About me
Margaret "Marty" Bell Fischer, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and pediatric cardiology and is Director of the Congenital and Structural Arrhythmia Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in adult and pediatric cardiac electrophysiology with a specialized focus on adult congenital heart disease and patients with inherited rhythm disturbances.
Dr. Fischer received her medical degree from the University of Toledo. She then completed her residency program at St. Louis University/Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, a fellowship at Texas Children's Hospital/Texas Heart Institute and a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. She had visiting fellowships at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.
Her clinical interests include adult congenital heart disease, cardiac anomalies in previous surgeries, and inherited arrhythmia disorders. Her research interests include multi-center trials for new catheter techniques, using different types of catheters, and improving the technology of implant devices.
Dr. Fischer is an advocate for the recognition of an underserved population of adults with congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is severely under-identified in adults. With knowledge of previously diagnosed conditions and past surgeries, Dr. Fischer's skill set allows her to properly care for adults with congenital heart disease. She is also an advocate for the improvement of the use of remote heart monitoring devices. Dr. Fischer hopes to provide more patients with the advantages of remote monitoring through education for both patients and referring physicians.
After a few years of caring for patients in remote communities in Pennsylvania, Dr. Fischer grew passionate about community outreach and education. She realized that a large population of the rural United States is not receiving adequate care. Her goal is to generate community outreach opportunities, in order to ensure that both patients, as well as referring physicians, know what options can be available to them. In her free time, Dr. Fischer dedicates herself to her passion of dressage.
"I am my patient's best advocate. My aim is to generate a collaborative effort with my patients in order to get them involved in the decisions we make about their treatment. Through building a strong relationship with my patients, I hope to gain their trust and become a person that they feel comfortable opening up to, without fear of judgment or ridicule.
It is important to me to educate patients thoroughly, or as much as possible, and to be accessible when needed. When I'm with a patient, this individual is the focus of all of my attention. My goal is to improve quality of life as well as my patient's longevity."
Clinical areas of focus
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Heart Racing
- Implantable Defibrillator
- Pacemaker
- Palpitations
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Tachycardia
- Watchman Device Implantation
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Abnormal Stress Test
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease In Pregnancy
- Alagille Syndrome
- Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy
- Amyloidosis
- Anomalies Of Pulmonary Circulation
- Anomalies Of The Aorta
- Anomalies Of The Coronary Artery
- Anomalous Atrioventricular Excitation
- Anomalous Coronary Artery (ACA)
- Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage
- Aortic Coarctation
- Aortic Diseases
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aorto Left Ventricular Fistula
- Arrhythmias During Pregnancy
- Arrhythmias In Adults With Congenital Heart Diseases
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of The Aorta
- Athletic Heart Syndrome
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
- Atrial Tachycardia
- Atrioventricular Block
- Atrioventricular Canal Defects
- Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia
- Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia
- Autoimmune Pericarditis
- Barth Syndrome
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Brugada Syndrome
- Cardiac Angina
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Channelopathies
- Cardiac Conduction Defects
- Cardiac Device Infection
- Cardiac Device Malfunction
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Tumor
- Cardio Oncology
- Cardiomegaly
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cardiorenal Syndrome
- Carotid Intimal Thickness
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Chest Pain
- Cholesterol Disorders
- Common Aortopulmonary Trunk
- Complete Atrioventricular Block
- Complex Arrhythmia
- Conduction Defects
- Congenital Anomalies Of The Great Veins
- Congenital Aortic Valve Disease
- Congenital Atresia Of The Pulmonary Valve
- Congenital Cyanotic Heart Disease
- Congenital Heart Block
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Congenital Infundibular Stenosis
- Congenital Insufficiency Of The Aortic Valve
- Congenital Mitral Valve Disease
- Congenital Mitral Valve Regurgitation
- Congenital Stenosis Of The Aortic Valve
- Congenital Stenosis Of The Mitral Valve
- Congenital Stenosis Of The Pulmonary Valve
- Congenital Subaortic Stenosis
- Congenital Tricuspid Stenosis
- Congenitally Corrected Transposition Of The Great Arteries
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Cor Biloculare
- Cor Triatriatum
- Coronary Artery Fistula
- Cyanotic Heart Disease
- Dextrocardia
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Double Aortic Arch
- Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV)
- Double Outlet Ventricle
- Ebstein's Anomaly
- Edema
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Endocardial Cushion Defect
- Exercise Intolerance
- Familial Arrhythmias
- Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Family History Of Sudden Cardiac Death
- First Degree Heart Block
- Fontan Procedure Survivor
- Genetic Cardiomyopathy
- Giant Cell Myocarditis
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Problems
- Heart Racing
- Heterotaxy Syndromes
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis
