Staff

Meet Our Team

The new physician joins an intentionally compact group, which allows for deep collaboration and consistent care standards across the patient panel.

Physician Leadership

Merlene V. Horan, MD serves as Medical Director of Signature by MedStar Health and will be your primary physician colleague. Her background is highly relevant to the patient population this practice serves.

Dr. Horan is a decorated Navy officer and former White House Physician. She provided care to the President, Vice President, First Lady, Second Lady, their families, and cabinet members, both domestically and internationally. She held top secret and White House security clearances during her service, and she brings that same standard of discretion and attention to privacy into the concierge practice today.

Her philosophy of care centers on shared decision-making and patient education. Patients in the practice are often executives, government officials, and other high-responsibility professionals who value the depth of engagement she provides.

Multidisciplinary Support Team

Physicians in the practice work alongside an integrated team that supports whole-person care beyond the traditional primary care model:

• Care Navigator, coordinating priority scheduling, specialty referrals, diagnostic appointments, and in-home services
• Nutritionist, supporting personalized dietary and metabolic planning
• Athletic Trainer, supporting fitness, mobility, and preventive health goals
• Additional clinical and operational support staff as the program continues to grow

System-Level Clinical Network

Beyond the immediate team, you will have direct access to the full MedStar Health specialist network, which includes:

• 10 hospitals across Maryland and the Washington, DC region
• Thousands of specialists across primary and tertiary care
• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center
• MedStar National Rehabilitation Network

Care navigators coordinate specialist referrals directly, which allows physicians to focus on clinical decisions rather than administrative routing.

Practice Culture

• Small, collaborative team environment
• Emphasis on clinical excellence and discretion
• Strong commitment to physician autonomy within the concierge model
• Intentional growth strategy; the addition of a second physician reflects sustained patient demand and an expansion plan built on quality rather than volume