Chirag Desai, MD

Professor of Surgery; Director of Chronic Pancreatitus and Autologous Islet Cell Transplant Program; Surgical Director, Liver Transplant Program

UNC Health Provider

UNC Health providers are employed by an organization within UNC Health.

Specialties

Transplant, General Surgery
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 8:00 AM - 4:30 PMClosed Today Closed Today
Accepting New Patients

Location Information

UNC Hospitals Jason Ray Transplant Clinic
101 Manning Drive
Fourth Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
US
On Public Transportation, Handicap Accessible
Phone:
Fax:
984-974-5595

Hours

Day of the WeekHours
Monday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

About the Provider

Specialties

  • Transplant
  • General Surgery

Subspecialties

  • Liver Transplantation
  • Kidney Transplantation
  • Pancreas Transplantation

Provider Details

Type: Clinician
Gender: Male

About Chirag Desai, MD

I have been an active member of surgical teams at various institutions including serving as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona, where I was actively involved in starting a new intestinal transplant program. I returned to Georgetown University Hospital and its Transplant Institute, where I was the founding director of an autologous islet cell transplant program and was promoted to Associate Professor of Surgery. I mo...
I have been an active member of surgical teams at various institutions including serving as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona, where I was actively involved in starting a new intestinal transplant program. I returned to Georgetown University Hospital and its Transplant Institute, where I was the founding director of an autologous islet cell transplant program and was promoted to Associate Professor of Surgery. I moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2016 as Surgical Director of liver transplantation, initiating a new Chronic Pancreatitis and autologous islet cell transplant program which I currently direct. The program emphasis is on recurrent and chronic pancreatitis as well as islet cell auto-transplantation, along with other complex pancreatic disorders including cystic diseases and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN).

Medical School

  • Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College, 1991 - 1997

Residency

  • King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, 1997 - 2002

Fellowship

  • Georgetown University Hospital, 2007 - 2010
  • Area: Abdominal organ transplant surgery

Certifications

  • Surgery, Board Certified
Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery; auto islet cell transplantation, liver transplantation in adult and pediatric patients including spilt liver transplantation and complex liver and pancreatic resections, Islet cell transplants, Advanced Liver, Bile Duct, and Pancreatic surgery.
Chronic pancreatitis and autologous islet cell transplantation

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Commercial Plans (Other than Aetna Whole Health)
  • Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2)
  • Aetna Medicare Advantage Plans (Other than Aetna Prime HMO)
  • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Medicaid
  • BCBSNC Commercial Plans
  • North Carolina State Employees Health Benefit Plan (Active employees)
  • BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance
  • BCBSNC Medicare Advantage (Other than Experience Health)
  • Healthy Blue Medicaid
  • Carolina Complete Health Medicaid (Centene)
  • Cigna Commercial Plans (Other than Cigna Connect)
  • Cigna Secure Medicare Advantage
  • Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only)
  • Humana Medicare Advantage PPO
  • Humana Medicare Private Fee-for-Service
  • North Carolina State Employee Health Benefit Plan (Medicare Advantage for retirees)
  • Liberty Advantage Medicare Advantage
  • MedCost PPO
  • UnitedHealthcare Commercial Plans
  • UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
  • UnitedHealthcare Exchange (ACA) Plans
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Medicaid
  • Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
  • WellCare of North Carolina Medicaid
* Coverage for certain behavioral health, Medicare and commercial plans as well as TriCare varies across UNC Health entities. Please call prior to your visit to determine coverage.
UNC Health contracts with most health insurance companies including, but not limited to, the ones listed here. While we do our best to keep this list up-to-date, it often changes. Professional fees charged by care providers and organizations who are not employed, owned or managed by UNC Health may not be included under the same insurance contracts and may bill separately. Before scheduling your appointment, please contact the organization or care provider in charge of delivering these services as they may be able to help you identify who will be providing these services. Your insurance company can help to determine which specific services, locations and providers are covered by your plan as well as provide you with information regarding co-payments, deductibles or any additional charges that may be your responsibility. UNC Health makes no representation or guarantee of benefits or coverage. Services not covered by your insurance company will be your responsibility. If you are in need of financial assistance, please visit our Financial Assistance page. For additional information regarding insurance accepted at UNC Health, please visit our Insurance page.

Patient Feedback

4.8 out of 5
(46 Ratings, 3 Comments)