Learn More About Me
Specialties: Cardiac Surgery, Transplant Surgery, General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, Thoracic Surgery
Languages: English
About me
Keki R. Balsara, MD, MBA, FACS, FACC, is Surgical Director of Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support at the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, the highest volume ventricular-assist device program in the Mid Atlantic, and Professor of Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Balsara joins us from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he served as Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief Quality and Safety Officer in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. Moreover, he was the Vice Chair of Network Surgical Strategy and Development for the Section of Surgical Sciences. He had an additional appointment at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. He was previously Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Surgical Director for the Cardiothoracic Surgery ICU at Washington University in St. Louis/Barnes Jewish Hospital.
As a board-certified cardiac surgeon and intensivist with nearly 10 years of experience in the field, Dr. Balsara sees patients across the entire spectrum of cardiac disease. This includes coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, aortic pathology, and complex re-operative surgery. He has a particular interest in end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support. He brings with him a wealth of experience in expanding both the donor and recipient pools for transplantation, including the use of hepatitis-C and DCD-donors, as well as broad utilization of the TransMedics® OCS™ Heart System platform and normothermic regional perfusion.
Additional clinical interests include cardiac critical care and end-of-life care. Dr. Balsara has a particular interest in quality improvement and standardization of care to improve outcomes, reduce waste, and increase access to care. In particular, he is passionate about leveraging the scale of health systems to offer a variety of cutting-edge therapies to patients from varied geographic and economic backgrounds who have previously been denied access.
His research interests have focused on expanding ways to increase the number of organs available, including the use of the TransMedics® OCS™ Heart System, identifying DCD (donor after cardiac death) donors, and the use of normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) for DCD donor organs. More recently, his research has looked at maximizing hospital-wide efficiencies, focusing on cost-containment in the operating room, an interest that goes hand-in-hand with his MBA focus on management and strategy.
Dr. Balsara received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed an internship and residency in general surgery at the Duke University School of Medicine. In addition, he completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in end-stage heart and lung failure and a fellowship in surgical critical care at Duke. He did his cardiothoracic surgical training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dedicated to the advancement of the field of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Balsara is widely published and has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and multiple book chapters, and has been an invited lecturer, discussant, and/or moderator for numerous national and international meetings. He is also committed to teaching medical students and residents, cultivating the next generation of healthcare leaders.
He is a member of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, American College of Surgeons, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and American College of Healthcare Executives.
Dr. Balsara is an Ad Hoc reviewer for multiple publications, including Allergy – The European Journal of Allergy and Immunology, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Annals
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aneurysm Of Descending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Heart Attack
- Heart Bypass Surgery
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Postoperative Complications
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Right Ventricular Aneurysm
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Transposition Of The Great Arteries
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Atrial Septum Supplement
- Bilateral Cardiac Sampling And Pressure
- Cardiac Rhythm Measurement
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Surgical Device Explantation
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- External Heart Assist System Insertion
- External Iliac Artery Supplement
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Assist System Insertion
- Heart Therapeutic Injection
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Transplantation
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus Repair
- Pericardial Cavity Drainage
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pericardiotomy
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Assist Device
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
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Police and Fire Clinic
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Choice POS
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-EPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- UHC Passport
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- IH-POS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-Network Only Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HighMark
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open POS II
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-HMO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Choice POS II Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Medicare FFS
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Optimum Choice
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Administrators
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Navigate
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Choice POS II
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst EPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Network OA
- Aetna HMO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- First Health PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- TRICARE East Prime
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CIGNA PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Graduate: University of Pennsylvania (2019)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2014)
Fellowship: Duke University Medical Center (2011)
Residency: Duke University Medical Center (2010)
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania (2003)