Learn More About Me
Specialties: General Surgery, Structural Heart Disease Cardiology, Thoracic Surgery, Cardiac Surgery
Languages: English
410-554-6534
About me
Rachel Harrison, MD, is a cardiac surgeon at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. She is board certified in general and thoracic surgery.
Dr. Harrison treats ischemic cardiac disease, structural heart conditions, valvular disease, and rhythm disorders, often through minimally invasive approaches. She is uniquely skilled in complex lead extraction and management, related to pacemakers and defibrillators, which may be necessary due to infections, device recalls, and other complications.
As a result of Dr. Harrison’s advanced surgical training, she offers her patients high levels of confidence in her technical expertise. She’s also had significant experience caring for very sick patients––prior to joining MedStar Health, she managed advanced heart failure, providing mechanical support, such as LVADs, and heart transplantation. She has served as an educator in the fields of lead management and heart failure, sharing her knowledge with other clinicians.
Dr. Harrison’s current research interests focus on structural heart and valvular protocols, including minimally invasive methods for replacing and repairing the tricuspid and mitral valves.
Philosophy of Care
“Every patient of mine is number one––in the clinic and in the operating room. I ensure the whole care team is united in our goals for surgery, always prioritizing what’s best for the patient. I treat each person as if they were a member of my own family and help guide them through decisions with a measured approach. I am conservative when recommending surgery and will only do so if it is truly in the best interest of the patient.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Complications Of Procedures
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Reoperative Cardiac Conditions
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Dissection Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Atrial Septum Supplement
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Surgical Device Explantation
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cerebral Embolic Filtration
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Failure Surgery
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Transplantation
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Left Ventricular Reconstruction
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
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
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Choice POS II
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Student Resources
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Core Essential (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna VA Exchange
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- First Health PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- POS OA
- Network OA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Choice POS
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Medicare FFS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- TRICARE for Life East
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HighMark
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- OA Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Basic
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst EPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst NASCO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Optimum Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Medicare Direct
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2016)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2014)
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (2009)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2025
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Gangadharamurth D, Furqan MM, Klein AL, Malhotra S, Harrison R, Jaikumar L, Pidikiti, Richards, LeBaron, Patel, Jagtap, Prather J. Timely Recognition and Successful Clinical Outcome of an Acute Debakey Type I Aortic Dissection. Circulation;142:A13504, 12 Nov 2020.
Shi J, Tricot GJ, Malaviarachchi PA, Szmania SM, Kellum RE, Storrie B, Mulder A, Shaughnessy JD, Barlogie B, van Rhee F. Bortezomib Down-Regulates The Cell-Surface Expression Of HLA Class I And Enhances Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Lysis Of Myeloma. Blood. 2008 Feb; 111(3): 1309-1317.