About me
Susan O'Donoghue, MD, is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She previously served as Associate Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Center and Director of the Combined Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She is presently Director of Cardiogenetic Services at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, a new program for the diagnosis and treatment of inherited cardiac disorders, which she developed. Dr. O'Donoghue has been providing care for more than 25 years.
Dr. O'Donoghue is a member of the Washington Electrophysiologic Society, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). She has authored numerous textbook chapters and journal articles.
Dr. O'Donoghue specializes in treating heart rhythm disorders through the use of electrophysiologic studies, catheter ablation procedures and devices such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). She is currently conducting research measuring the energy present on the skin surface when an internal defibrillator fires.
Dr. O'Donoghue completed her undergraduate studies in the Honors program at the University of Connecticut, where she graduated summa cum laude and received her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency training in internal medicine at Emory University, and her Cardiology Fellowship at Emory University and MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. O'Donoghue also completed a fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology and pacing at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Philosophy of Care
"From a young age, I began volunteering at a nursing home. I volunteered until I was hired as a nurse's aide at the age of 16 and continued this work while completing my undergraduate degree. I still remember many of my patients to this day. Together with my love of science, that early experience helped me come to the decision to become a physician
It is an honor to participate in an individual's care. Each person I meet receives my full attention and a unique approach to their diagnosis and treatment plan. I strive to be a patient and empathetic listener, especially when it comes to the concerns of my patients. I feel fulfilled when my patients tell me that they're glad they came to see me and that they would recommend their loved ones to me.
Referring physicians should know that I will communicate clearly back to them and maintain a dialogue. I will take excellent care of their patients."
Clinical areas of focus
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Flutter
- Bradycardia
- Cardiac Ablation
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Arrest
- Electrophysiology Study For Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Palpitations
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Tachycardia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
- Watchman Device Implantation
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Bradycardia
- Brugada Syndrome
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Ablation
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Conduction Disorders
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Malfunction
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Electric Shock Injuries To The Heart
- Heart Block
- Heart Racing
- Implantable Cardioverter
- Implantable Defibrillator Maintenance
- Long Qt Syndrome
- Pacemaker Implantation
- Palpitations
- Premature Atrial Contraction
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Short Qt Syndrome
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
- Watchman Device Implantation
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Cardiac Ablation
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cardiac Defibrillator Threshold Testing
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Cardioversion
- Electrophysiology Study
- Electrophysiology Study For Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Endometrial Extraction
- Event Monitoring
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Rhythm Monitoring
- Holter Monitoring
- Implantable Loop Recorder
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Pacemaker Lead Replacement
- Pacemaker Placement
- Pulmonary Vein Isolation
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Temporary Transcutaneous Pacing
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
- Watchman Device Implantation
- Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Syndrome Treatment
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
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst EPO
- Network OA
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- First Health PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Choice POS
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- POS OA
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst NASCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-HMO
- IH-POS Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-Indemnity
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- IH-PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- HighMark
- CIGNA EPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- TRICARE for Life East
- IH-Open HMO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- First Health PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- IH-Open POS II
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- TRICARE East Prime
- UHC Passport
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- TRICARE East Select
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Sentara Health
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Basic
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- OA Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Optimum Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- Navigate
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Fellowship: Medstar-Washington Hospital Center (1988)
Residency: Emory University Hospital-GME (1984)
Internship: Emory University Hospital-GME (1982)
Medical School: Georgetown University (1981)
Medical School: University Of Connecticut (1977)