About me
As a Board Certified/Board eligible critical care physician, all conditions requiring intensive care in the medical, surgical, or neurosciences ICU are treated.
About the Provider
Darling Ruiz, MD, is an attending pulmonary and critical care physician at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments and illnesses of the lungs, including asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, and unknown causes of shortness of breath and cough. Dr. Ruiz uses a wide range of diagnostic testing in her practice, including bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, and transbronchial needle aspiration. Her clinical interests include evaluation and management of interstitial lung disease, the use of endobronchial ultrasound for lung cancer screening and staging, and treating patients with COPD, asthma, and sarcoidosis.
Dr. Ruiz received her medical degree from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua in Managua, Nicaragua. Dr. Ruiz then served as an attending general practitioner at Matron Roberts Polyclinic II in Belize City, Belize before joining Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD for a three-year internal medicine residency, where she served as Chief Resident and was named Intern of the Year for 2013-2014. Dr. Ruiz completed a specialty fellowship in pulmonary and critical care at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she also served as Chief Fellow. She is a member of the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Ruiz is fluent in Spanish.
Philosophy of Care
“My goal is to not only improve the health of my patients but to improve their quality of life. I follow and implement best practices and guidelines, heavily taking into consideration the preferences, priorities, and treatment goals of my patients. Collaborating with my patients is important to me. I take the time to practice clear communication with my patients so that they fully understand their diagnosis and treatment options and are therefore able to make informed decisions regarding their care.”
Conditions and procedures
Procedures I perform
- Bronchoscopy
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Pulmonary Embolism
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 HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice Fund PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Network OA
- UHC Passport
- Aetna HMO
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-POS
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-EPO Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Choice POS
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- First Health PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Employee Health Plan
- TRICARE East Prime
- Navigate
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA EPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-Open POS II
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Indemnity
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Basic
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Choice POS II Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- OA Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS Plus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United Student Resources
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- IH-HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CIGNA PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst NASCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Choice POS II
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- First Health PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Medicare FFS
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- HighMark
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2020)
Residency: Ascension Maryland Saint Agnes Hospital (2017)
Graduate: Universidad de Cadiz (2008)
Medical School: Universidad Nacional Autonoma Nicaragua (2007)