About me
Dr. Wiesel is chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at MedStar Georgetown University, and a professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine, a position he's held since 1989. He specializes in treating patients with spinal conditions affecting the neck and lower back.
In addition to patient care, Dr. Wiesel is heavily involved in training the next generation of orthopaedic specialists through his academic and clinical appointments, earning many recognitions for his teaching abilities along the way. He is equally committed to advancing the field through his work with major peer-reviewed publications and professional medical societies. Chief among them are his longstanding positions as Editor-in-Chief, Seminars in Spine Surgery, (Saunders); Executive Editor, The Back Letter (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins); and Member, Board of Editors, Spine. Most recently, Dr. Wiesel served as senior editor for the second edition of Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, a four-volume instructional manual released in 2016.
An active researcher, Dr. Wiesel has presented at many national and international conferences, and published widely with many academic articles, books and chapters to his credit.
Dr. Wiesel's Philosophy of Care
Throughout my career, I have focused on treating my patients as if they were members of my family. No matter what type of spinal disorder someone may have, my mission is always the same: Isolate the the problem, find the right diagnosis, and then come up with the most appropriate therapy to fix it. While surgery may be the ultimate answer, I always try the most conservative approach first.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Bone Density Disorder
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Dorsalgia
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Kyphosis
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Muscle Disorders
- Neck Sprain
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Radiculopathy
- Thoracic Spine Instability
- Vertebral Fractures
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Facet Joint Pain Treatment
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center Ground Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-444-8766Fax 202-444-7804
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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Sentara Health
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Beech Street PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS II
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- United Student Resources
- IH-PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-Open HMO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- HumanaChoice PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Choice POS
- TRICARE East Select
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Medicare Direct
- IH-POS Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO Option
- TRICARE for Life East
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CIGNA EPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- MultiPlan, Inc
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Administrators
- OA Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- IH-HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- POS OA
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Network OA
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-POS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Choice Fund PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- First Health PPO
- First Health PPO
- Navigate
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice POS II
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- HighMark
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (1976)
Medical School: Perelman School Of Medicine At The University Of Pennsylvania (1971)
Awards
- Volvo Award Acromed Award Outstanding Clinical Paper, The International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine AOA Honor Medical Society, Georgetown
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Book - 07/31/2015 - Wiesel, S.W.:Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery (Four Volume). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2015.