Joseph James Jennings, MD| Gastroenterology | MedStar Health
About me
Dr. Joseph J. Jennings is a board-certified gastroenterologist with a focus on bleeding within the GI tract. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2012 and completed his Internal Medicine training at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in 2015. He served as the Chief Medical Resident for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and served as an attending physician in Internal Medicine at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and Virginia Hospital Center as well. He completed his three year fellowship in Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and served as Chief Fellow in 2018-2019.
Dr. Jennings strives to create a relationship with his patients that promotes joint decision making and patient empowerment. He also has a strong interest in medical education and training. He currently serves as the associate director for the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital's gastroenterology fellowship program.
Dr. Jennings is board certfied in Internal Medicine since 2015 and Gastroenterology/Hepatology since 2019 (Dr. Jennings Board Certifications). He has been recognized by multiple organizations as a "Top Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist" both for the DC region as well as on the national level.
Dr. Jennings sees patients at three locations currently:
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital for in person or virtual clinic visits as well as endoscopic procedures (Monday, Tuesday, Wedenesday mornings, and Friday afternoons)
MedStar Lafayette Centre for clinic visits as well as endoscopic procedures (Thursday, and Friday mornings)
MedStar McLean for in person clinic visits (First Wednesdays of each month)
Clinical areas of focus
- Bowel Obstruction
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Rectal Pain Treatment
- Sigmoidoscopy With Biopsy
- Stomach Pain Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Cramping
- Abdominal Distension
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Stool
- Acute Cholecystitis
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Alimentary Tract Foreign Body
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Fissures
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Anus Pain
- Aphagia
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon, Rectum, Anus And Anal Canal
- Benign Neoplasm Of Digestive System
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Biliary Tract Obstruction
- Bowel Obstruction
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Digestive Organs
- Celiac Disease
- Choledocholithiasis
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Disease
- Colon Polyp
- Colon Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Complications
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dysphagia
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophagitis
- External Hemorrhoids
- Flatulence
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gallbladder Disease
- Gallstones
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastric Varices
- Gastritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hemangioma
- Hematemesis
- Hemorrhoids
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatomegaly And Splenomegaly
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intestinal Infections
- Intestinal Stenosis
- Iron Deficiency Testing
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Jaundice
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Encephalopathy
- Liver Fibrosis
- Malabsorption
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Paralytic Ileus And Intestinal Obstruction
- Perianal Pain
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Postoperative Ileus
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Proctitis
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Viral Hepatitis
Procedures I perform
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Cecum Transplant
- Colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy Through Stoma
- Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Colonoscopy With Injection
- EGD With Biopsy
- EGD With Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Evaluation Of Intestinal Pouch
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Stomach Feeding Device Insertion
- Endoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Enteroscopy With Biopsy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy With Tumor Ablation
- Flexible Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Test
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Hemorrhage Control
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Ileoscopy With Biopsy
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Lower Gi Therapeutic Substance Introduction
- Rectal Pain Treatment
- Sigmoidoscopy With Biopsy
- Stomach Pain Treatment
- Unlisted Small Intestine Procedure
- Upper Esophagus Dilation, Endoscopic
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
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
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-EPO Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Network OA
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- POS OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CIGNA PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Classic 3500
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- OA Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- TRICARE East Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Open HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst EPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Classic 5000
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CIGNA EPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Basic
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- BlueChoice Open Access
- IH-POS
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- UHC Passport
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Beech Street PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE for Life East
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Choice POS
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- United Student Resources
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- First Health PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HighMark
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- IH-POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst NASCO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Medstar-Georgetown University Medical Center (2019)
Residency: Georgetown University Hospital (2016)
Medical School: Georgetown University (2012)
Awards
- 2023 and 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor in Gastroenterology
- 2023, 2024, and 2025 Washingtonian Top Doctor in Gastroenterology
- Thomas Taylor Award for Excellence in Teaching and Patient Care (2019)
- 2019 American College of Gastroenterology Young Physician Leadership Scholar
- 2018 American College of Gastroenterology GI Jeopardy Winner
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Dr. Jennings talking with Men's Health on acid reflux, swallowing, and coughs
- Facebook Live: Colon Cancer Prevention
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2023: Screening, risks and more
- Study: Colon cancer cases increase among younger adults
- Washington ABC7 National Colorectal Cancer Awareness 2023
- Health Watch: Avoiding holiday heartburn with Dr. Joseph Jennings
- Wondering Why Your Stomach Hurts After You Eat? Here Are 9 Possible Reasons
- Dr. Jennings promoting Colon Cancer Awareness Month
- 12 Days of Wellness - Dr. Jennings talks about celiac disease and holiday meals
- Dr. Jennings talks about COVID-19 and the GI Tract on NBC Washington
- Dr. Jennings recognized by the American College of Gastroenterology
Selected/Recent Publications
- Breast Cancer Metastasis to the Gastrointestinal Tract With Unusual Endoscopic and Histologic Presentations. Kimchy, Alexandra & Umoren, Mfoniso & Rosenberg, Jessica & Ilagan, Charmaine & Nithagon, Pichayut & Shafa, Shervin & Jennings, Joseph. (2022). ACG case reports journal. 9. e00938. 10.14309/crj.0000000000000938.
- Hepatotoxicty of Agents Used in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a 2020 Update. Barnhill MS, Steinberg JM, Jennings JJ, Lewis JH.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2020 Jul 15;22(9):47. doi: 10.1007/s11894-020-00781-3.PMID: 32671616 Review.
- Hepatotoxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a comprehensive review including current and alternative management strategies. Jennings JJ, Mandaliya R, Nakshabandi A, Lewis JH.Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2019 Mar;15(3):231-244. doi: 10.1080/17425255.2019.1574744. Epub 2019 Feb 5.PMID: 30677306 Review.
- NAFLD-NASH: An Under-Recognized Epidemic.Jennings J, Faselis C, Yao MD.Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2018;16(3):209-213. doi: 10.2174/1570161115666170622074007.PMID: 28676024 Review.
- Novel Use for Maloney Dilators in the Management of Gastrostomy Stenosis Jennings JJ, Batisda-Coelho R, Lipman TO.ACG Case Rep J. 2019 Apr 5;6(4):e00054. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000054. eCollection 2019 Apr.PMID: 31616736 Free PMC article.
- Outcomes of vedolizumab therapy in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis: a multi-center study. Abu-Sbeih H, Ali FS, Alsaadi D, Jennings JJ, Luo W, Gong Z, Richards DM, Charabaty A, Wang Y.J Immunother Cancer. 2018 Dec 5;6(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s40425-018-0461-4.PMID: 30518410 Free PMC article.
- Vedolizumab-Induced Remission in 3 Patients With Refractory Microscopic Colitis: A Tertiary Care Center Case Series. Jennings JJ, Charabaty A.Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2019 Jul 17;25(8):e97. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izz042.PMID: 30889247 No abstract available.
- H pylori treatment reduced risk for gastric cancer in patients with a family history of gastric cancer. Jennings JJ.Ann Intern Med. 2020 Jun 16;172(12):JC66. doi: 10.7326/ACPJ202006160-066.PMID: 32539507
- Understanding patient preference for physician attire: a cross-sectional observational study of 10 academic medical centres in the USA. Petrilli CM, Saint S, Jennings JJ, Caruso A, Kuhn L, Snyder A, Chopra V.BMJ Open. 2018 May 29;8(5):e021239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021239.PMID: 29844101 Free PMC article.