About me
Dr. Chami is an experienced, fellowship trained, board certified transplant nephrologist with more than 15 years of experience in the field.
She joins the team as the associate medical director of kidney transplantation as well as the transplant fellowship director. She comes to MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute from Tufts Medicine where she served as the medical director of kidney transplantation.
Dr. Chami has been featured in multiple news stories and appeared on the cover of Boston magazine Top Doctors.
She earned her medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, completed a nephrology fellowship at Weill Cornell Medical Center and a Transplant Fellowship at Emory University where she practiced as a transplant nephrologist for 10 years.
Her areas of special interest and expertise include kidney transplantation, immune suppression management, including once monthly belatacept immunosuppression infusions, living kidney donation, and managing patients before and after kidney transplantation.
Her research focuses on the use of belatacept to improve the long term survival of renal grafts, HLA matching in kidney transplantation, and expanding living donor criteria by exploring acceptance criteria. Her research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and she has authored book chapters as well as presented at national conferences and meetings. She is a member of the American Society of Transplantation, the Transplantation Society, and the American Society of Nephrology.
Dr. Chami is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
Dr. Chami’s medical approach is to care for every patient as a whole person. She treats each patient as a unique individual, tailoring treatment plans to fit their specific needs and personal goals.
When she is not working, she enjoys travel, live music and exploring international cuisines.
Clinical areas of focus
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Hematuria
- High Blood Pressure
- Hypertension
- Kidney Stones
- Long Term Drug Therapy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Anuria
- Azotemia
- Berger's Disease
- Blood In Urine
- Cardiorenal Syndrome
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Chronic Tubulo
- Chronic Tubulointerstitial Disease
- Chronic Tubulointerstitial Nephritis
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Congenital Malformation Syndromes Affecting Multiple Systems
- Contracted Kidney
- Cystinuria
- Diabetes Mellitus Due To Underlying Condition
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Dialysis Care
- Disorders Of Renal Tubular Function
- Electrolyte Disorders
- End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Fluid Overload
- Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
- Hematuria
- Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
- High Blood Pressure
- Hydronephrosis
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Hypernatremia
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypertension
- Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis
- Hypokalemia
- Interstitial Nephritis
- Kidney Cancer
- Kidney Infection (PYELONEPHRITIS)
- Kidney Inflammation
- Kidney Stones
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Lupus Nephritis
- Medullary Sponge Kidney
- Membranous Nephropathy
- Minimal Change Disease
- Nephrocalcinosis
- Nephrolithiasis
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Nephrotic Syndrome Due To Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
- Neutropenia
- Obstructive And Reflux Uropathy
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Proteinuria
- Proteinuria (EXCESS PROTEIN IN URINE)
- Pyelonephritis
- Rapidly Progressive Nephritic Syndrome
- Recurrent Hematuria
- Renal Agenesis And Reduction Defects Of Kidney
- Renal Artery Stenosis
- Renal Cyst
- Renal Cysts
- Renal Hypertension
- Renal Insufficiency
- Renal Tubular Acidosis
- Renovascular Disease
- Secondary Hypertension
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Small Kidney
- Systemic Connective Tissue Involvement
- Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
- Uremia
- Vasculitis
- Wilms Tumor
Procedures I perform
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Treatment
- Acute Kidney Injury Treatment
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test
- Cardiorenal Syndrome Treatment
- Creatinine Clearance Test
- Duplex Scan Of Abdominal Organs
- Electrolyte Imbalance Treatment
- Electrolyte Management
- Electrolyte Panel
- End Stage Renal Disease Treatment
- Fluid Management
- Fluid Overload Management
- Fluid Overload Treatment
- Graft Placement
- Hematuria Treatment
- Hyperkalemia Treatment
- Hypertension Treatment
- Kidney Function Test
- Limited Retroperitoneal Ultrasound
- Lupus Nephritis Treatment
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Nephrectomy
- Nephritic Syndrome Treatment
- Nephrocalcinosis Treatment
- Nephrology Consultation
- Nephrotic Syndrome Treatment
- Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
- Peritoneal Cavity Irrigation With Dialysate
- Phosphorus Management
- Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Management
- Potassium Management
- Proteinuria Treatment
- Renal Biopsy
- Renal Nutrition Counseling
- Renal Vein Thrombosis Treatment
- Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Treatment
- Sodium Management
- Urinary Filtration Performance
- Vascular Access Creation
- Vascular Access Management
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
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- UHC Passport
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-POS
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Medicare Direct
- First Health PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- OA Plus
- Sentara Health
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Network OA
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-EPO Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Optimum Choice
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Choice POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- HealthyBlue PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- HighMark
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Student Resources
- Navigate
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA EPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CIGNA PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Open POS II
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- POS OA
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- IH-PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Choice POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- TRICARE East Select
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology
Fellowship: Emory University Hospital-GME (2011)
Fellowship: New York Presbyterian Hospital (2009)
Internship: Emory University School Of Medicine (2006)
Medical School: McGill University (2003)