Richard A. Elion MD

Dr. Richard Elion has worked at the intersection of clinical care and evidence-based practice for the last thirty years. He has integrated novel practice approaches into a variety of clinical settings since his early work bringing a patient-centered approach to patients with HIV disease back in the early days of the epidemic. He has a novel background in both integrative treatment and conventional medicine, having trained in acupuncture and homeopathy, and nutrition and being a founding member of the American Academy of HIV Medicine and currently works as Senior Director of Evidence-Based Medicine at Whitman Walker Health.

Dr. Elion has a deep background in clinical research and is on the faculty of both Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and George Washington University School of Medicine. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals such as JAMA and JAIDS and is on the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed journals. He lectures internationally and has served as a consultant to numerous constituencies. He has also started numerous businesses from a chain of coffee bars to a specialty-based physician of love 80 physicians with complete lab and research capability. He worked closely in pharmaceutical development and the creation of a medical education program focused on internet-based clinical learning.

Dr. Elion has a master's in counseling as well and has been at the forefront of integrating patient-centered medical care for over 30 years. He has helped to develop novel systems of care and integrated education and training and development into these emerging models. Dr. Elion worked with the University of Maryland and the American Academy of Acupuncture, in the integration of wellness and complementary medicine into the medical school curriculum. He recently was part of a team that received an innovation grant to develop home-based services for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, as a way to expand the outreach and integration of current care models. Dr. Elion is currently the director of the scientific advisory board of PROTEDGE, focused on improving the prevention of COVID-related infections through innovative testing strategies integrated with comprehensive COVID management of the workplace.