Richard David Zorowitz, MD| Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation | MedStar Health
About me
Richard D. Zorowitz, MD, is a graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed an internship in internal medicine at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, and a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, IL. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, and Brain Injury Medicine.
Dr. Zorowitz focuses his clinical activities on the rehabilitation of stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions. He specializes in the management of spasticity, including oral medications, botulinum toxin injections, and intrathecal baclofen. His research activities focus on stroke rehabilitation, including motor recovery, hemiplegic shoulder pain, dysphagia, spasticity, pseudobulbar affect, and functional outcomes.
Clinical areas of focus
- Botox Injection
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Cerebral Palsy
- Demyelinating Optic Neuropathy Treatment
- Dystonia Treatment
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Treatment
- Muscle Spasm
- Muscle Weakness
- Neuromuscular Rehabilitation
- Sensory Neuropathy
- Spasticity
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury Therapy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Cerebral Palsy
- Enthesopathy Of Lower Limb
- Gait And Balance Problems
- Hand Joint Pain
- Hereditary Ataxia
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Mononeuropathy Of Upper Limb
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscle Spasm
- Muscle Weakness
- Neuropathic Pain
- Sensory Neuropathy
- Spasticity
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Subcortical Infarction
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Procedures I perform
- Activities Of Daily Living Training
- Balance And Coordination Training
- Botox Injection
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Chronic Pain Rehabilitation
- Cold Pack
- Communication And Swallowing And Wound And Edema Management
- Communication And Swallowing Rehabilitation
- Concussion Rehabilitation
- Demyelinating Optic Neuropathy Treatment
- Dystonia Treatment
- Edema Management
- Electrical Nerve Stimulation
- Electromyography
- Epilepsy Education
- Falls Prevention
- Fitness For Duty Neuropsychological Evaluation
- Geriatric Care Management
- Inpatient Palliative Care
- Iontophoresis For Medication Delivery
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treatment
- Kinesiology
- Kinesiology Analysis
- Ligament Strengthening
- Limb Loss Rehabilitation
- Lymphedema Management
- Median Nerve Conduction Studies
- Meniscus Injury Rehabilitation
- Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) Treatment
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Treatment
- Muscle Injection
- Muscular Dystrophy Rehabilitation
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
- Myofascial Pain And Fibromyalgia Rehabilitation
- Nerve Stimulation Therapy
- Neuromuscular Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Testing
- Neuropsychological Testing
- Orthopedic Physical Therapy
- Orthoptic Evaluation
- Orthotic Device Fitting
- Orthotics And Prosthetics For Amputations
- Orthotics Fitting
- Osteoarthritis Rehabilitation
- Pain Medication Management
- Palliative Care
- Paraffin Bath Therapy
- Paraffin Wax Bath
- Parkinson's Disease And Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation
- Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation
- Patching Therapy
- Phonophoresis
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Prosthetic Training
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Range Of Motion Exercises
- Range Of Motion Improvement
- Rehabilitation Guideline
- Rehabilitation Planning
- Rehabilitation Psychology Clinic
- Rehabilitative Technology
- Seating And Mobility Assessment
- Self-Care Training
- Speech And Language Pathology
- Speech Therapy
- Spinal Cord Injury Care
- Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
- Spine Orthotics
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Therapeutic Exercises
- Traumatic Brain Injury Therapy
- Trigger Point Injection
- Wheelchair Evaluation
- Wound And Edema Management
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 4th Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-877-1621Fax 202-877-1998
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
- HealthyBlue PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- HighMark
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA EPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-Open HMO
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- TRICARE East Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Sentara Health
- IH-POS Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Choice POS
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Beech Street PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CIGNA Indemnity
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Choice POS II Open Access
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Network OA
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Navigate
- United Student Resources
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Optimum Choice
- IH-POS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Medicare Direct
- IH-Open POS II
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA PPO
- OA Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Medicare FFS
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst NASCO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- POS OA
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Residency: Northwestern Memorial Hospital (1989)
Internship: Long Island Jewish Medical Center (1986)
Medical School: Tulane University Office GME (1985)
Awards
- Visionary in Practice Society, National Stroke Association (2001)Central Nervous System Council Outstanding Service Award, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2011)
- Golden Goniometer Award, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2012)
- America’s Top Physicians, Consumer’s Research Council of America (2015) Outstanding Contributions in the Training and Education of the Resident Staff, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network/Georgetown (2016)
- John W. Goldschmidt Award, MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (2022)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Holloway RG, Arnold RM, Creutzfeldt CJ, Lewis EF, Lutz BJ, McCann RM, Rabinstein AA, Saposnik G, Sheth KN, Zahuranec DB, Zipfel GJ, Zorowitz RD; on behalf of the American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, and Council on Clinical Cardiology. Palliative and end-of-life care in stroke: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke 2014; 45: 1887-1916. DOI: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000015
- Veerakumara A, Cheng JJ, Sunshineb A, Yeb X, Zorowitz RD, Anderson WS. Baclofen dosage after traumatic spinal cord injury: A multi-decade retrospective analysis. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2015: 129; 50–56.
