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
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Fracture Reduction
- Spondylolisthesis
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Injury
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Disorders
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities Of Head, Face, Spine And Chest
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Muscle Disorders
- Neck Sprain
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Radiculopathy
- Thoracic Spine Instability
- Vertebral Fractures
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Spine Stabilization
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Lumbar Spine Stabilization
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Ostectomy
- Osteotomy
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Facet Joint Pain Treatment
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Infection Treatment
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spine Fracture Reduction
- 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
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- POS OA
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Network Only Plus
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst EPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Medicare Direct
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Optimum Choice
- OA Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS II
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Open HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- First Health PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Navigate
- IH-Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Choice POS II
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- IH-POS Plus
- Sentara Health
- CareFirst NASCO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- United Student Resources
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- TRICARE East Prime
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Choice POS
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- IH-HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Network OA
- BlueChoice Open Access
- IH-POS
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Beech Street PPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA EPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Administrators
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic 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.