About me
Dr. Wiesel is chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at MedStar Georgetown University, and a professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine, a position he's held since 1989. He specializes in treating patients with spinal conditions affecting the neck and lower back.
In addition to patient care, Dr. Wiesel is heavily involved in training the next generation of orthopaedic specialists through his academic and clinical appointments, earning many recognitions for his teaching abilities along the way. He is equally committed to advancing the field through his work with major peer-reviewed publications and professional medical societies. Chief among them are his longstanding positions as Editor-in-Chief, Seminars in Spine Surgery, (Saunders); Executive Editor, The Back Letter (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins); and Member, Board of Editors, Spine. Most recently, Dr. Wiesel served as senior editor for the second edition of Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, a four-volume instructional manual released in 2016.
An active researcher, Dr. Wiesel has presented at many national and international conferences, and published widely with many academic articles, books and chapters to his credit.
Dr. Wiesel's Philosophy of Care
Throughout my career, I have focused on treating my patients as if they were members of my family. No matter what type of spinal disorder someone may have, my mission is always the same: Isolate the the problem, find the right diagnosis, and then come up with the most appropriate therapy to fix it. While surgery may be the ultimate answer, I always try the most conservative approach first.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Bone Density Disorder
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Dorsalgia
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Kyphosis
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Muscle Disorders
- Neck Sprain
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Radiculopathy
- Thoracic Spine Instability
- Vertebral Fractures
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Facet Joint Pain Treatment
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center Ground Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-444-8766Fax 202-444-7804
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
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Choice POS
- Choice Fund PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Medicare Direct
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- IH-POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Optimum Choice
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open HMO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CIGNA EPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- UHC Passport
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- TRICARE East Select
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Navigate
- IH-POS Plus
- First Health PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst EPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Healthcare Choice
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Basic
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- POS OA
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-HMO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Sentara Health
- Employee Health Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- OA Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Choice POS II
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Core Essential (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- HighMark
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Network OA
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (1976)
Medical School: Perelman School Of Medicine At The University Of Pennsylvania (1971)
Awards
- Volvo Award Acromed Award Outstanding Clinical Paper, The International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine AOA Honor Medical Society, Georgetown
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Book - 07/31/2015 - Wiesel, S.W.:Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery (Four Volume). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2015.