About me
John Conte, MD, is a highly experienced and accomplished cardiovascular surgeon at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital with over 30 years of experience. He is known for his expertise in treating aortic, coronary artery, and heart valve disease, often performing complex and re-operative surgeries.
A pioneer in his field, Dr. Conte was the first in Pennsylvania to use the HAART aortic valve ring, which is now commonly used. Additionally, he contributed to an early body of research that led to technologies like artificial hearts and heart pumps. A strong advocate of the safe integration of new technologies, he firmly believes it is a physician's responsibility to help clients navigate the world of developing technologies to determine the best option for their clinical situation and long-term health goals.
A strong advocate for the safe integration of new technologies, Dr. Conte firmly believes it is a physician's responsibility to help clients navigate the world of developing technologies to determine the best option for their clinical situation and their long-term health goals. He pays close attention to evolving technologies that will allow surgeons to do less invasive valve repairs and replacements and incorporates them into his clinical practice.
Dedicated to advancing cardiovascular knowledge and improving outcomes, Dr. Conte was integral in founding the Maryland Cardiac Surgery Quality Initiative (MCSQI) and served as its first president. The MCSQI’s mission is to bring surgeons from across the state together to share, review, and analyze data to improve patient outcomes and lower patient surgery costs. This organization focuses on collaboration versus competition and is moving the needle to ensure that every patient in Maryland receives the best care possible, regardless of location or means.
Dr. Conte completed his medical training and residency in general surgery at Georgetown University, followed by fellowship training in cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University. His professional career began at the University of Maryland in 1995, where he held leadership positions. Later, he spent 20 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital before assuming the role of Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vice Chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute in 2020.
Throughout his long career, Dr. Conte has belonged to and held leadership positions in all the major cardiological society organizations. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the American College of Cardiology. He has received numerous honors and awards, including a Meritorious Achievement Award in 2019 from the Maryland Cardiac Surgery Qualitative Initiative.
Philosophy of Care
“After decades of being away from Maryland, I am excited to return to my home where it all started. As an experienced practitioner, I look forward to being a part of a fantastic team of physicians who are dedicated to building and developing the program at MedStar Health.
“Once I take on a patient, I do everything possible to ensure they have the best shot possible to heal and recover. I want my patients to know that I am experienced, and more importantly, I will do what is best for them, no matter what.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Bentall Procedure
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Mitral Valve Repair
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Artery Bone Graft Harvest
- Atrial Fibrillation Surgery
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Bentall Procedure
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cardiac Cardioversion
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Output Assistance
- Cardiac Output Monitoring
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring
- Cardiac Surgery For Cardiac Tumors
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Surgery For Heart Transplantation
- Cardiac Surgery For Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardioversion
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Device Implantation For Heart Failure
- Electrocardiogram
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Event Monitoring
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Ultrasonography
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Interrogation
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Optimization
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Placement
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Insertion
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Intraoperative Echocardiography
- Laparoscopic Revision Of Gastric Restrictive Procedure
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Mobile Cardiac Telemetry
- Mons Filler
- Pacemaker Interrogation
- Pacemaker Reprogramming
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pillar Procedure
- Pregnancy-Related Cardiac Arrest
- Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Stenting Of An Artery
- Surgical Treatment Of Cardiac Tamponade
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transplant Pneumonectomy
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Valvuloplasty
- Venous Closure Device Placement
- Ventricular Restoration
- Wheat Procedure
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 Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Beech Street PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- United Student Resources
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Choice
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- IH-POS
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Choice POS
- IH-Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Select
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open HMO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Employee Health Plan
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA EPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- First Health PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- HealthyBlue PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UHC Passport
- IH-PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Sentara Health
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Navigate
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- TRICARE East Prime
- First Health PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Optimum Choice
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-EPO Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Administrators
- OA Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Network Only Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Medicare FFS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Network OA
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- POS OA
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- MultiPlan, Inc
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Residency: Stanford University Hospitals & Clinics GME (1995)
Residency: Georgetown University School of Medicine GME (1992)
Medical School: Georgetown University (1986)