Michael R. Harrison, MD
Accepting New Patients
Duke Health Provider question
I try to help educate patients about their disease and its process, and what their treatment options may be, so we can come to a shared decision.
– Michael R. Harrison, MD

Michael R. Harrison, MD

Medical Oncologist

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Cancer Center - Durham, NC
Duke Cancer Center Genitourinary (GU) Clinic - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Internal Med, Medical Oncology
I try to help educate patients about their disease and its process, and what their treatment options may be, so we can come to a shared decision.
– Michael R. Harrison, MD

About Me

I specialize in treating people with genitourinary (GU) cancers, such as bladder, prostate, testicular and kidney cancer. I don’t treat other types of cancer across the breadth of tumors like some oncologists in the community may, such as blood cancer, breast cancer or lung cancer. My focus has allowed me to gain deep expertise in GU cancers and to stay abreast of the newest treatment advances, clinical research and so on for those specific GU cancers. As a medical oncologist, I meet patients at one of the scariest moments of their lives. I try to help educate them to make a decision about their disease and its process, and what their treatment options may be, so we can come to a shared decision about what might be the best option. The teaching aspect really strikes home for me. Both of my parents are teachers. The root word for “doctor” in Latin means “to teach.” So that is something I’m both naturally called to do and enjoy doing.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

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
4.88 out of 5
285 ratings, 36 reviews

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Internal Med, Medical Oncology
Fellowship
Medical Oncology, University of Wisconsin, 2009
Residency
Internal Medicine, Tulane University (Louisiana), 2007
Education
MD, Tulane University School of Medicine (Louisiana), 2004

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

My research focuses on the development of new treatments for patients with genitourinary (GU) cancers. This includes bladder, kidney, prostate and testicular tumors. I believe that many times the best treatment for a given person is on a clinical trial. Recently, I have begun to develop a research sub-focus in GU cancer survivorship. Specifically, I am interested in how exercise testing may be a new way to measure the side effects of cancer treatment and how exercise training might prevent/reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and possibly slow the growth of cancer.

Clinical Trials
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.
  • Eisai
  • Telix pharmaceuticals