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
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Flash Electroretinography
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Inner Ear Diseases
- 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
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Fungal Otitis Externa
- Inner Ear Diseases
- 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
- 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
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Employee Health Plan
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA EPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Network OA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- OA Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CareFirst EPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna HMO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Choice POS
- IH-POS
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Medicare Direct
- Beech Street PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-POS Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Police and Fire Clinic
- TRICARE East Prime
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- MultiPlan, Inc
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- HighMark
- TRICARE East Select
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Blue Choice Advantage
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- IH-PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open HMO Option
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Administrators
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- TRICARE for Life East
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Neurotology
Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology
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>