Robert J. Mentz, MD
Advanced Heart Failure Specialist, Cardiologist, Transplant Cardiologist
My Locations
About Me
I am a cardiologist with a clinical interest in heart failure, including advanced therapies such as cardiac transplantation and mechanical assist devices or “heart pumps." I became a heart failure cardiologist in order to help patients manage their chronic disease over many months and years. I consider myself strongly committed to compassionate patient care and have a focus on quality-of-life and patient preference. I am an effective communicator with an understanding and sensitivity to diversity and ethical practice. I am part of a clinical care team composed of physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, and support staff that works together to promptly provide comprehensive patient care. I am motivated to provide state-of-the-art cardiovascular care for my patients.

- Associate Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Cardiology 2023
- Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences, Population Health Sciences 2020
- Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke Clinical Research Institute 2014
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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 interests are focused on treating comorbid diseases in heart failure patients and improving cardiovascular outcomes through clinical trials and outcomes research. I am involved in leading several ongoing clinical trials with patients with heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. These studies investigate different medications and behavioral interventions designed to improve patients' quality of life and clinical outcomes. I am the editor in chief of the Journal of Cardiac Failure, which is the official journal of the Heart Failure Society of America.
- BalanceD-HF awarded by AstraZeneca UK Limited 2024 - 2027
- Lala, A., and R. J. Mentz. “Transformation and Beauty After Breaking.” Journal of Cardiac Failure 31, no. 5 (May 1, 2025): 759–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2025.04.002.
- Kreinbrook, Judah, Edward Rego, Lindsay Schlichte, Stephanie Barnes, and Robert J. Mentz. “Towards a person-centered after-visit summary to facilitate improved heart failure care (HF-AVS): A scoping review and call to action.” Am Heart J 283 (May 2025): 53–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2025.01.015.
- Hajduczok, Alexander G., Devin Stives, Matteo Fabbri, Elena M. Donald, Jennifer Maning, and Robert J. Mentz. “Windy City Breakthroughs: Highlights from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024.” J Card Fail 31, no. 4 (April 2025): 717–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2024.11.006.
- Cooper, Lauren B., and Robert J. Mentz. “Volume Assessment and Management: Medical and Device Therapies.” In Pharmacologic Trends of Heart Failure, 125–63. Springer International Publishing, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30593-6_4.
- Peters, Anthony E., Shuang Li, Derek Cyr, Kristin M. Williamson, Shelley Zieroth, Marat Fudim, Jonathan H. Ward, and Robert J. Mentz. “Influence of ejection fraction on outcomes with sacubitril/valsartan in patients with worsening heart failure with EF>40%: The PARAGLIDE-HF Trial.” In Am Heart J, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2025.04.023.
- Nouhravesh, Nina, Alexander H. Gunn, Derek Cyr, Adrian F. Hernandez, David A. Morrow, Eric J. Velazquez, Jonathan H. Ward, et al. “Sacubitril/valsartan versus valsartan initiation in patients naïve to renin-angiotensin system inhibitors: Insights from PARAGLIDE-HF.” In Eur J Heart Fail, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.3579.
- Rambarat, Paula, Tyler Erickson, Derek Cyr, Jonathan Ward, Adrian Hernandez, David Morrow, Randall Starling, et al. “Effects Of Angiotensin-Neprilysin Inhibition In Women Versus Men With Mildly Reduced Or Preserved Ejection Fraction And Worsening Heart Failure: Insights From PARAGLIDE-HF.” In JOURNAL OF CARDIAC FAILURE, 31:330–31, 2025.
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
- Abbott (St. Jude Medical)
- Alleviant Medical
- Amgen
- AstraZeneca
- Bayer
- Boehringer Ingleheim
- Lilly
- Medtronic (Covidien)
- Merck
- Novartis
- Novo Nordisk
- Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals
- Pfizer Inc.
- Pharmacosmos
- Reprieve Cardiovascular Inc.
- Respicardia
- Rocket Pharma
- Windtree Therapeutics, Inc.
- Zoll Medical
- american regent
- innolife
- vifor