About me
Shannan Richardson, MS, FNP-BC, is an experienced family nurse practitioner specializing in gastroenterology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She assesses and counsels patients with a wide range of digestive conditions, including abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, colon polyps, and functional bowel disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She has a particular interest in cancer screening and long-term gastrointestinal care, often building lifelong relationships with patients who require ongoing care.
As a remote nurse practitioner, Shannan sees patients via telehealth sessions, empowering them to access specialized care without waiting in person at the clinic. She evaluates data from advanced diagnostic tools such as colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, and lab testing to advise patients on managing GI conditions and refer them to specialists if necessary. While she does not perform procedures herself, she is crucial in evaluating patients, determining the appropriate procedures, and coordinating care with gastroenterologists. She also provides pre-procedure consultations and post-procedure follow-ups for specialized interventions, including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Shannan’s journey in healthcare began with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University, where she graduated cum laude and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She later pursued her Master of Science in Nursing at Georgetown, balancing her studies with full-time work as a registered nurse before joining MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she has worked for over a decade. In 2024, she was named Advanced Practice Provider (APP) of the Quarter at Washington Hospital Center, an honor given to outstanding NPs and PAs.
Outside of work, Shannan lives in Connecticut with her husband, two young children, and two dogs. She enjoys yoga, Pilates, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Clinical areas of focus
- Colitis
- Colonoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Helicobacter Pylori Stool Test
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Neonatal Abdominal Paracentesis
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Body Structure Imaging
- Acute Cholecystitis
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Anal Fissures
- Anal Venous Thrombosis
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Bowel Obstruction
- Brucellosis
- Candidiasis
- Choledocholithiasis
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Disease
- Congenital Malformations Of Intestine
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diverticular Disease
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophagitis
- External Hemorrhoids
- Family History Of Malignant Neoplasm
- Family History Of Specific Disorders
- Flatulence
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastric Varices
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- General Symptoms
- Genetic Susceptibility To Disease
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hemangioma
- Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoids And Perianal Venous Thrombosis
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatomegaly And Splenomegaly
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Intestinal Infections
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Fibrosis
- Liver Transplantation
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Malabsorption
- Myocarditis
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Paralytic Ileus And Intestinal Obstruction
- Perianal Pain
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Phakomatoses
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Regional Enteritis
- Stomach Cancer
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Viral Hepatitis
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Ultrasound
- Anal Electromyography
- Barium Enema
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Colonoscopy
- Computed Tomography Enterography
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Duplex Scan Of Abdominal Organs
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Enterectomy
- Enteroscopy
- Esophageal Dilation
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastrointestinal Biopsy
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Helicobacter Pylori Stool Test
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Hysteroscopic Polyp Resection
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Liver Biopsy
- Liver Imaging
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Neonatal Abdominal Paracentesis
- Pancreatic Disease Management
- Pelvic Ultrasound
- Percutaneous Cholecystostomy
- Percutaneous Liver Biopsy
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Urinary Incontinence Treatment
- Variceal Band Ligation
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
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Network OA
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Beech Street PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS II
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- TRICARE East Select
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-POS Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- OA Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice Fund PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Optimum Choice
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- TRICARE for Life East
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Navigate
- IH-PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Sentara Health
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- UHC Passport
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- IH-HMO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- HighMark
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-EPO Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
Education
Board Certification: American Nurses Credentialing Center,
Graduate: Georgetown University School of Nursing (2014)