Herbert E. Fuchs, MD, PhD
Accepting New Patients
Duke Health Provider question
I have an excellent group of people working with me, and we really strive to take excellent care of these children and their families.
– Herbert E. Fuchs, MD, PhD

Herbert E. Fuchs, MD, PhD

Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Pediatric Spine Surgeon

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Children's Health Center Neurosurgery Clinic - Durham, NC
Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center - Durham, NC
Lenox Baker Children's Hospital - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
I have an excellent group of people working with me, and we really strive to take excellent care of these children and their families.
– Herbert E. Fuchs, MD, PhD

About Me

Duke Children’s offers the full spectrum of services for children, and pediatric neurosurgery is very strong here. I have an excellent group of people working with me, and we really strive to take excellent care of these children and their families. We work hard to build up a trust, because this is a very stressful and strained time in people’s lives when their children are ill. We work to build that trust and to maintain it on a daily basis. The whole team works together for the good of the child and the family. My favorite part of my job is seeing children who came in with a very serious health issue – and after getting them through the surgery and recovery – when they come back to clinic and we see that they have returned to their normal lives, that they’re doing better, that they’re enjoying all the things kids should be enjoying and really getting on with their lives. It’s really rewarding to think I played a role in that child going on to have a healthy and productive life.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English, German

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.

Overall Provider Rating
4.80 out of 5
171 ratings, 18 reviews

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
Residency
Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, 1985-1991
Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Memorial Hospital (Illinois), 1991-1992
Education
MD, PhD, Duke University School of Medicine, 1984

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

My research interests focus on 1) Chiari malformation and syringomyelia: part of a nationwide consortium studying Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, and best ways to treat these conditions. 2) Brain tumors: Part of the Children’s Oncology Group and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, providing innovative treatments to children with brain tumors. 3) Use of checklists in the OR: toward safer surgery: adapting principles from aviation to the surgical environment to provide better and safer care to our patients.

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.
  • North Carolina Physicians Advisory Group