About me
Lauren Smith, MD, MHS, is a board-certified rheumatologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University who sees patients in the rheumatology clinic at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She cares for patients with all types of rheumatic disease, with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory arthritis, myositis, sarcoidosis, and vasculitis.
Dr. Smith’s is an active member of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Currently, she serves as a member of the Collaborative Initiatives Committee, which directly aligns with her interest of community outreach to both physicians and patients to bridge gaps caused by health disparities. Her research to date has focused on evaluating tools to improve communication with patients with scleroderma. She has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Arthritis Care & Research and Current Rheumatology Reports. Dr. Smith is also actively involved in clinical research trials to investigate therapies for scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Her philosophy of care is centered on shared decision making with her patients. She takes the time to educate every patient about their condition so they can understand the disease and recommended treatment plan.
Dr. Smith earned her medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. She completed her residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and a fellowship in rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University where she also earned a master’s in clinical investigation. As a medical student, she shared her medical skills as a volunteer for DR Salud, a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and as a volunteer for Equal Access Clinic in Gainesville, Florida. When she’s not working, Dr. Smith enjoys exercising and traveling. She’s also a big basketball fan and played the sport competitively throughout high school and college.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Inflammatory Myositis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Vasculitis
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Antisynthetase Syndrome
- Axial Spondyloarthritis
- Behcet's Disease
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
- Discoid Lupus
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
- Gout
- Iga Vasculitis
- Igg4-Related Disease
- Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Inflammatory Myositis
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis
- Lupus Nephritis
- Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Polyarteritis Nodosa
- Pseudogout
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Raynaud's Disease
- Relapsing Polychondritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Takayasu Arteritis
- Vasculitis
Procedures I perform
- Arthrocentesis
- Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDS)
- Infusion Therapy
- Modified Rodnan Skin Score (IN SCLERODERMA)
- Nailfold Capillaroscopy (EVALUATION OF RAYNAUD’S DISEASE)
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 6th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
Insurance
This list represents the major payors accepted by MedStar Health. NOTE: Payor contracts change and not all plans associated with a payor may be covered. Payors may offer multiple plans. If you have a question related to your insurance, please contact your insurance plan directly. Contact information is located on your health insurance ID card. *Denotes limited participation. Specific providers and practices may NOT be participating. Please contact your insurance plan directly.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland
- Cigna Health Care
- Kaiser Permanente*
- MedStar Select (Administered by CareFirst)
- United HealthCare
- Aetna
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland
- Healthspring
- Humana
- Medicare & Railroad Medicare
- United HealthCare
- Aetna Better Health of Maryland *
- Medical Assistance/Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice MD
- Priority Partners *
- United HealthCare Community Health Plan MD
- Wellpoint MD
- AmeriHealth Caritas
- Health Services For Children With Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Medical Assistance/Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice DC
- Johns Hopkins Employer Health Programs *
- Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan *
- MultiPlan
- Private Healthcare Systems
- Tricare/Humana Military
- VA Community Care Network (VACCN)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2022)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2018)
Medical School: University of Florida (2015)