About me
Hedy Smith, MD, PhD, is a hematologist and member of the American Society of Hematology who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hemoglobin disorders, including thalassemia and sickle cell disease; bleeding and thrombotic disorders; cytopenias; immune disorders, such as immune thrombocytopenic (or ITP), autoimmune hemolytic anemias, and common variable immune deficiency; and myeloproliferative neoplasms and other malignant blood diseases. As part of the diagnostic process, Dr. Smith performs bone marrow biopsies to identify myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemias, and lymphomas.
Dr. Smith earned a PhD in immunology from the University of New Mexico before receiving her medical degree from the University of Tennessee. She then joined Tufts Medical Center, School of Medicine for residency training in internal medicine before completing a three-year fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Tufts Medical Center. She stayed at the Hematology/Oncology Division at Tufts Medical Center where she practiced for 11 years as an attending physician. Dr. Smith has a passion for teaching and mentorship of residents and fellows and, in recognition of her dedication to this aspect of academic medicine, she was awarded “The Career Award for Excellence in Housestaff Teaching” in 2016.
Her clinical interest is in non-malignant hematologic disorders including bleeding and thrombotic disorders such as hemophilias, von Willebrand disease, ITP, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), paroxysymal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and Myeloproliferative disorders (Polycythemia Vera, Essential thrombocythemia, hyerp-eosinophilic disorders, myelofibrosis). Much of her research has been on comprehensive care models for the treatment of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), as well as novel therapies for SCD. Dr. Smith most recently served as Principal Investigator in the Phase III clinical trial being conducted by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, which evaluates the efficacy and safety of a novel therapy for sickle cell disease. She was also co-investigator of a large national trial exploring bone marrow transplantation as a curative approach in young adults with severe sickle cell disease.
Currently, there is a wide therapeutic landscape in development for sickle cell disease and Dr. Smith is passionate about her role as a clinical leader in this area of Hematology. She has also been heavily involved in community efforts aimed at improving the lives of patients and families affected by sickle cell disease. For this, she was honored by the Boston City Council and the Boston Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association “For Excellence in Medicine and advocacy on Behalf of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.”
Dr. Smith has been the recipient of US News and World Report’s “Top Doctors” and “Boston Top Doctors” distinctions. She was nominated for and received honorable mention for the “Schwartz Compassionate Award in Medicine” in 2005.
Philosophy of Care
“The right plan of care for all patients should be comprehensive, holistic, and must acknowledge that there is a person and a story behind the disease with which the patient is diagnosed. Patients under my care will always be treated with respect and will be invited to be a partner in their care".
“Partnering in your care involves developing some sort of literacy about your medical condition. I strongly emphasize my role and responsibility for educating the patient and bringing them to an understanding of their disease. When patients gain an understanding of their diagnosis, they make more rational decisions about treatment, including issues related to end of life. I believe that my job is to help the patient make reasonable choices - one that preserves their dignity".
“My practice is built on compassion, trustworthiness, and making the patient feel safe. It is important to me that my patients feel that I am approachable and accessibi
Clinical areas of focus
- Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosis
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Blood Disorder Diagnosis
- Bone Marrow Biopsy And Aspiration
- Magnesium Imbalance Treatment
- Newborn Screening Tests
- Sickle Cell Anemia Treatment
Procedures I perform
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy
- Antineoplastic Injection
- Ascites Drainage
- Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosis
- Blood Banking
- Blood Cancer Diagnosis
- Blood Cancer Treatment
- Blood Clotting Disorder Diagnosis
- Blood Clotting Disorder Screening
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Blood Disorder Diagnosis
- Blood Transfusion
- Bone Marrow Aspiration
- Bone Marrow Biopsy And Aspiration
- Bone Marrow Failure Treatment
- Coagulopathy Management
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Ear Tube Insertion
- Growth Hormone Screening
- Hemophilia Treatment
- Iliac Bone Marrow Extraction
- Insertion Infusion Device
- Leukemia Treatment
- Leukopenia Treatment
- Lymphoma Diagnosis
- Lymphoma Treatment
- Magnesium Imbalance Treatment
- Multiple Myeloma Treatment
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome Treatment
- Myeloma Diagnosis
- Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Treatment
- Newborn Screening Tests
- Nonautologous Globulin Transfusion
- Nonautologous Platelets Transfusion
- Nonautologous Red Blood Cells Transfusion
- Nonautologous Whole Blood Transfusion
- Pancreas Transplant Malignancy Screening
- Removal Of Central Venous Access Device
- Sickle Cell Anemia Treatment
- Thrombocytapheresis
- Venous Access Device Removal
- Vitamin Deficiency Screening
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 Better Health of MD
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Choice POS
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Indemnity
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Student Resources
- TRICARE East Select
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-POS
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Medicare Direct
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- POS OA
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- OA Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Navigate
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Open POS II
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- First Health PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- First Health PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Open HMO Option
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- HighMark
- CIGNA PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS II
- Sentara Health
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Network OA
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna HMO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (2003)
Residency: Tufts Medical Center (2000)
Medical School: University of Tennessee-Memphis (1997)