My Locations
About Me
I’m a general gastroenterologist and treat a wide range of GI problems, but my area of specialty is in esophageal disorders. I see patients who may have swallowing disorders, hard-to-control acid reflux disease, or disorders or problems with the muscles of their esophagus. I also see patients with Barrett's esophagus, which is a gastroesophageal reflux disease where the lining of the esophagus may change over long periods of time. We need to treat it to prevent patients from getting esophageal cancer. It is important to establish a level of trust and have compassion for patients, making sure they feel that I’m completely invested in what’s important for them, doing everything to get to the right answers of what’s causing their symptoms, and coming up with a plan that works best to treat their problem.
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Gastroenterology 2023
Call for an Appointment
Ratings and Reviews
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. 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
- Yang, Nancy Y., Alice Parish, Shai Posner, Rahul A. Shimpi, Richard K. Wood, R Thomas Finn, Deborah A. Fisher, et al. “Acid exposure time is sensitive for detecting gastroesophageal reflux disease and is associated with long-term survival after lung transplant.” Dis Esophagus 36, no. 8 (July 27, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1093/dote/doac114.
- Jawitz, Nicole G., Ziad F. Gellad, Li Lin, Richard K. Wood, and David A. Leiman. “Patient, Physician, and Procedure Characteristics Are Independently Predictive of Polyp Detection Rates in Clinical Practice.” Dig Dis Sci 66, no. 8 (August 2021): 2570–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-020-06592-w.
- Lee, Tzu-Hao, Cecelia Zhang, Richard Wood, and Darshan Kothari. “C.O.V.I.D.: A Survival Guide for GI Fellowship Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 19, no. 1 (January 2021): 6–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2020.10.001.
- Jawitz, Nicole G., Vignesh Raman, Oliver K. Jawitz, Rahul A. Shimpi, Richard K. Wood, Matthew G. Hartwig, and Thomas A. D’Amico. “Utilization Trends and Volume-outcomes Relationship of Endoscopic Resection for Early Stage Esophageal Cancer.” In Ann Surg, 277:e46–52, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000004834.
- Posner, Shai, Raymond T. Finn, Rahul A. Shimpi, Richard K. Wood, Deborah Fisher, Matthew G. Hartwig, Jacob Klapper, et al. “Esophageal contractility increases and gastroesophageal reflux does not worsen after lung transplantation.” In Dis Esophagus, 32:1–8, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1093/dote/doz039.
- Leiman, David A., Richard K. Wood, Kimberley J. Evans, Rahul A. Shimpi, and Ziad F. Gellad. “A NOVEL ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD-BASED WORKFLOW FOR DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING QUALITY OF CARE DELIVERY IN BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS AND UPPER ENDOSCOPY CARE UTILIZATION.” In GASTROENTEROLOGY, 156:S265–66. W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC, 2019.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
-
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
-
Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
-
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
-
*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
-
Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
-
*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
-
Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
-
Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
-
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
-
Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
-
NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
-
TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
-
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)
-
*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
-
**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.