About me
Regional Chief of Cardiology – Baltimore Region
Samer Najjar, MD, is the Regional Chief of Cardiology for the Baltimore region, overseeing cardiology services at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, and MedStar Harbor Hospital. He also provides leadership for MedStar Health’s ambulatory cardiology practices.
Clinical Expertise
Dr. Najjar is a cardiologist with subspecialty expertise in advanced heart failure, heart transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support. He specializes in state-of-the-art therapies for heart failure and cares for patients with advanced heart failure, those supported by left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), and heart transplant recipients.
Leadership & Academic Appointments
Dr. Najjar is a Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University and co-chairs MedStar’s Cardiology Clinical Practice Council. He previously served as Director of the advanced heart failure program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he led its growth into one of the leading programs in the nation.
Prior to joining MedStar Health, Dr. Najjar was on faculty at Johns Hopkins University. He was also a member of the NIH intramural clinical research program, where he served as Head of the Human Cardiovascular Studies Unit at the National Institute on Aging.
During his fellowship, Dr. Najjar received the prestigious American College of Cardiology/Merck Research Award.
Research & Publications
Dr. Najjar is passionate about advancing cardiovascular care through research and innovation. He has received numerous honors and awards and has authored more than 175 manuscripts in peer-reviewed medical journals.
Patient-Centered Care
Dr. Najjar and his team provide a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to care, partnering closely with patients and caregivers. This includes collaboration with heart failure nurses, coordinators, pharmacists, physical therapists, social workers, and symptom management specialists.
Personal
Outside of medicine, Dr. Najjar enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and three children.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Amyloidosis
- Amyloidosis Of The Heart
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Disease
- Cardiac Fibrosis
- Cardiac Graft Failure
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Complications Of Ventricular Assist Devices (VADS)
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Inotropic Therapy Management
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Ventricular Tachycardia
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
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS II
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- First Health PPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Basic
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- HealthyBlue PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- HighMark
- IH-POS
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Medicare Direct
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Navigate
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- IH-HMO
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-EPO Plus
- Network OA
- United Student Resources
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- IH-Network Only Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- First Health PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Medicare FFS
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Employee Health Plan
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst Administrators
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- OA Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- TRICARE for Life East
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Beech Street PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-Open POS II
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Sentara Health
- IH-POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- IH-Open POS Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- POS OA
- TRICARE East Select
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2000)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1996)
Graduate: Yale University School of Medicine (1993)
Graduate: Yale University (1993)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2024, 2025