G. Michael Felker, MD, MHS
Advanced Heart Failure Specialist, Transplant Cardiologist
My Locations
About Me
My specialty is heart failure, especially advanced heart failure. We’re one of the largest heart transplant and mechanical support device programs in the world. We have vast experience, both in terms of medicine and surgery and all the things that go along with it. We have a level of expertise across the board, so you’re not just going to get pigeon-holed into one treatment that we happen to be good at. We have the ability to identify what treatment or treatments are best for you, then target each individual therapy for each individual patient. Many of the patients who come to see us have already seen other cardiologists, and many have been told there’s nothing more anybody can do. We try to take a fresh look at each person and we almost always find that there’s something we can do to help – maybe something simple like adjusting medications, or maybe a new device or adjustment of an existing device, or something more dramatic like a heart transplant or mechanical heart device.
- Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Cardiology 2014
- Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke Clinical Research Institute 2002
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Areas of Expertise
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 centers around developing new treatments and new "biomarkers" (blood tests to diagnosis and measure disease) for patients with heart failure. I am involved in many clinical trials of new treatments and diagnostics tools to help improve the care of patients with heart failure.
- Omecamtiv Mecarbil CV Outcomes Trial awarded by Cytokinetics, Inc. 2024 - 2028
- Integrated Biostatistical Training for CVD Research awarded by North Carolina State University 2022 - 2027
- Teerlink, John R., Gad Cotter, Beth A. Davison, G Michael Felker, Gerasimos Filippatos, Barry H. Greenberg, Piotr Ponikowski, et al. “Serelaxin, recombinant human relaxin-2, for treatment of acute heart failure (RELAX-AHF): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.” Lancet 381, no. 9860 (January 5, 2013): 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61855-8.
- Bart, Bradley A., Steven R. Goldsmith, Kerry L. Lee, Michael M. Givertz, Christopher M. O’Connor, David A. Bull, Margaret M. Redfield, et al. “Ultrafiltration in decompensated heart failure with cardiorenal syndrome.” N Engl J Med 367, no. 24 (December 13, 2012): 2296–2304. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1210357.
- Felker, G Michael, Vic Hasselblad, WH Wilson Tang, Adrian F. Hernandez, Paul W. Armstrong, Gregg C. Fonarow, Adriaan A. Voors, et al. “Troponin I in acute decompensated heart failure: insights from the ASCEND-HF study.” Eur J Heart Fail 14, no. 11 (November 2012): 1257–64. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjhf/hfs110.
- Felker, G. M., and J. R. Teerlink. “Diagnosis and Management of Acute Heart Failure.” In Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine: 2 Vol Set, 12th Edition, 1–2:946–74, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-72219-3.00049-9.
- Wong, Y. W., and G. M. Felker. “Etiology and overview of heart failure.” In Advances in Heart Failure Management, 7–17, 2012. https://doi.org/10.2217/EBO.11.229.
- Felker, G. M., and J. R. Teerlink. “Clinical Trial Design in Heart Failure.” In Heart Failure: A Companion to Braunwald’s Heart Disease Expert Consult, 570–93, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-4160-5895-3.10039-7.
- Rao, Vishal N., Derek D. Cyr, Lisa M. Wruck, Gretchen Sanders, Paul Hofmann, Lothar Rössig, Harald Siedentop, et al. “Electronic health record characterization and outcomes of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.” In Am Heart J, 263:1–14, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2023.04.013.
- Fudim, Marat, Kishan Parikh, Arun Ganesh, Jeroen Molinger, Neil Ray, Aubrie Coburn, Brian J. Coyne, et al. “Splanchnic nerve block with botulinum toxin for therapy of chronic heart failure - mechanism of action (SPONGE-HF).” In Eur J Heart Fail, 25:594–96, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2829.
- Abboud, A., G. M. Felker, J. Butler, A. S. Maisel, I. L. Pina, S. P. Murphy, M. F. Prescott, et al. “Left-heart reverse remodeling patterns following treatment with sacubitril/valsartan.” In EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEART FAILURE, 24:96–96, 2022.
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
- Boehringer Ingleheim
- Cytokinetics, Inc.
- Novartis
- River2Renal
- Rocket Pharma
- V-Wave
- Whiteswell