- Ganapathy V, Graham GD, DiBonaventura MD, Gillard PJ, Goren, A, Zorowitz R. Caregiver burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs associated with caring for patients with post-stroke spasticity. Clin Interven Aging 2015; 10: 1793–1802. DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S91123. PMCID: PMC4644168.
- Coslick A, Zorowitz RD, Wright SM. Clinical Excellence in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Examples from the Published Literature. J Rehabil Med 2016; 48(3): 253-258. DOI:10.2340/16501977-2058.
- Winstein CJ, Stein J, Arena R, Bates B, Cherney LR, Cramer SC, Deruyter F, Eng JJ, Fisher B, Harvey RL, Lang CE, MacKay-Lyons M, Ottenbacher KJ, Pugh S, Reeves MJ, Richards LG, Stiers W, Zorowitz RD; on behalf of the American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, Council on Clinical Cardiology, and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Guidelines for adult stroke rehabilitation and recovery: a guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association [published online ahead of print May 4, 2016]. Stroke 2016; 47(6): e98-169.
- Hammond FM, Alexander DN, Cutler AJ, D'Amico S, Doody RS, Sauve W, Zorowitz RD, Davis CS, Shin P, Ledon F, Yonan C, Formella AE, Siffert J. PRISM II: An open-label study to assess effectiveness of dextromethorphan/ quinidine for pseudobulbar affect in patients with dementia, stroke or traumatic brain injury. BMC Neurology 2016; 16: 89.
- Zorowitz RD. Topics in practice management. ICU-acquired weakness: A rehabilitation perspective of diagnosis, treatment, and functional management. Chest 2016; 150(4): 966–971.
- Zorowitz RD, Wein TH, Dunning K, Deltombe T, Olver JH, Dave SJ, Dimyan MA, Kelemen J, Pagan FL, Evans CJ, Gillard P, Kissela BM. A screening tool to identify spasticity in need of treatment. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2017; 96(5): 315-320.
- Zorowitz RD, Alexander DN, Formella AE, Ledon F, Davis C, Siffert J. Dextromethorphan/quinidine for pseudobulbar affect following stroke: Safety and effectiveness in the PRISM II trial. PM&R 2019; 11(1): 17-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.06.003
- Berrigan WA, Whitehair C, Zorowitz R. Acute Spinal Epidural Hematoma as a Complication of Dry Needling: A Case Report. PM&R 2019; 11(3): 313-316. Published online July 20, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.07.009.
- Adeoye O, Nyström KV, Yavagal DR, Luciano J, Nogueira RG, Zorowitz RD, Khalessi AA, Bushnell C, Barsan WG, Panagos P, Alberts MJ, Tiner AC, Schwamm LH, Jauch EC. Recommendations for the Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care: A 2019 Update A Policy Statement From the American Stroke Association. Stroke 2019; 50: 00-00. DOI: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000173.
- Duncan PW, Bushnell C, Sissine M, Coleman S, Lutz BJ, Johnson AM, Radman M, Pvru Bettger J, Zorowitz RD, Stein J. Comprehensive Stroke Care and Outcomes: Time for a Paradigm Shift. Stroke 2021; 52(1): 385-393. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.029678. Epub 2020 Dec 22. PMID: 33349012.