About me
Hedy Smith, MD, PhD, is a hematologist and member of the American Society of Hematology who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hemoglobin disorders, including thalassemia and sickle cell disease; bleeding and thrombotic disorders; cytopenias; immune disorders, such as immune thrombocytopenic (or ITP), autoimmune hemolytic anemias, and common variable immune deficiency; and myeloproliferative neoplasms and other malignant blood diseases. As part of the diagnostic process, Dr. Smith performs bone marrow biopsies to identify myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemias, and lymphomas.
Dr. Smith earned a PhD in immunology from the University of New Mexico before receiving her medical degree from the University of Tennessee. She then joined Tufts Medical Center, School of Medicine for residency training in internal medicine before completing a three-year fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Tufts Medical Center. She stayed at the Hematology/Oncology Division at Tufts Medical Center where she practiced for 11 years as an attending physician. Dr. Smith has a passion for teaching and mentorship of residents and fellows and, in recognition of her dedication to this aspect of academic medicine, she was awarded “The Career Award for Excellence in Housestaff Teaching” in 2016.
Her clinical interest is in non-malignant hematologic disorders including bleeding and thrombotic disorders such as hemophilias, von Willebrand disease, ITP, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), paroxysymal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and Myeloproliferative disorders (Polycythemia Vera, Essential thrombocythemia, hyerp-eosinophilic disorders, myelofibrosis). Much of her research has been on comprehensive care models for the treatment of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), as well as novel therapies for SCD. Dr. Smith most recently served as Principal Investigator in the Phase III clinical trial being conducted by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, which evaluates the efficacy and safety of a novel therapy for sickle cell disease. She was also co-investigator of a large national trial exploring bone marrow transplantation as a curative approach in young adults with severe sickle cell disease.
Currently, there is a wide therapeutic landscape in development for sickle cell disease and Dr. Smith is passionate about her role as a clinical leader in this area of Hematology. She has also been heavily involved in community efforts aimed at improving the lives of patients and families affected by sickle cell disease. For this, she was honored by the Boston City Council and the Boston Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association “For Excellence in Medicine and advocacy on Behalf of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.”
Dr. Smith has been the recipient of US News and World Report’s “Top Doctors” and “Boston Top Doctors” distinctions. She was nominated for and received honorable mention for the “Schwartz Compassionate Award in Medicine” in 2005.
Philosophy of Care
“The right plan of care for all patients should be comprehensive, holistic, and must acknowledge that there is a person and a story behind the disease with which the patient is diagnosed. Patients under my care will always be treated with respect and will be invited to be a partner in their care".
“Partnering in your care involves developing some sort of literacy about your medical condition. I strongly emphasize my role and responsibility for educating the patient and bringing them to an understanding of their disease. When patients gain an understanding of their diagnosis, they make more rational decisions about treatment, including issues related to end of life. I believe that my job is to help the patient make reasonable choices - one that preserves their dignity".
“My practice is built on compassion, trustworthiness, and making the patient feel safe. It is important to me that my patients feel that I am approachable and accessibi
Clinical areas of focus
- Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosis
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Blood Disorder Diagnosis
- Bone Marrow Biopsy And Aspiration
- Magnesium Imbalance Treatment
- Newborn Screening Tests
- Sickle Cell Anemia Treatment
Procedures I perform
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy
- Antineoplastic Injection
- Ascites Drainage
- Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosis
- Blood Banking
- Blood Cancer Diagnosis
- Blood Cancer Treatment
- Blood Clotting Disorder Diagnosis
- Blood Clotting Disorder Screening
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Blood Disorder Diagnosis
- Blood Transfusion
- Bone Marrow Aspiration
- Bone Marrow Biopsy And Aspiration
- Bone Marrow Failure Treatment
- Coagulopathy Management
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Growth Hormone Screening
- Hemophilia Treatment
- Iliac Bone Marrow Extraction
- Insertion Infusion Device
- Leukemia Treatment
- Leukopenia Treatment
- Lymphoma Diagnosis
- Lymphoma Treatment
- Magnesium Imbalance Treatment
- Multiple Myeloma Treatment
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome Treatment
- Myeloma Diagnosis
- Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Treatment
- Newborn Screening Tests
- Nonautologous Globulin Transfusion
- Nonautologous Platelets Transfusion
- Nonautologous Red Blood Cells Transfusion
- Nonautologous Whole Blood Transfusion
- Pancreas Transplant Malignancy Screening
- Removal Of Central Venous Access Device
- Sickle Cell Anemia Treatment
- Thrombocytapheresis
- Venous Access Device Removal
- Vitamin Deficiency Screening
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
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst EPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- UHC Passport
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- OA Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Medicare FFS
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-EPO Plus
- POS OA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- HighMark
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Network OA
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA Indemnity
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- IH-HMO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- TRICARE East Select
- Choice POS
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Navigate
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Hematology
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (2003)
Residency: Tufts Medical Center (2000)
Medical School: University of Tennessee-Memphis (1997)