Learn More About Me
Specialties: 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
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
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
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- UHC Passport
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- POS OA
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna VA Exchange
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Employee Health Plan
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- OA Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-POS Plus
- Choice POS
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Network OA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Optimum Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Navigate
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-Open HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Student Resources
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Choice POS II
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Medicare Direct
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-POS
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-HMO
- Sentara Health
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic 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.