About me
Lee Ann Richter, MD, is a board-certified female urologist with the MedStar National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery. She also serves as Associate Professor of Urology and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Richter is one of the few urologists in the country with obstetrics and gynecology-based fellowship training in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (urogynecology). Her sub-specialty training and surgical background make her uniquely qualified to offer a multidisciplinary perspective of complex pelvic floor conditions.
She treats all female urology and urogynecologic issues--no matter how complex--, including pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic floor disorders, urinary fistula, hematuria, urethral stricture and diverticulum, and interstitial cystitis. She provides a wide range of treatment options that include behavioral intervention, medical therapies, and surgery. Dr. Richter has extensive training in minimally-invasive surgical techniques, including vaginal, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted surgery.
Dr. Richter received her medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She then joined MedStar Georgetown University Hospital for a general surgery residency, a four-year urology residency, and a two-year sub-specialty fellowship in female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery at the National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery. She is a member of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction; the American Urogynecologic Society; and the American Urologic Society.
In addition to her work in Washington, D.C., she travels yearly to Rwanda with the International Organization for Women and Development to perform fistula surgeries for women who suffer from this debilitating condition. In addition to her work in the field, she also serves on the medical advisory board for this organization.
Dr. Richter has an extensive research background, and has received numerous grants for her research initiatives. She frequently lectures on urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse on a national level, and has been recognized for her research, presenting regularly at national scientific meetings. She was named a Fellow of the NIH/NICHD-funded AUGS/DUKE Urogynecology Clinical Research Educational Scientist Training program in 2019 and was also recognized for her dedication to student education when she was named as a Teaching Scholar at MedStar Washington Hospital Center from 2015 to 2017.
Philosophy of Care
"Pelvic floor conditions are incredibly common and unfortunately not often discussed. Urogynecology allows me the privilege to provide treatment that greatly improves quality of life for women. I don’t just see myself as a provider, but as an advocate for women with these conditions.
“During my urology training, I recognized that women feel very comfortable seeking care from other women for sensitive issues. As a woman, I appreciate and understand how bothersome conditions of the pelvic floor can be and how they can impact quality of life. There are so many successful treatment options for pelvic floor conditions, including urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. What I value about my time with my patients is being able to listen to each woman’s concerns, to validate her symptoms and how she feels, and to work together to find the right solution.
“It’s a privilege to provide treatment that focuses on improving quality of life. Helping women achieve their health goals is the most rewarding aspect of my job.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Bladder Prolapse
- Hematuria
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Lichen Sclerosus
- Mesh Removal
- Overactive Bladder
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Pelvic Floor Pain
- Prolapse Of Urethra
- Rectocele
- Sling Procedure
- Urinary Incontinence
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Bladder Fistula
- Bladder Prolapse
- Bladder Uterine Fistula
- Cancer Related Sexual Concerns
- Colovaginal Fistula
- Complete Uterovaginal Prolapse
- Constipation
- Continuous Leakage Of Urine
- Cystocele
- Cystodynia
- Decreased Libido
- Detrusor Instability
- Dyspareunia
- Dysuria
- Enterocele
- Enterovaginal Fistula
- Enuresis
- Fecal Incontinence
- Female Sexual Dysfunction
- Female Urinary Incontinence
- Frequent Urinary Tract Infections
- Functional Incontinence
- Hematuria
- Incompetence Of Pubocervical Tissue
- Incompetence Of Rectovaginal Tissue
- Incomplete Emptying Of Bladder
- Incomplete Uterovaginal Prolapse
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Intrinsic Sphincter Deficiency
- Labial Hypertrophy
- Levator Myalgia
- Lichen Sclerosus
- Microscopic Hematuria
- Mixed Incontinence
- Neurogenic Urinary Bladder
- Nocturia
- Overactive Bladder
- Overflow Incontinence Of Urine
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Pelvic Floor Pain
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Pelvic Pain
- Perineocele
- Polyuria
- Postmenopausal Bleeding
- Prolapse Of Urethra
- Prolapse Of Vaginal Vault After Hysterectomy
- Rectocele
- Rectourethral Fistula
- Rectovaginal Fistula
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Stress Incontinence
- Third Degree Uterine Prolapse
- Transverse Vaginal Septum
- Ureteric Fistula
- Urethral Caruncle
- Urethral Diverticulum
- Urethral False Passage
- Urethral Fistula
- Urethral Hypermobility
- Urethral Instability
- Urethral Stricture
- Urethritis
- Urethrocele
- Urethrovaginal Fistula
- Urge Incontinence
- Urinary Incontinence
- Urinary Retention
- Urinary Tract Fistula
- Urinary Tract Injury
- Uterine Prolapse
- Vaginal Fistula
- Vaginal Mesh Implant Complications
- Vaginal Prolapse
- Vesicocutaneous Fistula
- Vesicovaginal Fistula
- Vulvodynia
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Sacrocolpopexy
- Anterior Posterior Repair
- Anterior Repair
- Bladder Surgery
- Bladder Suspension
- Bladder Training
- Closure Urethrovaginal Fistula
- Colpocleisis
- Colpopexy
- Colporrhaphy
- Colposuspension
- Cystoscopy
- Female Genitourinary Reconstruction
- Hysterectomy
- Interstim
- Labial Reduction
- Labiaplasty
- Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
- Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy
- Laparoscopic Salpingo Oophorectomy
- Laparoscopic Urethral Suspension
- Laparoscopy Ureteroneocystostomy
- Mesh Removal
- Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery
- Neobladder Construction
- Obliteration Of Vaginal Vault
- Partial Hysterectomy
- Pelvic Floor Exercise
- Pelvic Reconstruction
- Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS)
- Perineorrhaphy
- Periurethral Suspension
- Pessary
- Plastic Repair Of Urethrocele
- Pop Q Exam
- Posterior Repair
- Reconstruction Of Urethra
- Reconstruction Of Vagina
- Repair Of Colovaginal Fistula
- Repair Of Cystocele
- Repair Of Enterocele
- Repair Of Pelvic Prolapse
- Repair Of Rectocele
- Repair Of Rectovaginal Fistula
- Repair Of Urinary Stress Incontinence
- Repair Of Vaginal Tear
- Robotic Gynecological Surgery
- Robotic Sacrocolpopexy
- Scheduled Voiding
- Sling Procedure
- Tension-Free Vaginal Tape
- Transurethral Cystoscopy
- Urethral Bulking Injection
- Urethrocystopexy
- Urethromeatoplasty
- Urethropexy
- Urinary Bladder Reconstruction
- Urodynamics
- Uroflowmetry
- Uterine Surgery
- Vaginal Hysterectomy
- Vaginal Surgery
- Vaginal Suspension
- Vaginoplasty
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
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Kaiser Signature
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Virginia Premier
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- United Student Resources
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Cigna Network Open Access
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Select
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- United Navigate
- United Select Plus (POS)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- I-SNP
- WellPoint Maryland
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Tricare East Select
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- United Golden Rule
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- D-SNP)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Cigna Indemnity
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Choice
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- Tricare East Prime
- United Choice Plus
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- CareFirst NASCO
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Tricare for Life East
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Carefirst EPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Cigna EPO
- United Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- First Health PPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Urology, Urology
Board Certification: American Board of Urology, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Fellowship Program: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2015)
Residency Program: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2013)
Internship Program: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2009)
Medical School: University of Connecticut- School of Medicine (2008)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
BLOG: How to find relief from urinary incontinence.
A complete list of publications by Lee A. Richter, MD: