Mitchell T. Heflin, MD, MHS
Geriatric Medicine Specialist
My Locations
About Me
My interest in geriatrics originated with my interactions with older adults while working as a clerk in my father's pharmacy as a kid. I enjoyed their wisdom and stories, and felt compelled to help them with the myriad of ailments that they encountered. My current practice includes care of people with a variety of common conditions of late life -- including dementia and other cognitive disorders, problems with mobility, and falls and multiple medications. Of course, care of older patients must include support for their family and caregivers, and, thanks to a terrific interdisciplinary team, we are able to provide that service as well. Finally, I have a special interest in caring for older adults around the time of surgery. Our newly established Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH) program promotes improved outcomes by providing pre- and post-operative care for those undergoing elective surgeries.
- Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care 2019
- Professor in the School of Nursing, School of Nursing 2019
- Senior Fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development 2000
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
Clinical Focus and Research
- Hudak, N. M., M. T. Heflin, and D. McNeill. “Increasing interprofessional education experiences and collaboration: Outcomes of a virtually-based continuing education program.” Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice 37 (December 1, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2024.100730.
- Watts-Isley, Jaimee, Mitchell T. Heflin, Lori Byrd, and Maria P. Turnley. “Building an Interprofessional Health Workforce through Pathways, Training, and Retention.” N C Med J 85, no. 3 (May 2024): 196–203. https://doi.org/10.18043/001c.117221.
- Convoy, Sean P., Mitchell Heflin, Bernice M. Alston, Undi Hoffler, Mary Barzee, Julie Anne Thompson, and Richard Westphal. “Stress First Aid for Health-care Workers: An Indicated Mental Illness Prevention Program for Nursing Education.” Nurs Clin North Am 59, no. 1 (March 2024): 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2023.11.006.
- Parker, D., and M. Heflin. “Biology of Aging.” In Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery: Third Edition: With 261 Figures and 155 Tables, 37–50, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47771-8_3.
- Heflin, M. T., and H. Lum. “Overview of aging.” In Garner and Klintworth’s Pathobiology of Ocular Disease, Third Edition, 361–70, 2008.
- Heflin, M. T., and H. Lum. “Overview of aging.” In Garner and Klintworth’s Pathobiology of Ocular Disease (Part A), 361–70, 2007.
- Zietlow, Kahli E., Serena Wong, Shelley R. McDonald, Cathleen Colón-Emeric, Christy Cassas, Sandhya Lagoo-Deenadayalan, and Mitchell T. Heflin. “Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH): A Descriptive Analysis of Cancelled Surgery.” In World J Surg, 45:109–15, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05772-z.
- Zietlow, Kahli E., Deborah M. Oyeyemi, Sarah E. Cook, Margaret Hardy, Shelley R. McDonald, Sandhya Lagoo-Deenadayalan, Mitchell T. Heflin, and Heather E. Whitson. “RESEARCHCognition and Capacity to Consent for Elective Surgery.” In J Am Geriatr Soc, 68:2694–96, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16786.
- Heflin, Mitchell T., Sandro O. Pinheiro, Thomas R. Konrad, Emily O. Egerton, Deirdre K. Thornlow, Heidi K. White, and Eleanor J. McConnell. “Design and evaluation of a prelicensure interprofessional course on improving care transitions.” In Gerontol Geriatr Educ, 35:41–63, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2013.831349.
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
- Elsevier Inc.
- Up To Date Inc/Wolters Kluwer Health