Lester Kenneth Bowser, MD| Gastroenterology | MedStar Health
Learn More About Me
Specialties: Gastroenterology
Languages: Spanish, English
About me
Lester K. Bowser, MD, is a gastroenterologist at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. He is board-certified in gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and fellowship-trained in gastroenterology.
Dr. Bowser specializes in general gastroenterology, including EGD, which allows diagnosis and treatment of problems in the upper gastrointestinal tract; colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer; capsule endoscopy; biliary tract disorders; inflammatory bowel disease; liver and gallbladder disease; and Hepatitis C.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Bowser served as a Major in the United States Army, providing gastroenterological leadership and care for active duty military and their family members throughout the United States. He is a native Baltimorean and decided to return to the community after completing his military service as a gastroenterologist.
He has a special interest in colon cancer screening.
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominal Cramping
- Abdominal Pain
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Constipation
- Dysphagia
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
- Enteroscopy
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding And Rectal Bleeding
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Nausea
- Stomach Cramps
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Variceal Band Ligation
- Vomiting
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Adhesions
- Abdominal Cramping
- Abdominal Distension
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Digestive Findings
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Alimentary Tract Foreign Body
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Abscess
- Anal Fissures
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Aphagia
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon, Rectum, Anus And Anal Canal
- Benign Neoplasm Of Digestive System
- Bile Duct Stones
- Biliary Tract Obstruction
- Blood In Stool
- Bowel Obstruction
- Choledocholithiasis
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colitis
- Colon Disease
- Colon Polyp
- Colon Polyps
- Colon Stricture
- Colonic Obstruction
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Diabetic Gastroparesis
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Complications
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Diverticular Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dysphagia
- Epigastric Pain
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Stricture
- Esophagitis
- Flatulence
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gallstones
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastric Varices
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding And Rectal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hemangioma
- Hemangioma Of Digestive System
- Hemorrhoids
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatomegaly
- Hepatomegaly And Splenomegaly
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intestinal Infections
- Intestinal Stenosis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Jaundice
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Encephalopathy
- Liver Failure
- Liver Fibrosis
- Malabsorption
- Malnutrition
- Melena
- Nausea
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Paralytic Ileus And Intestinal Obstruction
- Perianal Fistula
- Perianal Pain
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Portal Hypertension
- Postoperative Ileus
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Proctitis
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Cramps
- Stomach Ulcers
- Swallowing Disorders
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Viral Hepatitis
- Vomiting
Procedures I perform
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy Through Stoma
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Colonoscopy With Injection
- Electrogastrography
- Endoscopic Argon Plasma Coagulation
- Endoscopic Clip Placement
- Endoscopic Laser Therapy
- Endoscopic Lower Esophagus Extraction
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
- Endoscopic Stomach Feeding Device Insertion
- Endoscopic Stricture Dilation
- Enteroscopy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Esophageal Debridement
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophageal PH Monitoring
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy With Biopsy
- Flexible Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastric Stenting
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Gastrojejunostomy
- Ileoscopy With Biopsy
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Lower Gi Therapeutic Substance Introduction
- Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
- Sclerotherapy For Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Stomach Drainage
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Upper Esophagus Dilation, Endoscopic
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Variceal Band Ligation
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
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- UHC Passport
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna VA Exchange
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Navigate
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Choice POS II
- TRICARE East Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Medicare FFS
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Sentara Health
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- First Health PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-POS
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Network OA
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Police and Fire Clinic
- OA Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- BlueChoice Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Basic
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- POS OA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst NASCO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Medicare Direct
- United Student Resources
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- HighMark
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Choice POS
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
Fellowship: San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education-Army (2000)
Residency: Walter Reed National Medical Center (1997)
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (1994)
Awards
- Top Doc (Gastroenterology) - Baltimore Magazine, 2013
- Top Doc (Gastroenterology) - Baltimore Magazine, 2015 Top Doc (Gastroenterology) - Castle Connolly, 2025
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- "Large Colonic Lipoma With Mucosal Ulceration Mimicking Carcinoma." Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. September 2003, 468-470
- "Viral Hepatitis Serology." The El Paso Physician. December 2000, 18-24.
- "The Role of Surveillance ERCP in Preventing Episodic Cholangitis in Patients with Recurrent Common Bile Duct Stones." Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. February 2000, 247-248.
- "Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to GI Endoscopy: A Survey of ASGE Members." DDW Poster Presentation. May 1999
- “Percutaneous Pseudocyst Drainage”. KENS TV Channel 5 (CBS affiliate) Medical Breakthroughs Segment. March 1999.
- "Environmental Fate and Effects of Chemical Simulants." U.S. Army Technical Report. January 1989