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Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD

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Specializes in: Adult Pulmonology and Critical Care (Intensive Care Medicine)

University of Mississippi School of Medicine (1978)

Professional interests include: empyema, foreign bodies, hemoptysis, and more.

110 Irving Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20010

(202) 877-7000

Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD is a pulmonologist in Washington, DC specializing in adult pulmonology and critical care (intensive care medicine). He graduated from University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1978 and has 46 years of experience. Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD is affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Health and PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE ASSOCIATES, PC.

Office Locations

Address:

110 Irving Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20010

Address:

251 National Harbor Boulevard 5th Floor
Oxon Hill, MD 20745

Some issues Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD can help you with:

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure performed to remove a small sample of cells for testing. The cells are examined in a laboratory to check for disease, or sometimes to see how badly a known disease is affecting them. Biopsy can be performed on any part of the body.

Although biopsy is most often associated with cancer, it can also be used to check for other diseases, such as infections. A biopsy sample can be scraped, cut, collected with a needle, taken with a machine that punches out a tiny piece, or removed with the tiny tools in an endoscope.

In most cases, a biopsy is a simple outpatient procedure. Depending on the procedure, patients may need to stop taking certain medications beforehand, such as blood thinners. It is important for patients to tell doctors if they are pregnant, as certain biopsies require the use of x-rays to guide the needle to the right location. There is usually very little pain associated with a biopsy. Patients will have to wait a few days to hear the results.

Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure in which a thin tube with a camera, called a bronchoscope, is inserted in the mouth or nose and slowly advanced to the lungs. This allows doctors to see the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchi (airways), and lungs. Doctors may recommend those who have or show signs of lung problems - for example, lung cancer or difficulty breathing - to undergo a bronchoscopy.

In performing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, doctors may only wish to visualize the respiratory tract, or doctors may also collect samples of tissue or fluid. The samples can help diagnose patients' conditions or, if patients have cancer, they can be used for staging purposes. One method for sample collection is bronchoalveolar lavage. In a bronchoalveolar lavage, doctors inject saline (salt water) through the bronchoscope and then suction it out of the airways. The washout collected is tested for lung disorders. Doctors can also insert a biopsy tool to collect tissue or mucus samples. The following are biopsies that can be performed by bronchoscopy:

Brush biopsy, which uses a brush to collect samples.
Endobronchial biopsy, which uses the bronchoscope to guide forceps to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial biopsy, which uses forceps and image guidance - such as X-rays, CT scans, or fluoroscopy - to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial fine needle aspiration (TBNA), which uses a small needle to take samples of the lymph nodes or lungs.

For visualization, bronchoscopy can be done alone, or it can be combined with ultrasound. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) allows real-time imaging of the airway and is used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, as well as for determining where the cancer has spread. EBUS can be performed with TBNA, a procedure known as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).

Doctors can also use bronchoscopy as a treatment for lung problems. For example, if a foreign body is trapped in the airway, doctors can insert forceps through the bronchoscope to remove it. If the airway has become narrowed - which may occur if patients have an infection, cancer, or some other inflammatory issue - bronchoscopy can be used to place a device called a stent in the area of constriction. The stent will keep the airway open, allowing the patient to breathe properly.

During a bronchoscopy, patients will be given medication (sedative) to help them relax. If it is only a diagnostic bronchoscopy, patients will be kept awake, but if the bronchoscopy is for therapeutic purposes, patients will be put to sleep by general anesthesia. After the procedure, patients will need to stay in the hospital for a few hours. They will not be able to eat or drink for about 2 hours. Some patients may experience discomfort, such as a sore throat or pain while swallowing. Throat lozenges and gargling may help alleviate these symptoms, which should go away after a few days. Patients will need to have someone drive them home once their doctor determines that they are ready.

Lung Issues

Every cell in the body requires oxygen to function and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. In order to keep the body's tissues constantly supplied with fresh oxygen and to keep waste from building up, the lungs pump air in and out, even while sleeping or unaware. Unfortunately, diseases and disorders affecting the lungs are some of the most common medical problems afflicting people around the world. Some of the most common lung problems include asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and lung cancer.

Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.

Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.

Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.

breathing treatment	18
bronchoscopy	15
doctor visit	1084
hospital care	1077
inpatient care	1077
lab tests	57
minimally invasive procedures	15
preventive care	106
pulmonary testing	337
vaccines	49

**Gender**
Male	298
Female	483

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	99
Black	643
Hispanic	17
Asian	11
Other	11
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	303
From 75 to 84	236
85 and over	105
Less than 65	137

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	58
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	47
Asthma	33
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	58
Diabetes	56
Dementia	18
Cancer	21

breathing treatment	14
doctor visit	1036
hospital care	1200
inpatient care	1200
lab tests	117
preventive care	167
pulmonary testing	332
vaccines	50

**Gender**
Male	273
Female	439

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	89
Black	598
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	281
From 75 to 84	211
85 and over	90
Less than 65	130

