraine
- Otalgia And Ear Effusion
- Throat Infection (TONSILLITIS)
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- Vasomotor And Allergic Rhinitis
- Vestibular Disorders
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Sinusitis
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Benign Neoplasm Of Middle Ear
- Candidiasis
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Congenital Malformations Of Ear
- Congenital Malformations Of Ear Causing Hearing Impairment
- Congenital Malformations Of Face And Neck
- Dentofacial Abnormality
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Fungal Otitis Externa
- Inner Ear Diseases
- Larynx Cancer
- Mastoiditis
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Migraine
- Nonsuppurative Otitis Media
- Otalgia And Ear Effusion
- Otosclerosis
- Throat Infection (TONSILLITIS)
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation
- Vasomotor And Allergic Rhinitis
- Vestibular Disorders
Procedures I perform
- Acoustic Neuroma Removal
- Acoustic Neuroma Surgery
- Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
- Asymmetrical Hearing Loss Treatment
- Auditory Evoked Potentials Screening
- Basic Vestibular Evaluation
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Treatment
- Branchial Cleft Cyst Excision
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Change Trachea Tracheostomy Device
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Cochlear Implant Adjustment
- Debridement Of Mastoidectomy Cavity
- Diagnostic Laryngoscopy
- Drainage Of External Auditory Canal
- Ear Cartilage Graft
- Ear Surgery
- Ear Tube Insertion
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Endoscopic Inspection Of Tracheobronchial Tree
- Eustachian Tube Dilation
- Excision Of External Ear
- Flash Electroretinography
- Gait And Balance Evaluation
- Hearing Aid Fitting
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Hearing Testing
- Impacted Earwax Removal
- Labyrinthectomy
- Laryngeal Function Study
- Laryngeal Stroboscopy
- Lateral Skull Base Surgery
- Mastoidectomy
- Mastoidectomy Complete
- Mastoidectomy Modified Radical
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Surgery
- Myringotomy
- Otoacoustic Emissions
- Packing Of Nasal Region
- Pulsatile Tinnitus Treatment
- Revision Mastoidectomy
- Revision Mastoidectomy Complete
- Revision Mastoidectomy Radical
- Speech Audiometry With Tympanometry
- Speech Sound Production Evaluation
- Speech Therapy
- Stapedectomy
- Stapedotomy
- Swallowing Disorder Treatment
- Thromboendarterectomy With Patch Graft
- Tympanic Membrane Repair
- Tympanometry And Reflex Threshold
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- Tympanostomy
- Tympanostomy With Ventilating Tube
- Vestibular Testing
- Vestibuloplasty
- Voice Prosthetic Device Evaluation
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
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- TRICARE East Prime
- IH-POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Administrators
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- OA Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Navigate
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- TRICARE East Select
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Sentara Health
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Basic
- Choice POS
- IH-Open HMO Option
- UHC Passport
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Network OA
- Optimum Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna VA Exchange
- IH-Open POS Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-POS
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- First Health PPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-EPO Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA Connect EPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Fellowship: NYU Grossman School of Medicine (2012)
Residency: University of Minnesota (2010)
Internship: University of Minnesota (2006)
Medical School: University of Cincinnati (2005)
Medical School: University of Cincinnati (2004)
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania (2000)
Hospital affiliations
Podcasts
<ul> <li><p><a href="http://www.medstarwashington.org/podcastlibrary/#q={}#q={}">Cochlear Implantation for Hearing Loss</a></p></li></ul>