About me
Selena Heman-Ackah Briggs, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, is the Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Briggs is a neurotologist-skull base surgeon. She completed her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, followed by a surgical internship and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at the University of Minnesota, and a fellowship in neurotology at New York University. Dr. Briggs earned an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She also earned a doctorate in otolaryngology from the University of Minnesota for her research on prevention and management of age-related hearing loss. She previously served as the director of Otology, Neurotology and Audiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and as an assistant professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Briggs is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University and a Wellness Champion.
Dr. Briggs treats patients with a wide variety of ear and skull base-related concerns. She has a clinical interest in cochlear implantation and hearing loss (congenital and acquired), treatment of chronic ear disease and cholesteatoma, management of ear canal atresia or stenosis, repair of encephalocele and meningocele of the middle ear and mastoid, management of temporal bone fractures, care of vestibular and balance disorders, and treatment of tumors of the skull base (e.g. schwannomas, meningiomas, chordoma, etc.). In caring for patients with these concerns, she strives to provide each patient with the individualized, personalized and caring treatment that they deserve. Dr. Briggs maintains that it is critical to listen, to understand and to take the time to provide holistic care that prioritizes the patient's individual goals for their own best exceptional outcome, optimized care and quality of life.
Clinical areas of focus
- Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Cochlear Implantation
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Flash Electroretinography
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Inner Ear Diseases
- Laser Prostate Surgery
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Congenital Malformations Of Ear Causing Hearing Impairment
- Dentofacial Abnormality
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Fungal Otitis Externa
- Inner Ear Diseases
- Mastoiditis
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Nonsuppurative Otitis Media
- Omphalocele
- Otosclerosis
- Throat Infection (TONSILLITIS)
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation
- Vestibular Disorders
Procedures I perform
- Acoustic Neuroma Removal
- Asymmetrical Hearing Loss Treatment
- Branchial Cleft Cyst Excision
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Change Trachea Tracheostomy Device
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Cochlear Implant Adjustment
- Cochlear Implantation
- Debridement Of Mastoidectomy Cavity
- Diagnostic Laryngoscopy
- Drainage Of External Auditory Canal
- Ear Surgery
- Ear Tube Insertion
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Endoscopic Inspection Of Tracheobronchial Tree
- Enteroscopy
- Eustachian Tube Dilation
- Excision Of External Ear
- Flash Electroretinography
- Hearing Aid Fitting
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Hearing Testing
- Impacted Earwax Removal
- Internal Radiation Therapy
- Labyrinthectomy
- Laryngeal Stroboscopy
- Laser Prostate Surgery
- Lateral Skull Base Surgery
- Mastoidectomy
- Mastoidectomy Complete
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Surgery
- Muscle Injection
- Myringotomy
- Pulsatile Tinnitus Treatment
- Revision Mastoidectomy
- Speech Audiometry With Tympanometry
- Speech Therapy
- Stapedectomy
- Stapedotomy
- Swallowing Disorder Treatment
- Thread Vein Removal
- Translabyrinthine Surgery
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- Tympanostomy
- Tympanostomy With Ventilating Tube
- Unlisted Larynx Procedure
- Vestibuloplasty
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
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Choice POS
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- POS OA
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Choice POS II Open Access
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- OA Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- UHC Passport
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Network OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Employee Health Plan
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- IH-HMO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CIGNA PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Medicare FFS
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- HighMark
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- TRICARE East Prime
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Medicare Direct
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst NASCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- First Health PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Optimum Choice
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CIGNA Indemnity
Education
Board Certification: ,
Fellowship: NYU Grossman School of Medicine (2012)
Residency: University of Minnesota (2010)
Internship: University of Minnesota (2006)
Medical School: University of Cincinnati (2005)
Medical School: University of Cincinnati (2004)
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania (2000)
Hospital affiliations
Podcasts
<ul> <li><p><a href="http://www.medstarwashington.org/podcastlibrary/#q={}#q={}">Cochlear Implantation for Hearing Loss</a></p></li></ul>