Arif H. Kamal, MD
Medical Oncologist, Palliative Medicine Specialist
My Locations
Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
About Me
I believe that all patients and their caregivers expect and deserve close attention to issues that are affecting their quality of life. As an oncologist (cancer doctor) and palliative medicine physician, I aim to make the experience of going through serious cancer less distressful, adding in an extra layer of support.
- Associate Consulting Professor in the Department of Medicine, Medicine, Medical Oncology 2024
- Core Faculty in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship 2020
Call for an Appointment
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
My research focuses on improving the quality of care for patients who receive cancer care, supportive care services, and palliative care. I work with a team of medical, nursing, and social work experts at Duke, alongside several partners across the world, in thinking about how the processes of care which improve patient outcomes can be prioritized.
- Kamal, Arif H., Keith M. Swetz, Sydney Dy, Allen Y. Tien, Jennifer S. Temel, and Amy P. Abernethy. “Integrating technology into palliative care research.” Curr Opin Support Palliat Care 6, no. 4 (December 2012): 525–32. https://doi.org/10.1097/SPC.0b013e32835998c6.
- Kamal, A. H., F. Camacho, R. Anderson, W. Wei, R. Balkrishnan, and G. Kimmick. “Similar survival with single-agent capecitabine or taxane in first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.” Breast Cancer Res Treat 134, no. 1 (July 2012): 371–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-2037-1.
- Swetz, Keith M., and Arif H. Kamal. “In the clinic. Palliative care.” Ann Intern Med 156, no. 3 (February 7, 2012): ITC2-T15. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-156-3-201202070-01002.
- Hanson, T. R., L. W. Mims, and A. H. Kamal. “What Is Neuropathic Pain and How Is It Best Managed?” In Evidence-Based Practice of Palliative Medicine, Second Edition, 46–52, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-84702-5.00006-3.
- Chilsen, A., J. Morphew, and A. H. Kamal. “How Are Adjuvant Medications Such as Corticosteroids and NSAIDs Used for Pain Management?” In Evidence-Based Practice of Palliative Medicine, Second Edition, 53–60, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-84702-5.00007-5.
- Krouse, R. S., and A. H. Kamal. “Specialized care of the terminally ill.” In DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 2242–48, 2018.
- Winger, Joseph G., Tamara J. Somers, Karen E. Steinhauser, Laura S. Porter, Katherine Ramos, Arif H. Kamal, William S. Breitbart, and Francis J. Keefe. “MEANING-CENTERED PAIN COPING SKILLS TRAINING: A PILOT TRIAL OF A PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED CANCER.” In ANNALS OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE, 55:S302–S302, 2021.
- Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid, Vasu Divi, Oxana Palesh, Jena Daniels, Lisa G. Rosas, Dale O’Brien, Sharon W. Davis, Arif H. Kamal, Allison W. Kurian, and Michelle R. Longmire. “Abstract 2033: Reducing cancer caregiver burden: A user-centered design approach for an mHealth app.” In Cancer Research, 80:2033–2033. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2020. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2020-2033.
- Campbell, Toby C., Lynn F. Reinke, Caroline J. Hurd, Abraham A. Brody, Arif H. Kamal, and Elizabeth Lindenberger. “Sojourn's Scholars Present: In the Expert's Studio.” In JOURNAL OF PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT, 59:475–76. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, 2020.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- 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
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- 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
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- 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)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
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
- Acclivity Health Solutions
- Agilix
- Housecall Drs/Scan Health Plan
- New Century Health
- Prepped Health LLC
- United Healthcare