Melissa E. Bauer, DO
Anesthesiologist
My Locations
About Me
I chose to become an anesthesiologist to partner with patients throughout a challenging time. Whether it is a major surgery or delivering a baby, I am passionate about providing patient-centered care to meet each patient's needs.
- Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology, Women's 2020
- Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences, Population Health Sciences 2023
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
Clinical Focus and Research
My research interests are focused on early identification and improving treatment for maternal infection and sepsis, a life-threatening infection. I also research data from patients with low platelet counts during pregnancy and help estimate subsequent risks of bleeding to help providers and patients make informed decisions.
- Pacheco, Luis D., Karin A. Fox, Corey C. Clifford, Faranak Behnia, Melissa E. Bauer, Antonio F. Saad, and George R. Saade. “Peripheral Use of Vasopressors in Shock: Clinical Considerations and Recommendations for Use in Obstetrics.” Am J Perinatol 42, no. 7 (May 2025): 862–67. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2435-1000.
- Sarosi, Ellery, Luke A. Gatta, Deborah R. Berman, Melissa Bauer, and Jeffrey A. Kuller. “PICC Lines in Pregnancy and Other Peripartum Vascular Access Considerations.” Obstet Gynecol Surv 80, no. 1 (January 2025): 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1097/OGX.0000000000001345.
- Main, Elliott K., Ruhi Nath, and Melissa E. Bauer. “CMQCC obstetric sepsis toolkit update: A patient-centered approach to quality improvement.” Semin Perinatol 48, no. 7 (November 2024): 151976. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semperi.2024.151976.
- Prabhu, Malavika, Gianna Wilkie, Mark MacEachern, Dana LaBuda, Jasmine Purtell, Krishna Rao, Laura E. Riley, et al. “Procalcitonin levels in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.” In Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 163:484–94, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.14813.
- Prabhu, Malavika, Gianna Wilkie, Mark MacEachern, Dana LaBuda, Jasmine Purtell, Laura Riley, Ashraf Habib, and Melissa Bauer. “Procalcitonin Levels in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.” In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, 226:320–320, 2022.
- Sendak, M., G. Sirdeshmukh, T. Ochoa, H. Premo, L. Tang, K. Niederhoffer, S. Reed, et al. “Development and Validation of ML-DQA - a Machine Learning Data Quality Assurance Framework for Healthcare.” In Proceedings of Machine Learning Research, 182:741–59, 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
- I lectured at the Maternal Infant Health Summit, sponsored by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in the past
- Lifespan Brown Hospital
- Magee Women's Hospital
- Massachusetts General Hospital (Partners Healthcare)
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- New York medical college/westchester medical center
- Obstetric Anesthetists Association
- Santa Joana Obstetric Anesthesia Meeting
- Sepsis Alliance
- Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology