Joseph James Jennings, MD| Gastroenterology | MedStar Health
About me
Dr. Joseph J. Jennings is a board-certified gastroenterologist with a focus on bleeding within the GI tract. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2012 and completed his Internal Medicine training at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in 2015. He served as the Chief Medical Resident for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and served as an attending physician in Internal Medicine at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and Virginia Hospital Center as well. He completed his three year fellowship in Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and served as Chief Fellow in 2018-2019.
Dr. Jennings strives to create a relationship with his patients that promotes joint decision making and patient empowerment. He also has a strong interest in medical education and training. He currently serves as the associate director for the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital's gastroenterology fellowship program.
Dr. Jennings is board certfied in Internal Medicine since 2015 and Gastroenterology/Hepatology since 2019 (Dr. Jennings Board Certifications). He has been recognized by multiple organizations as a "Top Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist" both for the DC region as well as on the national level.
Dr. Jennings sees patients at three locations currently:
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital for in person or virtual clinic visits as well as endoscopic procedures (Monday, Tuesday, Wedenesday mornings, and Friday afternoons)
MedStar Lafayette Centre for clinic visits as well as endoscopic procedures (Thursday, and Friday mornings)
MedStar McLean for in person clinic visits (First Wednesdays of each month)
Clinical areas of focus
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Sigmoidoscopy With Biopsy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Celiac Disease
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Crohn's Disease
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Dysphagia
- Esophageal Cancer
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- Hematemesis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Iron Deficiency Testing
- Proctitis
- Rectal Cancer
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Ulcerative Colitis
Procedures I perform
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy Through Stoma
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Colonoscopy With Injection
- EGD With Biopsy
- EGD With Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Evaluation Of Intestinal Pouch
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Stomach Feeding Device Insertion
- Endoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Enteroscopy With Biopsy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy With Tumor Ablation
- Flexible Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Ileoscopy With Biopsy
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy With Biopsy
- Upper Esophagus Dilation, Endoscopic
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
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
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- First Health PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- IH-POS Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- POS OA
- United Student Resources
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-HMO
- IH-Indemnity
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Choice Fund PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-EPO Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Employee Health Plan
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Network OA
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Optimum Choice
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Choice POS II
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open POS II
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- OA Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
Fellowship: Medstar-Georgetown University Medical Center (2019)
Residency: Georgetown University Hospital (2016)
Medical School: Georgetown University (2012)
Awards
- 2023 and 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor in Gastroenterology
- 2023, 2024, and 2025 Washingtonian Top Doctor in Gastroenterology
- Thomas Taylor Award for Excellence in Teaching and Patient Care (2019)
- 2019 American College of Gastroenterology Young Physician Leadership Scholar
- 2018 American College of Gastroenterology GI Jeopardy Winner
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Dr. Jennings talking with Men's Health on acid reflux, swallowing, and coughs
- Facebook Live: Colon Cancer Prevention
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2023: Screening, risks and more
- Study: Colon cancer cases increase among younger adults
- Washington ABC7 National Colorectal Cancer Awareness 2023
- Health Watch: Avoiding holiday heartburn with Dr. Joseph Jennings
- Wondering Why Your Stomach Hurts After You Eat? Here Are 9 Possible Reasons
- Dr. Jennings promoting Colon Cancer Awareness Month
- 12 Days of Wellness - Dr. Jennings talks about celiac disease and holiday meals
- Dr. Jennings talks about COVID-19 and the GI Tract on NBC Washington
- Dr. Jennings recognized by the American College of Gastroenterology
Selected/Recent Publications
- Breast Cancer Metastasis to the Gastrointestinal Tract With Unusual Endoscopic and Histologic Presentations. Kimchy, Alexandra & Umoren, Mfoniso & Rosenberg, Jessica & Ilagan, Charmaine & Nithagon, Pichayut & Shafa, Shervin & Jennings, Joseph. (2022). ACG case reports journal. 9. e00938. 10.14309/crj.0000000000000938.
- Hepatotoxicty of Agents Used in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a 2020 Update. Barnhill MS, Steinberg JM, Jennings JJ, Lewis JH.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2020 Jul 15;22(9):47. doi: 10.1007/s11894-020-00781-3.PMID: 32671616 Review.
- Hepatotoxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a comprehensive review including current and alternative management strategies. Jennings JJ, Mandaliya R, Nakshabandi A, Lewis JH.Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2019 Mar;15(3):231-244. doi: 10.1080/17425255.2019.1574744. Epub 2019 Feb 5.PMID: 30677306 Review.
- NAFLD-NASH: An Under-Recognized Epidemic.Jennings J, Faselis C, Yao MD.Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2018;16(3):209-213. doi: 10.2174/1570161115666170622074007.PMID: 28676024 Review.
- Novel Use for Maloney Dilators in the Management of Gastrostomy Stenosis Jennings JJ, Batisda-Coelho R, Lipman TO.ACG Case Rep J. 2019 Apr 5;6(4):e00054. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000054. eCollection 2019 Apr.PMID: 31616736 Free PMC article.
- Outcomes of vedolizumab therapy in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis: a multi-center study. Abu-Sbeih H, Ali FS, Alsaadi D, Jennings JJ, Luo W, Gong Z, Richards DM, Charabaty A, Wang Y.J Immunother Cancer. 2018 Dec 5;6(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s40425-018-0461-4.PMID: 30518410 Free PMC article.
- Vedolizumab-Induced Remission in 3 Patients With Refractory Microscopic Colitis: A Tertiary Care Center Case Series. Jennings JJ, Charabaty A.Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2019 Jul 17;25(8):e97. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izz042.PMID: 30889247 No abstract available.
- H pylori treatment reduced risk for gastric cancer in patients with a family history of gastric cancer. Jennings JJ.Ann Intern Med. 2020 Jun 16;172(12):JC66. doi: 10.7326/ACPJ202006160-066.PMID: 32539507
- Understanding patient preference for physician attire: a cross-sectional observational study of 10 academic medical centres in the USA. Petrilli CM, Saint S, Jennings JJ, Caruso A, Kuhn L, Snyder A, Chopra V.BMJ Open. 2018 May 29;8(5):e021239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021239.PMID: 29844101 Free PMC article.