Leadership
Charlene Wong, MD, MSHP, specializes in adolescent and young adult medicine and health services research. Clinically, she serves as both a primary care physician for young people ages 12–26 and a provider of specialized care for this population. Her areas of expertise include addressing reproductive health concerns (such as menstrual or contraceptive issues), chronic illnesses, behavioral challenges, and developmental difficulties. Her approach centers on providing high-quality medical care through respect for each individual, support for their physical and emotional growth, and education that empowers them to become thriving, independent adults. In addition to her clinical work, Wong is a strong advocate for young people through her involvement in health policy and research.
Wong is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Integrated Care for Kids (NC InCK) model, a CMS-funded pilot aimed at developing and implementing a local integrated service delivery and payment model for Medicaid/CHIP-insured children from birth through age 21. NC InCK is a partnership between Duke, UNC, and the North Carolina Medicaid agency, supported by up to $16 million in funding to build capacity and infrastructure. The program includes all Medicaid and CHIP-insured children in a five-county area—approximately 100,000 children in Orange, Alamance, Durham, Granville, and Vance counties.
Beyond NC InCK, Wong’s research and policy portfolio focuses on healthcare transformation and health-related behavior change, applying principles from behavioral economics and employing person-centered research and policy practices. Much of her healthcare transformation work informs the transition to value-based care. Her research is based in the Department of Pediatrics, the Duke Clinical Research Institute, and the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. She directs health behaviors and needs research within the Duke Children’s Health & Discovery Initiative and serves as Associate Program Director for the National Clinical Scholars Program at Duke. She is also a faculty member in the Duke Center for Childhood Obesity Research.
Outside of work, Wong enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two children.
