My Locations
About Me
My practice includes both adult primary care and adult psychiatry. As an internal medicine-psychiatry doctor, it is important to me to get to know my patients, their priorities, and the situations in their lives that are impacting both their physical and mental health. The most rewarding part of my job is being a part of my patients' lives and caring for them through the ups and downs in life. When I'm not working, I enjoy gardening, trying new restaurants, and spending time outdoors.
- Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Adult Psychiatry & Psychology 2022
- Assistant Professor in Medicine, Medicine, General Internal Medicine 2022
Call for an Appointment
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
- Der, Tatyana, Nicole Helmke, Jason E. Stout, and Nicholas A. Turner. “Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult mental health-related admissions at a large university health system in North Carolina - one year into the pandemic.” PLoS One 18, no. 12 (2023): e0293831. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293831.
- Smith, Colin M., Elizabeth B. Gilbert, Paul A. Riordan, Nicole Helmke, Megan von Isenburg, Brian R. Kincaid, and Kristen G. Shirey. “COVID-19-associated psychosis: A systematic review of case reports.” Gen Hosp Psychiatry 73 (2021): 84–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.10.003.
- Helmke, Nicole. “Risk of Cognitive Bias Associated With the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Patients With Psychiatric Disorders.” J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry 62, no. 5 (2021): 555–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaclp.2021.03.004.
- Lee, Jeffrey, Riana Syed, Gregg A. Robbins-Welty, Nicole Helmke, Kristen Shirey, and Jacob Feigal. “(PO-070) A Case of Takotsubo’s Cardiomyopathy and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.” In Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 63:S34–S34. Elsevier BV, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaclp.2022.03.074.
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.