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	55
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	35
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	52
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	54
Diabetes	55
Dementia	15
Cancer	18

doctor visit	1001
hospital care	786
inpatient care	786
lab tests	51
preventive care	93
pulmonary testing	370
vaccines	42

**Gender**
Male	438
Female	754

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	120
Black	1040
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	496
From 75 to 84	346
85 and over	144
Less than 65	206

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	17
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	50
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	50
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	53
Diabetes	57
Dementia	14
Cancer	19

doctor visit	1006
hospital care	688
inpatient care	688
lab tests	61
preventive care	57
pulmonary testing	490

**Gender**
Male	233
Female	376

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	66
Black	522
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	239
From 75 to 84	187
85 and over	64
Less than 65	119

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	53
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	67
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	50
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	55
Diabetes	54
Dementia	18
Cancer	18

breathing treatment	17
bronchoscopy	10
doctor visit	946
hospital care	854
inpatient care	854
lab tests	23
minimally invasive procedures	10
preventive care	19
pulmonary testing	522

**Gender**
Male	245
Female	377

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	56
Black	546
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	253
From 75 to 84	187
85 and over	69
Less than 65	113

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	55
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	59
Asthma	31
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	18
Heart Failure	55
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	56
Diabetes	58
Dementia	21
Cancer	17

bronchoscopy	14
doctor visit	904
hospital care	981
inpatient care	981
minimally invasive procedures	14
pulmonary testing	308

**Gender**
Male	250
Female	443

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	78
Black	591
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	267
From 75 to 84	224
85 and over	76
Less than 65	126

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	61
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	61
Asthma	28
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	58
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	58
Diabetes	57
Dementia	25
Cancer	16

doctor visit	948
hospital care	1020
inpatient care	1020
pulmonary testing	237

**Gender**
Male	239
Female	393

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	69
Black	534
Hispanic	12
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	248
From 75 to 84	201
85 and over	84
Less than 65	99

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	60
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	62
Asthma	28
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	18
Heart Failure	59
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	53
Diabetes	58
Dementia	24
Cancer	17

doctor visit	834
hospital care	767
inpatient care	767
pulmonary testing	80

**Gender**
Male	181
Female	344

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	50
Black	452
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	228
From 75 to 84	159
85 and over	69
Less than 65	69

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	57
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	59
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	46
Diabetes	53
Dementia	20
Cancer	17

doctor visit	1427
hospital care	1749
inpatient care	1749
pulmonary testing	112

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Washington, DC were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and preventive care.

bronchoscopy	13
doctor visit	1021
hospital care	1013
inpatient care	1013
lab tests	61
minimally invasive procedures	13
preventive care	91
pulmonary testing	312
vaccines	49

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD.

**Gender**
Male	215
Female	360

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	492
Asian / Pacific Islander	1
Non-Hispanic White	62
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	2
Other	1

**Age**
75 to 84	175
85 and over	70
Less than 65	99
65 to 74	231

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and diabetes.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	43
Asthma	29
Osteoporosis	5
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	43
Diabetes	44
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Cancer	14
Dementia	15

Education & Training

Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD graduated from University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1978. He completed residency at Howard University Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and has a state license in Maryland.

Medical School: University of Mississippi School of Medicine (1978)

Residency: Howard University Hospital (1981)

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine

Licensed In: Maryland

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

MedStar Health

PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE ASSOCIATES, PC

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.	$2,239 NUCALA $731	TRELEGY ELLIPTA $626	ANORO $515	BREO $285	INCRUSE $39	Other $43
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP	$1,925 SYMBICORT $759	FASENRA $489	TEZSPIRE $301	BEVESPI AEROSPHERE $131	XIGDUO $73	Other $172
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$1,705 OFEV $625	STIOLTO RESPIMAT $317	STIOLTO $275	Spiriva $173	SPIRIVA RESPIMAT $151	Other $165
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.	$986 ACTHAR $986
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.	$939 OPSUMIT MACITENTAN $441	VENTAVIS ILOPROST $169	OPSUMIT $166	VELETRI EPOPROSTENOL $114	UPTRAVI $48
Other	$6,181 ACTHAR $1,060	Adempas $803	ORENITRAM $641	DUPIXENT $452	XOLAIR $407	Other $2,816

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$13,617
Education	$359

Biography

Dr. Octavius Polk's medical specialty is critical care (intensive care medicine) and adult pulmonology. Dr. Polk's areas of expertise include the following: video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), collapsed lung, and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). He is professionally affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. For his residency, Dr. Polk trained at Howard University Hospital.

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Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD

Office Locations

Some issues Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD can help you with:

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2013

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2014

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2015

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2016

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2017

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2018

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2019

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD in 2020

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Octavius Douglas Polk Jr., MD From 2013 - 2021

Education & Training

Affiliations & Hospitals

Ratings & Reviews

General Payments

Biography

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