Heather Tennyson, FNP| Gastroenterology | MedStar Health
About me
Heather Tennyson is a certified nurse practitioner specializing in gastroenterology at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital, where she first started working as a nursing technician while attending college. She earned her Associate of Science in Nursing degree from the College of Southern Maryland and became a registered nurse supporting the MedStar St. Mary’s Telemetry and Emergency Departments for seven years, followed by 10 years at a local surgery center. While working and raising her children, Heather received her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Nursing from University of Maryland Global Campus and Purdue Global University, respectively.
In addition to a wide variety of gastrointestinal illnesses, Heather has extensive interest in treating acute and chronic diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Gastroenterological Association.
Heather, a native of St. Mary’s County, lives in Tall Timbers, Maryland, with her partner, three children, and Shih Tzu. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and putting together jigsaw puzzles.
"Every patient and their family are different, with their own unique needs. My goal is to design an individual treatment plan to help every one of my patients achieve the best possible outcome."
Clinical areas of focus
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Helicobacter Pylori Stool Test
- Pancreatitis
- Stent Placement
- Transrectal Ultrasound
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Pain
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Alimentary Tract Foreign Body
- Anal Fissures
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon, Rectum, Anus And Anal Canal
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Biliary Tract Obstruction
- Bowel Obstruction
- Choledocholithiasis
- Colitis
- Colon Disease
- Colon Polyp
- Colon Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Diverticular Disease
- Duodenitis
- Dysphagia
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Stricture
- Esophagitis
- Flatulence
- Functional Dyspepsia
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding And Rectal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- H. Pylori Infection
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hemangioma
- Hemorrhoids
- Hepatomegaly And Splenomegaly
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) With Infection
- Intestinal Infections
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Encephalopathy
- Malabsorption
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Paralytic Ileus And Intestinal Obstruction
- Perianal Fistula
- Perianal Itching
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Diseases
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Viral Hepatitis
Procedures I perform
- Bleeding Ulcer Treatment
- Colonoscopy
- Endoscopic Clip Placement
- Ercp With Stone Extraction
- Fecal Microbiota Transplant
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal Bacterial Infection Diagnosis
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention
- Gastrointestinal Care
- Gastrointestinal Complications Of Diabetes Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Consultation
- Gastrointestinal Disease Prevention
- Gastrointestinal Disease Screening
- Gastrointestinal Evaluation
- Gastrointestinal Foreign Body Removal
- Gastrointestinal Functional Disorder Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Health Maintenance
- Gastrointestinal Infection Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Intervention
- Gastrointestinal Management
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Gastrointestinal Therapy
- Gastrointestinal Tube Placement
- Gastrointestinal Wellness
- Helicobacter Pylori Stool Test
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Liver Disease Consultation
- Pancreatitis Treatment
- Rectal Stricture Dilation
- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Testing
- Stent Placement
- Transrectal Ultrasound
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 Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-POS
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Select
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Classic 5000
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HighMark
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Navigate
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Beech Street PPO
- POS OA
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- OA Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Medicare Direct
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Sentara Health
- Police and Fire Clinic
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UHC Passport
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Choice POS II
- Aetna HMO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Basic
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-Open POS II
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Network OA
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA Indemnity
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Employee Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
Education
Board Certification: American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Graduate: Purdue University Global (2021)