Debra L. Sudan, MD
Accepting New Patients
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Medicine was the perfect way to combine my love of learning and being challenged with my desire to make a positive difference in people's lives.
– Debra L. Sudan, MD

Debra L. Sudan, MD

Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Surgeon, Liver Transplant Surgeon, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Surgeon, Pediatric Liver Transplant Surgeon, Small Intestine Transplant Surgeon

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Children's Health Center Liver Transplant Clinic - Durham, NC
Duke Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Clinic - Clinic 2B/2C - Durham, NC
Duke Liver/Intestine Transplant Clinic - Clinic 2B/2C - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Medicine was the perfect way to combine my love of learning and being challenged with my desire to make a positive difference in people's lives.
– Debra L. Sudan, MD

About Me

I chose medicine as my career because it was the perfect way to combine my love of learning and being challenged with my desire to make a positive difference in people's lives. During my general surgery residence in medical school, I gravitated toward transplantation precisely because of the immediate and profound impact it can have on someone’s health and quality of life. After completing a transplant fellowship at the University of Nebraska, I practiced surgery in Omaha, Nebraska for 14 years before coming to Duke to be a leader in its nationally renowned transplant program. As an abdominal transplant surgeon, I perform surgery on people needing organ transplantation in the abdominal region of the body, with a particular expertise in the areas of liver and small bowel transplants. I see transplant patients of all ages, but I find it especially rewarding to take care of pediatric patients. Transplant patients, in general, tend to be very sick, have a poor quality of life and, without transplant, have little hope of getting better. Having the opportunity to use my skill and expertise to help these children and their families is incredibly gratifying.

School of Medicine Departments and Divisions
Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

Call for an Appointment

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Fellowship
Solid Organ Transplantation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1996
Residency
General Surgery, Wright State University Medical Center (Ohio), 1994
Education
MD, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (Ohio), 1989

Clinical Focus and Research

Publications and Grants

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
    • Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
    • Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
    • Aetna Managed Choice POS
    • Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
    • Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
    • Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
    • Aetna Open Choice PPO
    • Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
    • Aetna Select HMO
    • Aetna Traditional Choice
    • Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
    • Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
    • Aetna/CVS Health
    • Ambetter of North Carolina
    • Blue Advantage
    • Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
    • Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
    • Blue Select
    • NC State Employees Health Plan
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.

    • Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
    • Cigna Choice Plus
    • Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access Plus
    • *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.

    • Duke Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • Humana Choice (PPO)
    • Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
    • Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
    • Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
  • MedCost
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
    • AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
    • AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
    • All Savers Alternate Funding
    • All Savers Fully Insured
    • United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
    • United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
    • United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
    • United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
    • United Healthcare Option PPO
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
    • United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
    • United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
    • United Medical Resources (UMR)
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

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.

External Relationships

Duke requires faculty members to report certain relationships outside of their employment in order to ensure potential conflicts can be addressed. This faculty member has reported no outside activities that relate to their Duke responsibilities.