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What Is a FibroScan®?
FibroScan® is a quick, painless, non-invasive test that measures liver stiffness and fat content. It helps detect early signs of liver disease and monitor changes over time—without the need for biopsy or sedation.
📋 Who Should Be Scanned?
According to major medical society guidelines, FibroScan® is recommended for patients with any of the following risk factors:
• Obesity
• Pre-Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes
• Two or more Metabolic Syndrome risk factors
• Elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST)
• Fatty liver (steatosis) seen on imaging
If you fall into one of these categories, regular liver monitoring can help prevent complications and guide treatment decisions.
🔁 How Often Can I Be Scanned?
FibroScan® is approved for serial monitoring. That means you can be scanned every 6 months to track your liver health over time.
🧠 Why It Matters
Early detection of liver changes can help prevent progression of cirrhosis, liver failure, or other complications. FibroScan® gives you and your provider a clear picture—so you can take proactive steps toward better health.
Fibroscans are covered by most Medicare and commercial insurance plans without prior authorization. But as is with most testing; it is best to check with your insurer prior to having this test done.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Fatima Elamin has joined Maryland Endocrine. With her strong clinical background and commitment to patient-centered care, Dr. Elamin brings both expertise and warmth to our team.

We would like to share that Dr. Sergio Lizama-Hernandez is no longer seeing patients at Maryland Endocrine. We are grateful for the care he provided during his time with us and wish him continued success in his next chapter.

Patients who wish to continue their care with Dr. Lizama-Hernandez may reach him at his new location:

MedStar Endocrinology Center 5601 Loch Raven Blvd Collaborative Care, 2nd Floor – Main Hospital Baltimore, MD 21239 📞 Phone: 443-444-4193 📠 Fax: 443-444-4080

We remain committed to supporting our patients through this transition and are here to assist with any questions or continuity of care needs.

Celebrating the Retirement of Dr. Lynne Gaynes-Kaplan

After decades of dedicated service, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr. Lynne Gaynes-Kaplan as she begins her well-earned retirement. Dr. Gaynes-Kaplan has been a cornerstone of Maryland Endocrine, known not only for her clinical excellence but for the compassion, integrity, and wisdom she brought to every patient interaction.

Her legacy is woven into the fabric of our practice—through the lives she’s touched, the colleagues she’s mentored, and the standard of care she helped shape. While we will miss her deeply, we celebrate this new chapter with gratitude and admiration.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Gaynes-Kaplan joy, rest, and continued inspiration in the years ahead.

As of October 1st, 2025, we will no longer be accepting United Healthcare. We have sent portal messages, as well as mailed letters to all of those who have United Healthcare as a primary, as well as a secondary insurance.
Patients are still welcome to be seen at the practice, but will have to pay up front for services, and can then submit the bill to United Healthcare for some reimbursement.
If you choose not to stay with the practice, please let us know so that we can cancel any future appointments and/or get records sent to your new provider.

Please be aware that there will be a $50 charge for patients on prior auths for certain weight loss medications, All forms, Letters, etc.

HOW TO ADD AN ATTACHMENT TO YOUR MESSAGE FOR PROVIDER THROUGH THE PORTAL AND/OR HEALOW APP

Ensuring that your correct healthcare information is on file before your appointment is crucial for a smooth experience. To assist with this, our patient portal and Healow app have been designed to streamline the process of uploading any necessary documents, such as outside lab results, medical records, or blood sugar readings and even your updated insurance cards

The following steps will guide you through the process:

Before starting this process, you will need to have whatever attachment it is that you are sending, for example: copy of insurance card, labs, imaging, blood sugar readings, etc; saved to your documents file on your personal electronic device (laptop, phone, etc)

First, log into your account on the patient portal or Healow app:

Navigate to the “messages” section and select the “compose” option to create a new message (this is a pencil ✏ icon, with compose)

You will then click on the “General Messages”

Add your provider and the subject of the message/attachment

You will find an ‘Add Attachment’ button, which allows you to upload files directly from your device

Make sure the documents are clear and legible before submitting

Once everything is uploaded, you can send the message to our office, ensuring that all your information is up-to-date and accessible for your upcoming appointment

Physician Assistant, Heather Dalwadi’s, last day with us here at Maryland Endocrine was on 1/24/25. If you had an upcoming appointment with her, please reach out to us via phone at 301-953-2080 or utilize the live feature on our chatbot. Someone at the office will be reaching out to you as well, to try to reschedule with another provider sometime in the upcoming months. Thank you!

We have now moved our office and will begin seeing patients this week at the 5500 Knoll North Drive, Suite 510, Columbia, MD 21045, location. We look forward to seeing all of you in our new space.

Thank you!!

Patient portal communication with a physician that is initiated by the patient and requires significant physician review, evaluation and response is a valuable professional service that helps patients improve or maintain their health between visits. Such communications can require significant physician time and effort and therefore may generate a portal telemedicine charge. Simple prescription refill requests and other administrative matters will not generate a telemedicine charge. Matters requiring a telephone call from the physician to the patient are also recognized as a physician service by Medicare and some other insurers and may generate a phone telemedicine charge.

Possible levels for portal telemedicine visits per Medicare guidelines are CPT codes 99421 for 5-10 minutes over 7 days, 99422 for 10-20 minutes over 7 days, 99423 for 21 or more minutes over 7 days. Medicare also recognizes telephone visits, CPT codes 99441 (5-10 minutes), 99442 (11-20 minutes), and 99443 (21-30 minutes). Medicare recognizes and covers these telemedicine or telephone visit service codes. Like other covered services, they might generate a patient co-payment responsibility.  Coverage policies of other insurance companies vary for telemedicine portal and phone visits.