About me
Blerta Hamza, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner who is board-certified in adult gerontology at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in the management of cancerous and noncancerous nodules (abnormal spots) in the lungs. She is also a member of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).
Her approach to care centers on nurturing trusting and compassionate relationships that empower patients to prioritize their overall well-being. She begins by having empathetic and insightful conversations about their conditions, wellness goals, and healthcare barriers. She also performs exams that include reviews of medical histories and imaging tests. She then collaborates with an experienced and multidisciplinary team of specialists – pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, oncologists, and radiologists – to develop personalized treatment, management, and support plans.
Blerta is dedicated to advancing the early detection of lung nodules to identify cancers when they are most curable. Her research interests focus on boosting enrollment in tobacco cessation programs to reduce the risks of adverse health issues. She is also excited about the hospital’s new Lung Nodule Clinic that provides comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, and monitoring options at one convenient location. Referring physicians should know that Blerta is committed to sharing regular updates about their patients’ progress while providing evidence-based care to optimize the quality of their lives.
Philosophy of care
“My admiration of healthcare workers started when I was a child with an illness of my mother. The compassion and patience given to her by doctors, nurses, and other clinicians sparked my initial drive to enter the field. That journey included working in inpatient hospital settings, where I cared for many patients with late-stage lung cancer. These two experiences motivated me to eventually specialize in lung nodule medicine and educate people about the importance of early screenings.”
About the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute
MedStar Washington Hospital Center is part of the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute, which combines medical expertise, the latest therapies, and research across MedStar Health. Our research engine, the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Washington, D.C., region. This partnership means we provide access to cutting-edge clinical trials and the latest breakthroughs in cancer care.
Clinical areas of focus
- Arthrocentesis
- Asthma Management
- Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure Management
- Lung Cancer Treatment
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Exacerbation Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Central Sleep Apnea
- Chronic Asthma
- Chronic Cough
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Emphysema
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Respiratory Failure
- Sarcoidosis
- Sepsis
Procedures I perform
- Airway Dilation
- Arthrocentesis
- Asthma Management
- Bronchoscopy
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
- Copd Management
- Cystic Fibrosis Treatment
- Cystitis Management
- Endobronchial Ultrasound
- Homocysteine Lowering Therapy
- Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure Management
- Impedance Plethysmography
- Intubation
- Laryngoscopy With Tumor Excision
- Lobectomy
- Lung Biopsy
- Lung Cancer Treatment
- Lung Transplant
- Mesenteric Angiography
- Nebulizer Therapy
- Non-Invasive Ventilation
- Pleural Cavity Drainage
- Pulmonary Function Tests
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Sleep Study
- Spirometry Test
- Thoracoscopy
- Thoracoscopy With Pleurodesis
- Tracheostomy
- Tracheostomy Management
- Transplant Pneumonectomy
- Wedge Resection
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
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Choice POS II
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- UHC Passport
- IH-Open POS Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- HighMark
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- POS OA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- TRICARE for Life East
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- Sentara Health
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- TRICARE East Select
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst Administrators
- OA Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst NASCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Network OA
- Choice Fund PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Choice POS
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Tricare Reserve Select
- IH-HMO
- IH-Open POS II
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Basic
- IH-Indemnity
- Navigate
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- BlueChoice Open Access
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Employee Health Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Optimum Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
Education
Board Certification: American Nurses Credentialing Center
Graduate: George Washington University (2020)
Awards
- International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing, Phi Epsilon Chapter Golden Key International Honor Society