About me
Brian Bethea, MD, is the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and the regional chief of outreach for the Baltimore region. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
Dr. Bethea’s clinical interests involve minimally invasive approaches to valvular and structural heart disease. This includes procedures such as TAVR, transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement, and multi-arterial coronary revascularization.
Dr. Bethea is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Bethea completed his residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in cardiac surgery, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Bethea has participated in nearly all major U.S. clinical trials for TAVR and has been involved in early feasibility trials for transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement. Due to his reputation, excellent outcomes, and high surgical volumes, he was selected to participate in past trials for the mitral and tricuspid valves, including Tendyne™, MitraClip™, ENCIRCLE, and TRILUMINATE. He is the only surgeon in Maryland to offer patient the latter two options.
He is a physician educator and proctor, traveling throughout the world to teach valve repair and replacement techniques to other surgeons. He serves as selection chair for the Tendyne trial, overseeing all patient selection for the entire trial.
Dr. Bethea has presented his work internationally and is widely published in all the major cardiothoracic medical journals. He was among the first authors to be published on the topic of transcatheter mitral valve replacement–a rapidly evolving and expanding field.
Philosophy of Care
“I aim to provide personalized, tailored care to each of my patients. Whether it’s a minimally invasive procedure, an open procedure, or a hybrid approach, I find the method that will best fit the person, rather than the other way around. Since I have been involved in the development of so many new technologies, I can provide patients with all their options, so we can make an informed decision together. I wholeheartedly believe in a team approach to providing care, and view patients, their families, and their referring physicians as integral members of the care team.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Valve Replacement
- Reoperative Cardiac Surgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Ulcer
- Aortic Valve Sclerosis
- Double Aortic Arch
- Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis
- Infiltrative Disorders Of The Heart
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Loeys Dietz Syndrome
- Malignant Effusion
- Marfan Syndrome
- Maternal Valvular Disease
- Mediastinitis
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Bridge
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pleural Effusion
- Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis
- Rupture Of Papillary Muscle
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Valvular Endocarditis
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Replacement
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Repair
- Balloon Catheter
- Bloodless Cardiac Surgery
- Convergent Procedure
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Cryoablation
- Embolectomy
- Endoscopic Surgery
- Epicardial Lead Placement
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Intra Aortic Balloon Pump
- Left Atrial Appendage Closure
- Median Sternotomy
- Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement
- Minimally Invasive Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Closure
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Coronary Bypass Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Replacement
- Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass
- Paravalvular Leak Repair
- Patent Foramen Ovale Closure
- Pericardiocentesis
- Pericardiotomy
- Prosthetic Heart Valves
- Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy
- Pulmonic Valve Replacement
- Reoperative Cardiac Surgery
- Replacement Of Heart Valve
- Septal Myectomy
- Surgical Ablation Of Atrial Fibrillation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Thrombectomy
- Total Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tube Pericardiostomy
- Valvuloplasty
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 NASCO
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- United Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Choice
- Aetna HMO
- Cigna Indemnity
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Kaiser Signature
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Student Resources
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- United Navigate
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- D-SNP)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Choice Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Tricare for Life East
- United Optimum Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- Carefirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Tricare East Select
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Select
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Virginia Premier
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare East Prime
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United Golden Rule
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Cigna EPO
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- I-SNP
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- Cigna Network Open Access
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- First Health PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2008)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2005)
Medical School: The University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (1999)
Awards
- Baltimore magazine, Top Doctor, 2021