About me
Miguel Pinilla Vera, MD, also known as ‘Doctor Miguel’ to his patients, is an attending in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology at the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute.
Dr. Miguel Pinilla Vera provides diagnostic testing and evidence-based treatment to patients who are at all stages of heart failure (weakening of the heart muscle)–from the early and asymptomatic stages to the most advanced situations, in which a heart transplant or a mechanical long-term pump might be needed.
A major focus of Dr. Pinilla Vera’s practice involves taking care of patients by using medications; recommending changes in lifestyle; and evaluating the necessity of using mechanical pumps, like left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and heart transplantation, when medication treatment is no longer an option. He works closely with the cardiac surgeons at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, one of the largest LVADs centers in the world, to care for patients who require surgical intervention for advanced heart failure.
His clinical and research interests include diagnosing, treating, and providing long-term care for patients with advanced heart failure and inflammatory cardiomyopathy. Dr. Pinilla Vera is passionate about further understanding the mechanisms of the development of heart failure as well as finding better ways to treat patients with this condition. He plans to collaborate with other physicians and investigators at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute aiming to discover and offer better options to care for patients with heart failure.
Dr. Pinilla Vera trained in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and in cardiology and heart failure and transplant cardiology at Johns Hopkins University. He also obtained extensive training in molecular research at Duke University and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, in addition to research training in molecular cardiology at Johns Hopkins. This led to multiple publications in the best scientific journals and, most recently, a scholarship from the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
Dr. Pinilla Vera is also a native Spanish speaker. When not accompanying his patients in their care journey, Dr. Pinilla Vera enjoys being a husband and father to two kids, swimming, playing soccer, and learning to snowboard and play the drums.
Philosophy of care
“My family members and I have been patients too. I strive to provide and encourage everyone on my team to care for patients as if it was for me or my family members. When I meet my patients for the first time, I emphasize that I have their backs and am navigating this journey with them and their families; rain or shine, through smooth and stormy waters.
“Caring for patients with advanced heart conditions requires a team approach. I prioritize communication with other members of the team across MedStar Health, but especially with referring physicians, who allow me the privilege of becoming a member of their team by taking care of their patients.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Cardiac Amyloid
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Circulatory Assist Devices
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Heart Transplant
- Home Inotropes
- Left Heart Failure
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Ventricular Assist Device
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia
- Beriberi
- Cardiac Amyloid
- Cardiac Insufficiency
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Cor Pulmonale
- Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Genetic Cardiomyopathy
- Giant Cell Myocarditis
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis
- Infiltrative Disorders Of The Heart
- Left Heart Failure
- Myocarditis
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Failure
- Right Heart Failure
- Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Tachycardia Induced Cardiomyopathy
- Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
- Viral Cardiomyopathy
Procedures I perform
- Cardiomems
- Chronic Inotropic Therapy
- Circulatory Assist Devices
- Heart Biopsy
- Heart Transplant
- Home Inotropes
- Mechanical Circulatory Support
- Pretransplant Clearance
- Ventricular Assist Device
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
110 Irving Street Northwest MHVI-1st Floor North Addition Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-7464Fax 202-877-2799
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
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- CFBCBS EPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CIGNA EPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Network OA
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Innovation Health: POS
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Open POS II
- PPO and PPO Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Open EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- Choice Fund PPO
- Tricare Prime
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Open HMO
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- FIRST HEALTH
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Opoen HMO Option
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship Program: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2022)
Residency Program: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2021)
Residency Program: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2016)
Medical School: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (2008)