About me
Regional Chief of Cardiology – Baltimore Region
Samer Najjar, MD, is the Regional Chief of Cardiology for the Baltimore region, overseeing cardiology services at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, and MedStar Harbor Hospital. He also provides leadership for MedStar Health’s ambulatory cardiology practices.
Clinical Expertise
Dr. Najjar is a cardiologist with subspecialty expertise in advanced heart failure, heart transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support. He specializes in state-of-the-art therapies for heart failure and cares for patients with advanced heart failure, those supported by left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), and heart transplant recipients.
Leadership & Academic Appointments
Dr. Najjar is a Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University and co-chairs MedStar’s Cardiology Clinical Practice Council. He previously served as Director of the advanced heart failure program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he led its growth into one of the leading programs in the nation.
Prior to joining MedStar Health, Dr. Najjar was on faculty at Johns Hopkins University. He was also a member of the NIH intramural clinical research program, where he served as Head of the Human Cardiovascular Studies Unit at the National Institute on Aging.
During his fellowship, Dr. Najjar received the prestigious American College of Cardiology/Merck Research Award.
Research & Publications
Dr. Najjar is passionate about advancing cardiovascular care through research and innovation. He has received numerous honors and awards and has authored more than 175 manuscripts in peer-reviewed medical journals.
Patient-Centered Care
Dr. Najjar and his team provide a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to care, partnering closely with patients and caregivers. This includes collaboration with heart failure nurses, coordinators, pharmacists, physical therapists, social workers, and symptom management specialists.
Personal
Outside of medicine, Dr. Najjar enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and three children.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Amyloidosis
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Disease
- Cardiac Fibrosis
- Cardiac Graft Failure
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Complications Of Ventricular Assist Devices (VADS)
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Inotropic Therapy Management
- Liver Transplant Evaluation
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Ventricular Tachycardia
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
- Choice Fund PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- UHC Passport
- Aetna HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- OA Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Medicare FFS
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Choice POS
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- POS OA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- First Health PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst EPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Police and Fire Clinic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Student Resources
- Network OA
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Basic
- IH-Open POS II
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Sentara Health
- IH-POS Plus
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-POS
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- HighMark
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-HMO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE East Select
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Navigate
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
Videos
Education
Board Certification: ,
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2000)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1996)
Graduate: Yale University (1993)
Graduate: Yale University School of Medicine (1993)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2024, 2025