About me
Ajay Kadakkal, MD, is a board-certified advanced heart failure specialist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute. He treats patients with advanced diastolic heart failure and congestive heart failure. He also treats patients who are in need of a heart transplant and require mechanical service support from devices like the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). In addition, Dr. Kadakkal takes a special interest in infiltrative and inflammatory heart conditions like cardiac amyloidosis and sarcoidosis, which are often underdiagnosed. He is dedicated to building MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute as a referral base and top local center for referrals for patients with these conditions.
Dr. Kadakkal is part of a strong clinical practice at MedStar Health that provides a variety of diagnostic tests, ranging from imaging to cardiac stress testing. As part of this practice, he contributes to a team that is at the forefront of LVAD device placement and management at one of the top LVAD implant centers in the country. Dr. Kadakkal is passionate about continuing to develop and improve the durability and size of LVADs. His goal is to contribute to clinical trials that will improve the design of LVADs to be fully implantable, smaller, and less intrusive to the patient’s quality of life.
He is part of a group research effort at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute that involves a variety of clinical trials currently researching and providing new technology to patients who require mechanical circulatory support. His team is also currently building a database that observes patients with sarcoidosis and amyloidosis, looking at the difference in hemodynamic parameters among specific treatments for these conditions.
Dr. Kadakkal received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He then joined University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for residency and fellowship training before completing a specialty fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center.
Philosophy of Care
“Today, cardiovascular care is heavily influenced by technology. For this reason, it’s important that I am able to offer my patients the most advanced technology available while adhering to evidence-based practices.
“I take the time to help each patient understand the process of his/her disease and clearly understand what treatment options are available to either improve his/her health or stay within the lines of what his/her goals of care are. I believe that a holistic approach to patient care provides the best results. The ability to provide compassionate care lies in the time I take to listen to my patients in order to provide them with the best quality of life and survival available to them by implementing what I feel is the newest and most advanced technology.
“I am available to share information with providers and coordinate care with them for any referral patients.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Cardiomyopathy
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Ventricular Dysfunction
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Ventricular Assist Device Infection
- Ventricular Dysfunction
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
110 Irving St NW
MHVI-1st Floor North Addition
Washington, DC, 20010
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
PHC Bldg 5th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
163 Thomas Johnson Dr
Ste E
Frederick, MD, 21702
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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Classic 3500
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- IH-HMO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Beech Street PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Medicare Direct
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA EPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- IH-Open POS II
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Core Essential (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Choice Fund PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-POS
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Network OA
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Student Resources
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Navigate
- Sentara Health
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Employee Health Plan
- CIGNA Indemnity
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- First Health PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- POS OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- HighMark
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Medicare FFS
- Choice POS II
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Stanford University School of Medicine (2017)
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2016)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2012)
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine (2009)