
Overview
I have the privilege of treating patients with both benign and malignant conditions of the chest. While in college at Georgia Tech, I envisioned a career as a biomedical engineer. What I quickly learned, however, was that I was more interested in patients and their medical problems than developing the technology to care for them. During my medical education and training, I learned not only how to become a surgeon, but also learned the value of teamwork and family in caring for patients. As a thoracic surgeon, one of the best and most important aspects of my job is being able to establish a relationship with my patients and their families, working together to help them through their illness.
Dr. Tong is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Lung Nodules, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Vagotomy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.
Her clinical research consists of co-authoring 215 peer reviewed articles and participating in 1 clinical trial. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years.
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- HMO
- POS
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
20 Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC 27710
Additional Areas of Focus
Dr. Tong has provided the following conditions as areas of focus. Please note that we may not have enough data to validate their experience in some of these conditions.
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
1 Clinical Trials
Duke Cancer Center
With over 20 years of experience as a busy general thoracic surgeon, I am referred patients with cancers in the chest and other difficult problems involving all the organs of the chest that are not from cancer. One of the things that attracted me to the field is the long-term relationship with my patients. I tell all my patients that I’m their doctor for life. I see patients for many, many years. Back in 2000, when we had a 26-inch snow here -- it was a Tuesday -- on my clinic day, everyone said no one would come to clinic. But I actually had 23 or 24 patients show up in four-wheel drives. It’s not that I’m such a fabulous doctor that they came to see me. It’s that they are cancer patients and this was their annual visit or their follow up. It was important to them. So we were here for them, and they came. I enjoy seeing my patients back 12, 13, 14 years later and learning what they’ve been up to and what their families have been up to. That’s a bond you get in oncology that a lot of other fields don’t have that treat patients then turn them back over to their primary care physicians. We as a team follow people, and I like that. Dr. Harpole is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Endoscopy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.
Rex Hospital Inc
David White is a General Surgeon and a Thoracic Surgeon in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. White is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Lung Nodules, Lung Cancer, Advanced Bronchoscopy, and Thymectomy. Dr. White is currently accepting new patients.
Duke Cancer Center
I graduated from Harvard University (BA) and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University (MD). I received training in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. After completing a Fellowship in Thoracic Surgical Oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, I joined the faculty at Duke University Medical Center. I am currently Professor and Vice Chairman of Surgery, Chief of the Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Director of the Training Program in Thoracic Surgery, and Chief Medical Officer of the Duke Cancer Institute. I specialize in the surgical management of lung cancer and esophageal cancer, with a focus on minimally invasive thoracic surgery. As Vice Chair of Surgery, I am responsible for the development of technology and innovation in the Department. As Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program of the Duke Cancer Institute, I supervise the clinical and research programs in lung cancer and esophageal cancer. I am also involved in improving safety and quality in cancer care, as a member of the Duke Safety and Quality Committee. Dr. D'amico is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Lung Cancer, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Endoscopy, and Gastrectomy.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Elite
- Lung CancerDr. Tong isElite. Learn about Lung Cancer.
- Distinguished
- ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung CancerDr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
- Lung AdenocarcinomaDr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about Lung Adenocarcinoma.
- Lung NodulesDr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about Lung Nodules.
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)Dr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
- Pleuropulmonary BlastomaDr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about Pleuropulmonary Blastoma.
- Squamous Cell Lung CarcinomaDr. Tong isDistinguished. Learn about Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma.
- Advanced
- EGFR Positive Lung CancerDr. Tong isAdvanced. Learn about EGFR Positive Lung Cancer.
- MesotheliomaDr. Tong isAdvanced. Learn about Mesothelioma.
- Metastatic Pleural TumorDr. Tong isAdvanced. Learn about Metastatic Pleural Tumor.
- Thymic Epithelial TumorDr. Tong isAdvanced. Learn about Thymic Epithelial Tumor.
- VagotomyDr. Tong isAdvanced. Learn about Vagotomy.
- Experienced
- Advanced BronchoscopyDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Advanced Bronchoscopy.
- Collapsed LungDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Collapsed Lung.
- Donnai-Barrow SyndromeDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Donnai-Barrow Syndrome.
- EmphysemaDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Emphysema.
- EndoscopyDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Endoscopy.
- Esophageal CancerDr. Tong isExperienced. Learn about Esophageal Cancer.


