About me
About the Provider
Maria Esperanza Rodrigo, MD, is the Medical Director for the Heart Transplant Program and attending physician in the Advanced Heart Failure Mechanical Circulatory Support & Cardiac Transplantation Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She also directs the outpatient LVAD (left ventricular assist device) clinic. As a heart failure and transplant cardiologist, she primarily sees individuals with advanced heart failure, including patients requiring heart transplants and mechanical circulatory support. She also specializes in managing cardiovascular disease during pregnancy, including peripartum cardiomyopathy, and treats patients with infiltrative cardiomyopathies such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis.
Dr. Rodrigo’s approach to treating patients with heart failure begins with a thorough evaluation to determine the type of treatment they will require. She initially offers treatment with medication, and often further advanced treatments, such as implantation of a LVAD or heart transplantation. Dr. Rodrigo specializes in determining the eligibility of patients for these advanced heart failure therapies. When LVAD implantation is necessary, Dr. Rodrigo is part of a multidisciplinary team that offers patients the latest technology available in the field. Dr. Rodrigo follows these patients in the pre-, peri- and post-surgical period.
With a strong interest in advancing the field of heart transplantation, Dr. Rodrigo is the site principal investigator for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAFT) study, a project across five area transplant hospitals that is exploring the use of cell-free DNA in heart transplantation. She is also the site principal investigator for SHORE (Surveillance HeartCare Outcomes Registry) assessing the utility of AlloMap (gene-expression profile) and AlloSure (donor-derived cell-free DNA) to more comprehensively monitor heart transplant recipients for allograft rejection.
After receiving her medical degree from Universidad Favaloro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2003, Dr. Rodrigo completed an NIH research fellowship in cardiovascular disease, during which she focused her work on endothelial progenitor cells. She then joined MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital, where she completed her internal medicine residency in 2009, followed by a year as Chief Resident. Dr. Rodrigo then went on to complete a first fellowship in cardiology in 2013 and a second fellowship in advanced heart failure & transplant cardiology in 2014, both at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center. She is board certified internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.
Philosophy of Care
“It’s important for me to have open communication with each of my patients to understand that person’s wishes, expectations and environment. This helps me to provide compassionate, individualized care that is most appropriate for the patient and their family.
“Patients who come to our program will be receiving the very best care that is available today. We generate a relationship that is long-term with each individual -- the patient becomes our patient for life, and it’s a journey that we go through together.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring
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
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna HMO
- Medicare FFS
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice POS
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Optimum Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Navigate
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Student Resources
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- IH-HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- First Health PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- OA Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Basic
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-POS
- IH-EPO Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- HighMark
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- Choice POS II
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Network OA
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- POS OA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Sentara Health
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-POS Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- UHC Passport
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
Videos
Education
Board Certification:
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2014)
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2013)
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2010)
Medical School: Universidad Favaloro (2003)