- Infiltrative Disorders Of The Heart
- Infundibular Right Ventricular Outflow Obstruction
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Lead Malfunction
- Left Bundle Branch Block
- Long Qt Syndrome
- Lown Ganong Levine Syndrome
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mild Pulmonic Stenosis
- Mitral Atresia
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction (MI)
- Myocarditis
- Myxoma
- Obstructive Anomalies Of The Heart
- Orthopnea
- Orthostatic Hypotension
- Ostium Primum Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
- Overriding Aorta
- Pacemaker Infection
- Pacemaker Malfunction
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Paroxysmal Tachycardia
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (PAPVR)
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pericarditis
- Persistent Ostium Primum
- Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Postural Tachycardia Syndrome
- Pre Excitation Syndrome
- Premature Atrial Contraction
- Premature Beats
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presyncope
- Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Pulmonary Artery Coarctation And Atresia
- Pulmonary Artery Stenosis
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Pulmonary Vascular Obstructive Diseases
- Pulmonic Valve Stenosis
- Refractory Angina
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Aortic Regurgitation
- Rheumatic Aortic Stenosis
- Rheumatic Diseases Of Pulmonary Valve
- Rheumatic Fever
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Failure
- Rheumatic Mitral Regurgitation
- Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis
- Right Bundle Branch Block
- Right Heart Failure
- Right Ventricular Dysplasia
- Right Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Secondary Hypertension
- Shone's Syndrome
- Short Qt Syndrome
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Defect
- Sinoatrial Node Dysfunction
- Sinus Node Dysfunction
- Sinus Of Valsalva Fistula/Aneurysm
- Sinus Venosus Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
- Subaortic Stenosis
- Subvalvar Aortic Stenosis
- Supravalvar Aortic Stenosis
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Tachycardia Bradycardia Syndrome
- Tetralogy Of Fallot (TOF)
- Transposition Of Great Vessels
- Transposition Of The Great Arteries (TGA)
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Tricuspid Atresia And Truncus Arteriosus
- Tricuspid Regurgitation
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Trifascicular Block
- Trucus Arteriosus
- Type 1 Second Degree Heart Block
- Type 2 Second Degree Heart Block
- Unstable Angina
- Valve Stenosis
- Valvular Endocarditis
- Vascular Ring
- Vasovagal Syncope
- Ventricular Arrhythmia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Septal Defects
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Viral Cardiomyopathy
- Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
Procedures I perform
- 4D Flow Mri
- Ablation Arrhythmogenic Focus
- Ablation Av Node
- Ablation For Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Adenosine Stress Test
- Advanced Lipid Blood Tests
- Aortic Angioplasty
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Fibrillation Cryoablation
- Atrial Fibrillation Radiofrequency Ablation
- Cardiac Ablation
- Cardiac Contractility Modulation (CCM)
- Cardiac Device Implant
- Cardiac Devices
- Cardiac Implantable Device Replacement
- Cardiac Mapping
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Cardiac Risk Assessment
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
- Cardiovascular Care
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol Management
- Collateral Vessel Closure
- Convergent Procedure
- Defibrillator Malfunction
- Directional Atherectomy
- Dobutamine Stress Test
- Heart Health
- Holter Monitor
- Implantable Cardiac Monitor Procedure
- Implantable Defibrillator
- In Office Cardiac Echocardiogram
- In Office Cardiac Stress Test
- Intracardiac Catheter Ablation
- Intravenous Lead Extraction
- Lariat Procedure
- Laser Lead Extraction
- Lead Extraction
- Left Atrial Appendage Closure
- Loop Recorder
- Pacemaker
- Pacemaker And Icd Interrogation
- Pacemaker Placement
- Preoperative Evaluation
- Preventative Cardiology
- Pulmonary And Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Pulmonary Vein Isolation
- Radiofrequency Rhizotomy
- Remote Cardiac Device Monitoring
- Replacement Of Defibrillator
- Resynchronization Therapy
- Rotational Atherectomy
- Stress Echo Cardiogram
- Tilt Table Test
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram
- Transvenous Lead Extraction
- Watchman Device Implantation
- Wearable Defibrillator
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
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Student Resources
- United Select Plus (POS)
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United Golden Rule
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- D-SNP)
- I-SNP
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Choice Plus
- United Choice
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Signature
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Kaiser Select
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- Cigna EPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- WellPoint Maryland
- Virginia Premier
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Optimum Choice
- United Navigate
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Tricare for Life East
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Tricare East Select
- Tricare East Prime
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Carefirst EPO
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- First Health PPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology
Fellowship Program: Cleveland Clinic (1995)
Fellowship Program: Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital (1995)
Fellowship Program: Brompton Hospital (1993)
Fellowship Program: Texas Childrens Hospital (1993)
Residency Program: St. Louis University Medical Center (1990)
Medical School: University of Toledo (1986)