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Home > NC Providers > Transplant Surgeons

Dr. Karin A. True, MD

(Karin True, MD)

(12 Ratings)

Specializes in: Transplant Surgery, General Practice and Nephrology (Kidney Disease)

University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine (1999)

Professional interests include: kidney transplant, pancreas transplant, dialysis

100 Eastowne Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(984) 974-5100

Dr. Karin A. True, MD is a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC specializing in transplant surgery, general practice and nephrology (kidney disease). She graduated from University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine in 1999 and has 27 years of experience. Dr. Karin A. True, MD is affiliated with UNC Health and UNC Hospitals.

Office Locations

100 Eastowne Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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101 Manning Drive Fourth Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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Some issues Dr. Karin A. True, MD can help you with:

Dialysis

Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.

A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:

Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
Pyelonephritis, recurring kidney infection
Glomerulonephritis, inflammation of the kidney's filtering parts
Polycystic kidney disease
Interstitial nephritis, inflammation of the kidney's tubules
High blood pressure
Vesicoureteral reflux, improper bladder emptying

For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.

A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.

Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 5%

By Volume:

hemofiltration

inpatient hospital care

In 2023, Dr. Karin A. True, MD performed more hemofiltration, and inpatient hospital care (for patient admitted to hospital) procedures for Medicare patients than 95% of providers in related specialties within North Carolina.

Top 25%

By Volume:

dialysis

In 2012, Dr. Karin A. True, MD performed more dialysis procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of providers in related specialties within North Carolina.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2012 were dialysis, hemofiltration, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	373
doctor visit	355
hemofiltration	136
hospital care	91
inpatient care	91

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2013 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	338
doctor visit	366
hemofiltration	104
hospital care	260
inpatient care	260

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	222
Female	202

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	169
Black	222
Hispanic	15
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	100
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	268

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	54
Dementia	9
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2014 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	312
doctor visit	405
hemofiltration	80
hospital care	174
inpatient care	174

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	230
Female	209

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	176
Black	232
Hispanic	14
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	128
From 75 to 84	35
85 and over	12
Less than 65	264

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	56
Dementia	9
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	124
doctor visit	258
hemofiltration	63
hospital care	186
inpatient care	186

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	282
Female	270

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	208
Black	298
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	122
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	382

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	58
Dementia	9
Cancer	6

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2016 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	403
doctor visit	328
hemofiltration	115
hospital care	266
inpatient care	266

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	224
Female	198

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	169
Black	223
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	120
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	255

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	23
Osteoperosis	4
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	65
Dementia	16
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2017 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	197
doctor visit	355
hemofiltration	68
hospital care	147
inpatient care	147

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	194
Female	139

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	149
Black	156
Hispanic	11
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	98
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	198

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	68
Dementia	16
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2018 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	432
doctor visit	253
hemofiltration	220
hospital care	255
inpatient care	255

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	221
Female	213

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	182
Black	220
Hispanic	13
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	131
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	247

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	58
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	52
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	68
Dementia	18
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2019 were dialysis, hemofiltration, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	263
doctor visit	232
hemofiltration	147
hospital care	119
inpatient care	119

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	165
Female	139

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	124
Black	151
Hispanic	12
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	110
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	18
Heart Failure	53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	70
Dementia	21
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2020 were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	122
doctor visit	163
hemofiltration	60
hospital care	70
inpatient care	70

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	140
Female	94

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	104
Black	107
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	128

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	45
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	65
Dementia	23
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	101
doctor visit	167
hemofiltration	61
hospital care	129
inpatient care	129

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	119
Female	79

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	76
Black	100
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	67
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	101

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	66
Dementia	22
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC during 2022 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	99
doctor visit	154
hemofiltration	57
hospital care	172
inpatient care	172

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	110
Female	93

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	92
Black	86
Hispanic	13
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	63
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	106

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	73
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	37
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	72
Dementia	10
Cancer	22

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karin A. True, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated as a transplant surgeon in Chapel Hill, NC were dialysis, hospital care, inpatient care and hemofiltration.

dialysis	251
doctor visit	276
hemofiltration	101
hospital care	169
inpatient care	169

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD.

**Gender**
Male	173
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	163
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	131
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	7
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	3
85 and over	1
Less than 65	177
65 to 74	92

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karin A. True, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Karin A. True, MD treated were chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	43
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	10
Osteoporosis	5
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	58
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Dementia	13
Cancer	8

Education & Training

Dr. Karin A. True, MD graduated from University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine in 1999. She completed residency at University of North Carolina (UNC) Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Board Certified and has a state license in North Carolina.

Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine (1999)

Residency: University of North Carolina (UNC) Affiliated Hospitals (2002)

Board Certification: Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Board Certified (2005)

Licensed In: North Carolina

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Karin A. True, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UNC Health

UNC Hospitals

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Karin A. True, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Veterans Affairs, AmeriHealth Caritas, WellCare, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Carolina Complete Health, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), Humana, Liberty Advantage, MedCost, Contigo Health, Cigna, Centene, WellCare, AmeriHealth, Medicare Advantage, Group Health Plan (GHP), OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, CHAMPVA, Longevity Health Plan I-SNP, HealthTeam Advantage, Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2), MedCost PPO, FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct, Meritain Health, an Aetna Company, Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2), Atlantic (Packaging) Corporation, Inc. (administered by Lucent Health), North Carolina State Health Plan, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans, Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026), Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN)) and BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network).

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Karin A. True, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Veterans Affairs

AmeriHealth Caritas

WellCare

Aetna

UnitedHealthcare

Carolina Complete Health

BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC)

Humana

Liberty Advantage

MedCost

Contigo Health

Cigna

Centene

WellCare

AmeriHealth

Medicare Advantage

Group Health Plan (GHP)

OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health)

United Healthcare

Medicaid

Humana

Cigna

CHAMPVA

Longevity Health Plan I-SNP

HealthTeam Advantage

Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2)

MedCost PPO

FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct

Meritain Health, an Aetna Company

Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2)

Atlantic (Packaging) Corporation, Inc. (administered by Lucent Health)

North Carolina State Health Plan

FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans

Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026)

Veterans Affairs Community Care Network

BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN))

BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network)

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Karin A. True, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.94 out of 5 stars based on 12 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Karin A. True, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Chapel Hill, NC.

4.94

Overall Rating

(12 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Karin A. True, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC	$314 PREVYMIS $20	$294
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.	$125 NULOJIX $125
Questcor Pharmaceuticals	$121 ACTHAR $121
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.	$81 $81
OPKO Pharmaceuticals, LLC	$75 Rayaldee $75

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$402
Travel and Lodging	$294
Education	$20

Research Payments

Dr. Karin A. True, MD has received 3 research payments totaling $220,398.

Biography

Dr. Karin True is a Chapel Hill, NC physician who specializes in general practice, nephrology (kidney disease), and transplant surgery. In her practice, Dr. True focuses on pancreas transplant, kidney transplant, and dialysis. She has a 5.0 out of 5 star average patient rating. Coventry, Group Health Plan (GHP), and CHAMPVA are among the insurance carriers that Dr. True honors. After attending the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine, she completed her residency training at a hospital affiliated with the University of North Carolina (UNC). She is affiliated with UNC Hospitals. According to Yext, Dr. True is not acceping new patients at this time.