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