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
- Acute Sinusitis
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Benign Neoplasm Of Middle Ear
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Candidiasis
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Flash Electroretinography
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Migraine
- Otalgia And Ear Effusion
- Throat Infection (TONSILLITIS)
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- Vasomotor And Allergic Rhinitis
- Vestibular Disorders
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Sinusitis
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Benign Neoplasm Of Middle Ear
- Candidiasis
- Conductive Hearing Loss
- Congenital Malformations Of Ear
- Congenital Malformations Of Ear Causing Hearing Impairment
- Congenital Malformations Of Face And Neck
- Dentofacial Abnormality
- Eustachian Tube Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Fungal Otitis Externa
- Inner Ear Diseases
- Larynx Cancer
- Mastoiditis
- Middle Ear Disorders
- Migraine
- Nonsuppurative Otitis Media
- Otalgia And Ear Effusion
- Otosclerosis
- Throat Infection (TONSILLITIS)
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation
- Vasomotor And Allergic Rhinitis
- Vestibular Disorders
Procedures I perform
- Acoustic Neuroma Removal
- Acoustic Neuroma Surgery
- Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
- Asymmetrical Hearing Loss Treatment
- Auditory Evoked Potentials Screening
- Basic Vestibular Evaluation
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Treatment
- Branchial Cleft Cyst Excision
- Canalicular Laceration Repair
- Change Trachea Tracheostomy Device
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Cochlear Implant Adjustment
- Debridement Of Mastoidectomy Cavity
- Diagnostic Laryngoscopy
- Drainage Of External Auditory Canal
- Ear Cartilage Graft
- Ear Surgery
- Ear Tube Insertion
- Endolymphatic Sac Surgery
- Endoscopic Inspection Of Tracheobronchial Tree
- Eustachian Tube Dilation
- Excision Of External Ear
- Flash Electroretinography
- Gait And Balance Evaluation
- Hearing Aid Fitting
- Hearing Restoration Surgery
- Hearing Testing
- Impacted Earwax Removal
- Labyrinthectomy
- Laryngeal Function Study
- Laryngeal Stroboscopy
- Lateral Skull Base Surgery
- Mastoidectomy
- Mastoidectomy Complete
- Mastoidectomy Modified Radical
- Meniere's Disease Treatment
- Middle Ear Surgery
- Myringotomy
- Otoacoustic Emissions
- Packing Of Nasal Region
- Pulsatile Tinnitus Treatment
- Revision Mastoidectomy
- Revision Mastoidectomy Complete
- Revision Mastoidectomy Radical
- Speech Audiometry With Tympanometry
- Speech Sound Production Evaluation
- Speech Therapy
- Stapedectomy
- Stapedotomy
- Swallowing Disorder Treatment
- Thromboendarterectomy With Patch Graft
- Tympanic Membrane Repair
- Tympanometry And Reflex Threshold
- Tympanoplasty Without Mastoidectomy With Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- Tympanostomy
- Tympanostomy With Ventilating Tube
- Vestibular Testing
- Vestibuloplasty
- Voice Prosthetic Device Evaluation
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
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- POS OA
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- IH-Open HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Choice POS II
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-POS Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Administrators
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- OA Plus
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Navigate
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Sentara Health
- IH-HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Basic
- Choice POS
- UHC Passport
- IH-Open HMO Option
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Optimum Choice
- Network OA
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Employee Health Plan
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HighMark
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna VA Exchange
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-POS
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- IH-PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Student Resources
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-EPO Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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>