About me
Dr. James Higgins is Chief of The Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. Dr. Higgins specializes in complex reconstruction after trauma, microsurgery, congenital hand surgery as well as fractures and disorders of the arm and wrist. He is fellowship trained in hand surgery and board certified in plastic surgery.
Dr. Higgins is recognized as a leading surgeon in the field and a sought-after national and international presenter and visiting professor. His numerous research studies and clinical trial research projects are published in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. While treating commonplace hand conditions he has been recognized as a leader in complex areas of hand surgery including microsurgery, hand replantation and transplantation, and wrist reconstruction.
Dr. Higgins believes in treating all patients in the same way that he would treat a family member. His dedication to patient care and compassion led him to be named a Top Doctor by Baltimore Magazine, most recently in 2023, and a Super Doctor by The Washington Post.
Each year the two largest national scientific organizations of hand and microsurgery select a travelling ambassador surgeon from among their ranks of thousands of surgeons around the globe. Dr Higgins has served as the selected ambassador and travelling fellow for each of these groups. In 2010 Dr. Higgins served as the Godina travelling fellow for the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery. In 2013 he then served as the Sterling Bunnell travelling fellow for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Dr Higgins is one of only two surgeons globally who have ever received both of these prestigious accolades.
Awards
Dr. Higgins was named a 2023 and 2020 “Top Doc” by Baltimore Magazine for Hand Surgery and has been recognized since 2015.
Clinical areas of focus
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Elbow Arthritis
- Flexor Tendon Repair
- Hand Arthritis
- Minimally Invasive Surgery Of The Hand
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Scaphoid Fracture
- Tendinitis Of The Hand
- Wrist Fracture
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormalities Of The Hands
- Acquired Radial Ulnar Synostosis
- Avascular Necrosis Of The Arm
- Avascular Necrosis Of The Lunate
- Benign Neoplasm Of Skin
- Buckle Fracture
- Burn Scars
- Bursitis Of The Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Cellulitis Of Finger
- Compromised Skin Grafts
- Compromised Tissue Flaps
- Congenital Radial Ulnar Synostosis
- Contracture
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Digital Ischemia
- Distal Radial Fracture
- Dupuytren Contracture
- Elbow Arthritis
- Elbow Bone Spur
- Elbow Dislocation
- Elbow Fracture
- Elbow Injury
- Elbow Pain
- Elbow Sprain
- Epicondylitis
- Finger Arthritis
- Finger Dislocation
- Finger Fracture
- Finger Osteoarthritis
- Finger Tendon Tear
- Forearm Fracture
- Foreign Body (FINGER)
- Foreign Body (HAND)
- Galeazzi Fracture
- Ganglion Cyst
- Hand Arthritis
- Hand Fracture
- Lateral Epicondylitis
- Mallet Finger
- Malunion Fracture Of The Forearm
- Malunion Fracture Of The Wrist
- Medial Epicondylitis
- Nail Injury
- Nerve Injury
- Non-Displaced Fracture Of Radius
- Non-Displaced Fracture Of Ulna
- Nonunion Fracture Of The Forearm
- Proximal Ulnar Fracture
- Radial Fracture
- Radial Nerve Injury
- Radial Pseudarthrosis
- Radioulnar Synostosis
- Repetitive Stress Injury
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scaphoid Fracture
- Scapholunate Advanced Collapse (SLAC)
- Sports Related Finger Injury
- Sports Related Hand Injury
- Sports Related Thumb Injury
- Sports Related Wrist Injury
- Stress Fracture Of The Radius
- Tendinitis Of The Hand
- Tendon Injury
- Tenosynovitis
- Tenosynovitis Of Hand
- Thumb Aplasia
- Traumatic Amputation Of The Arm
- Traumatic Amputation Of The Hand
- Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injury
- Trigger Finger
- Ulnar Fracture
- Ulnar Nerve Compression
- Ulnar Nerve Compression At/In Wrist Or Hand
- Ulnar Nerve Injury
- Ulnar Pseudarthrosis
- Wrist Arthritis
- Wrist Contracture
- Wrist Dislocation
- Wrist Fracture
- Wrist Sprain
- Wrist Tendon Tear
Procedures I perform
- Amputation Of The Finger Surgery
- Arthroscopy Of Wrist
- Burn Reconstruction
- Colles Fracture Surgery
- Complex Wound Management
- Cosmetic Hand Surgery
- Elbow Injection
- Elbow Surgery
- Finger Deformity Surgery
- Finger Flexor Recession
- Finger Fracture Surgery
- Finger Tendon Lengthening
- Fingernail Avulsion Procedure
- Fingertip Repair
- Flap Surgery
- Flexor Tendon Repair
- Forearm Fracture Surgery
- Galeazzi Fracture Surgery
- Hand Surgery
- Hand Therapies
- Hand Transplant
- Lunate Fracture Surgery
- Microsurgery
- Microvascular Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery Of The Hand
- Nerve Reconstruction
- Open Reduction And Internal Fixation Orif Finger
- Open Reduction And Internal Fixation Orif Hand
- Open Reduction And Internal Fixation Orif Wrist
- Percutaneous Pinning
- Polydactyly Hand Surgery
- Post Traumatic Reconstruction
- Reconstructive Microsurgery
- Reconstructive Plastic Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Finger
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Repair Laceration
- Scapholunate Advanced Collapse (SLAC) Surgery
- Skin Graft
- Splinting
- Styloidectomy
- Tendon Repair Surgery
- Tenotomy
- Thumb Fracture Surgery
- Treatment For Post-Traumatic Deformity
- Trigger Finger Injection
- Trigger Point Injection
- Trigger Thumb Injection
- Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair
- Wrist Flexor Recession
- Wrist Steroid Injection
- Wrist Tendon Lengthening
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
- 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)
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- 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)
- United Navigate
- 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
- 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
- Beech Street PPO
- 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 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
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Surgery of the Hand
Fellowship: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital at Baltimore (2002)
Residency: Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester (2001)
Residency: Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester (1999)
Medical School: University of Rochester (1996)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine Top Doc - 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015