Learn More About Me
Specialties: Surgical Critical Care, General Surgery, Transplant Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, 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
- 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
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- 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
- Cardiac Surgical Device Explantation
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- External Heart Assist System Insertion
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Assist System Insertion
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Transplantation
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- 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
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Assist Device
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
110 Irving St NW
North Addition 1st Fl Ste 1243
Washington, DC, 20010
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
PHC Bldg 5th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
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
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open HMO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Basic
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Network OA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Optimum Choice
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Medicare Direct
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-Indemnity
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-EPO Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- UHC Passport
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- TRICARE for Life East
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- First Health PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Sentara Health
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- OA Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- IH-Open POS Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- POS OA
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open POS II
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Student Resources
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- First Health PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- HighMark
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna VA Exchange
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
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)