Karen Roussel Jooste, MD, MPH
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I am passionate about helping people with serious illness live to the fullest with vitality and joy.
– Karen Roussel Jooste, MD, MPH

Karen Roussel Jooste, MD, MPH

Palliative Medicine Specialist

Duke Health Provider question
Where I See Patients
Duke Regional Hospital - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics, Hospice & Palliative Medicine
I am passionate about helping people with serious illness live to the fullest with vitality and joy.
– Karen Roussel Jooste, MD, MPH

About Me

I am a palliative care specialist and a pediatrician. I work on the Pediatric Quality of Life team ( Pediatric Palliative Care) at Duke Children’s Health Center and with adults with serious illness. I am passionate about caring for people of all ages, from premature babies to those who have lived for a century! My mission is to help children and adults with serious illness live to the fullest, with vitality and joy. It is a privilege for me to offer guidance and support during difficult times when patients face complex decisions about their treatments. I experience great joy doing this work, as I meet wonderful people, develop close relationships with my patients and have the privilege of walking alongside them throughout their illness. I am inspired and awed by the courage, resilience and humor of my patients during very difficult times. I am also passionate about teaching, mentoring and coaching. Aside from finding happiness in my work, I love to travel and experience different cultures, especially with my four adventurous children and my husband. I am a book lover and love to write and read. I also love food, cooking and baking. Some of my favorite things are dinners with friends, long walks on the beach and hiking.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English, Afrikaans

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics, Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Fellowship
Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 2019-2020
Residency
Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center (New York), 2000-2003
Education
MBChB, University of Pretoria (South Africa), 1994
Master of Public Health in Population and Family Health, Columbia University (New York), 2006
Global Health Certificate, University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), 2007
Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Duke University, 2020

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

My scholarly interests are advanced communication skills, wellbeing, family presence during resuscitation, the Medical Humanities ( Narrative Medicine) and advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Publications

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

Duke requires faculty members to report certain relationships outside of their employment in order to ensure potential conflicts can be addressed. This faculty member has reported no outside activities that relate to their Duke responsibilities.