Duke Health Provider question
As your partner, I strive to create a warm and empathetic environment where you are heard, cared about, and engaged in all aspects of decision making.
– Stephen C. Harward II, MD, PhD

Stephen C. Harward II, MD, PhD

Neurosurgeon

Duke Health Provider question
Call for an Appointment
919-684-7777
Duke Neurological Disorders Clinic - Clinic 1L
919-862-5650
Duke Neurosurgery of Raleigh
Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Neurological Disorders Clinic - Clinic 1L - Durham, NC
Duke Neurosurgery of Raleigh - Raleigh, NC
As your partner, I strive to create a warm and empathetic environment where you are heard, cared about, and engaged in all aspects of decision making.
– Stephen C. Harward II, MD, PhD

About Me

As a Functional Neurosurgeon, I am excited to offer my patients today’s most innovative and cutting edge neuromodulatory therapies such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Focused Ultrasound (FUS or HIFU), Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS), and Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS). Common conditions that I treat include epilepsy, movement disorders (Essential Tremor, Parkinson’s Disease, and Dystonia), stroke, chronic neck/arm/leg/back pain, diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, and neuropsychiatric disease (Depression and OCD). Daily I am amazed and humbled at the strength and perseverance of my patients. The conditions I treat often prove incredibly debilitating and have a huge impact on quality of life. As a father of four and an avid runner and golfer, I value the joy an active life brings. Recognizing this, I strive daily as your doctor to be readily accessible and actively engaged as a partner to you and your family on this journey. Together, we will develop creative and forward-thinking approaches to improve your quality of life. Even if surgery is not an option, my team and I are committed to helping in any way that we can. We truly believe that any benefit, even if small, is worth fighting for.

flag for LGBTQ+ Identified or Ally LGBTQ+ Identified or Ally
Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

Call for an Appointment

919-684-7777
Duke Neurological Disorders Clinic - Clinic 1L
919-862-5650
Duke Neurosurgery of Raleigh

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.

Overall Provider Rating
4.94 out of 5
171 ratings, 23 reviews

Training and Education

Fellowship
Stereotactic, Functional, and Epilepsy Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, 2022-2023
Residency
Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, 2016-2023
Education
MD, Duke University School of Medicine, 2016
PhD, Duke University School of Medicine, 2016

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

In my lab, we study epilepsy, neuropsychiatric conditions (depression, OCD, PTSD), and tremor. Our goal is to better understand why these conditions develop in the brain and what we can do to treat them. We are particularly interested in developing new surgical neuromodulatory therapies for these conditions, with particular emphasis on the use of focused ultrasound. From our work, we hope to be able to provide our patients with new, truly disease modifying therapies that offer the promise to not only help with symptoms but actually treat the underlying condition.

Publications and Grants

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • 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 of North Carolina
    • 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 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 Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • 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
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • 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.

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

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
  • ClearPoint Neuro
  • Insightec