The Infectious Diseases team at MedStar Health in the DC region offers specialized expertise in both the diagnosis and management of patients with a full range of infectious diseases. We provide both primary and consultative care to patients on an inpatient and outpatient basis.
Our expertise in evaluation and treatment includes:
- Blood stream infections
- Bone and joint infections
- C. difficile
- Central nervous infections, including meningitis
- Fever of unknown etiology
- Fungal infections
- Hepatitis
- HIV and AIDS
- Infections in patients with cancer
- Infections in patients on immunosuppressive therapy
- International and travel medicine
- Malaria
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections
- Mycobacterial infections
- Parasitic diseases
- Post-operative infections
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Transplant patients: Pre-transplant infectious disease evaluation and evaluation of post-transplant infections
- Travel medicine (see more below)
- Tuberculosis
HIV services
MedStar Health provides a multidisciplinary program for counseling, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up care for patients with HIV.
Our focus on the whole person is exemplified by our special services of:
- Treatment adherence support
- Psychosocial support services
- HIV and pregnancy support (we have a special focus on treating HIV-infected women through safe and healthy pregnancies)
Ryan White CARE act
The Ryan White Program is the single largest federal program designed specifically for people with HIV/AIDS. First enacted in 1990, it provides care and support services to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS, functioning as the "payer of last resort;" that is, it fills the gaps in care for those who have no other source of coverage or face coverage limits.
As a Ryan White funded program, our team of infectious disease experts at MedStar Health provides medical care, guidance, and education for patients with HIV and AIDS.
We provide expert HIV medical services, including:
- Medical appointments
- Consultations and patient care
- HIV education provided by a nurse specialist
- Social worker who provides medical case management
- Peer navigator to assist patients in navigating both hospital and local services
Travel medicine services
Staffed by Board Certified Infectious Disease Physicians, our team provides comprehensive travel care from pre-travel prophylaxis to the care of post-travel infections.
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Pre-travel consultations: Obtain extensive pre-travel counseling on food, water, and insect borne disease. We prescribe prophylaxis for malaria, traveler's diarrhea, and altitude sickness and administer travel vaccinations. As an Infectious Disease clinic, we have experience in caring for the special needs traveler, such as pregnant women and patients with immunodeficiencies or other health issues.
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Post-travel infections: Expertise in the evaluation and management of post-travel fever (including malaria, typhoid, and dengue), parasitic diseases, diarrhea, and rashes.
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Scheduling / Appointment Preparation: If possible, the best time to schedule an appointment is 4-6 weeks prior to travel. But even an appointment the day before travel is better than none, especially if malaria prophylaxis is necessary. Please bring a list of your previous vaccinations (or yellow book); list of medications and allergies; and travel itinerary to your appointment.
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Pre-travel vaccinations
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MedStar Georgetown and MedStar Washington Hospital Center are Yellow Fever Certified Centers.
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Most Common Travel Vaccinations: Hepatitis A and B series; Typhoid (injection); and Tetanus booster (Tetanus alone or Tetanus/diphtheria and acellular pertussis).
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Destination-directed Vaccinations: Yellow Fever; Polio (inactivated injection); Meningitis (Menomune); Rabies (RabaVert).
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Other available vaccinations and services: MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination; Pneumovax vaccination; Varicella vaccination; and TB screening.
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Our providers
Expert general medicine care
Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our general medicine specialists.