My Locations
About Me
My practice helps older adults and their families deal with problems that often come with aging. While my research focuses on preventing falls and broken bones in older adults, I also care for people with memory loss, depression, weight loss, side effects from medications, incontinence, pain, difficulty getting around, and loss of independence. My clinic uses a team approach that includes a social worker, geriatric nurse specialist and geropsychiatrist. Instead of focusing on one problem at a time, we try to think about the whole person, making sure to understand the patient's goals and preferences, and helping to prioritize plans when there are many problems going on at once. It is a joy and privilege to work with older adults, and I especially love hearing stories accumulated over a lifetime. At home, I am a proud mother of two teenage boys and an active volunteer in our Boy Scout troop, church and community.

- Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care 2017
- Chief, Division of Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine, Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care 2019
- Senior Fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development 2003
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Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 2024 - 2029
- Drake, Connor, Virginia Wang, Karen M. Stechuchak, Nina Sperber, Rebecca Bruening, Cynthia J. Coffman, Ashley Choate, et al. “Enhancing team communication to improve implementation of a supervised walking program for hospitalized veterans: Evidence from a multi-site trial in the Veterans Health Administration.” PM R, July 5, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmrj.13190.
- Pavon, Juliessa M., Spencer Davidson, Richard Sloane, Marc Pepin, William Bryan, Janine Bailey, Ivuoma Igwe, and Cathleen Colon-Emeric. “Deprescribing electronic case reviews for older veterans at risk for falls: Effects on drug burden and falls.” J Am Geriatr Soc 72, no. 2 (February 2024): 433–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18650.
- Acker, Leah, Megan K. Wong, Mary C. Wright, Melody Reese, Charles M. Giattino, Kenneth C. Roberts, Sandra Au, et al. “Preoperative electroencephalographic alpha-power changes with eyes opening are associated with postoperative attention impairment and inattention-related delirium severity.” Br J Anaesth 132, no. 1 (January 2024): 154–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2023.10.037.
- Sharda, N., and C. Colón-Emeric. “Falls and fracture risk assessment-The role of osteoporosis, obesity, and sarcopenia.” In Osteosarcopenia, 147–59, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820088-9.00004-4.
- Colón-Emeric, C. S. “Osteoporosis as a geriatric syndrome.” In Osteoporosis in Older Persons: Advances in Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Approaches: Second Edition, 131–40, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25976-5_7.
- Pavon, juliessa, Richard Sloane, Carl Pieper, Cathleen Colon-Emeric, Kenneth Schmader, David Gallagher, and Susan Hastings. “Central nervous system medications as targets for hospital deprescribing.,” 2022.
- Sagalla, Nicole, Richard Lee, Richard Sloane, Kenneth Lyles, and Cathleen Colón-Emeric. “Factors Associated With Adherence to Osteoporosis Medications Among Male Veterans.” In JBMR Plus, 5:e10498, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm4.10498.
- Sagalla, Nicole, Richard Lee, Kenneth Lyles, Julie Vognsen, and Cathleen Colón-Emeric. “Extent of and reasons for osteoporosis medication non-adherence among veterans and feasibility of a pilot text message reminder intervention.” In Arch Osteoporos, 16:21, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-021-00889-7.
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
- UCB Pharma
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Up To Date Inc/Wolters Kluwer Health