Areas of Expertise
-
Esophageal Cancer Surgery
-
Esophageal Motility Disorders
-
Hiatal Hernia Surgery
-
Lung Cancer Surgery
-
Robotic Thoracic Surgery
A significant portion of my practice involves advanced minimally invasive techniques in thoracic surgery to treat diseases such as lung or esophageal cancer. Another part of my clinical practice is spent taking care of patients with severe lung disease, especially those needing lung transplantation. Patients from all over the world come to Duke for lung transplantation. Research demonstrates that experience is very important in taking care of complex medical problems, both on the surgical side and on the medical side. We have one of the largest transplant centers in the world with excellent survival statistics, as well as the shortest wait list time. Instead of the national average which may be four to six months, our patients wait an average of about two weeks. One of the best aspects of being a patient or working at Duke is the people who work here. No matter how challenging the medical problems may be or what problems may arise, I know there’s a world’s expert a phone call away who can help intervene and I know that my patients will be cared for by committed Duke staff from across the hospital.
I have a master’s degree in clinical research that provides expertise in multiple types of medical research projects beneficial for patient care. For example, I analyze large collections of data containing information from thousands of patients across the country in order to evaluate the best type of surgery for early stage lung cancer, or whether chemotherapy may be beneficial for your type of cancer. By investigating results in thousands of patients I can help each patient I see in clinic make the best decision for them as individuals. I also have expertise in clinical trials evaluating devices or medicines used to treat certain conditions.
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below. Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
Patient Reviews
Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Survey and displayed in their entirety.
Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy