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Stephen B. Tatter, MD, PhD

  • Neurosurgery
  • Movement Disorders
  • Neuro-Oncology
  • Brain Tumor Specialty Team
Contact
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Neurosurgery - Janeway Tower
Medical Center Boulevard
4th Floor
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Directions
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Neurosurgery - Cancer Center
Medical Center Boulevard
1st and 4th Floors
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Directions
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About

Practicing Specialties

Languages

EnglishGerman

Biography

I chose a career in medicine because I am driven to help people face some of life's toughest health challenges with hope and with the best technology. Every day, I am motivated by the courage of my patients and the opportunities to make complex brain treatments safer and more effective. My goal is to support you and your family through every step of your journey, ensuring you feel heard and well cared for.

I believe in a partnership where we make decisions together, based on your unique needs and the latest science. When you visit me, you can expect a warm environment where I take the time to explain your options clearly so you feel confident in your care plan. I focus on using the most accurate tools possible to reduce the risks of surgery and help you get back to your life.

I am board-certified in neurosurgery and specialize in using advanced technology to treat brain tumors and movement disorders. My work focuses on finding ways to deliver medicine directly to the brain while keeping surgery as gentle as possible.

I commonly perform:

  • Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a precise, non-surgical treatment for brain and pituitary tumors and facial nerve pain
  • Deep brain stimulation (DBS), using small electrical pulses to help manage conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and tremor
  • Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT), a minimally invasive way to treat tumors that are hard to reach with traditional surgery by using a laser robot while continuously monitoring in the MRI scanner
  • Image-guided surgery, using advanced computer mapping to remove tumors and stimulate or target precise spots in the brain with high accuracy

Throughout my career, I have been honored to lead programs that are among the busiest and most respected in the world. I was the founding director of the deep brain stimulation program, and I currently serve as the medical director of neurosurgical oncology and co-director of the Gamma Knife Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. I was the first surgeon in the world to use certain advanced radiation tools for brain tumors, and I continue to do research into how the brain works every day.

Teaching is also a passion of mine. As a professor, I help train the next generation of surgeons to provide the highest level of care. I have published hundreds of research papers because I am committed to finding better, safer ways to treat my patients.

Outside the hospital, I love spending time with my wife and our four children. I am an avid cyclist and enjoy biking in the mountains and the Piedmont. I can also be found hiking in nature, exploring historical sites or cheering for the University of Michigan. These activities keep me grounded and remind me how important it is for all of us to live full, active lifes.

I look forward to meeting you and working together on your brain health.

Conditions and Treatments

AVM RadiosurgeryAcoustic NeuromaAcromegalyBrain CancerBrain TumorCushing's SyndromeDeep Brain StimulationDystoniaEndocrine TumorsEssential TremorFocused UltrasoundGamma KnifeLaser Thermocoagulation with Real Time Intraoperative MRI GuidanceMovement DisordersNeurofibromatosis, Type 2 (NF2)Parkinson's DiseasePituitary TumorProlactinomaStereotactic RadiosurgeryTremorTrigeminal NeuralgiaVon Hippel-Lindau Syndrome

Ratings and Reviews

Locations

Credentials

Board Certifications

American Board of Neurological Surgery

Residencies

Massachusetts General Hospital, Neurosurgery, 1996Massachusetts General Hospital, General Surgery, 1991

Fellowships

McLean Hospital, Harvard Program in Neuros, 1996

Education

Weill Medical College of Cornell University, MD, 1990

Positions

Neurological Surgery (Winston-Salem), Professor

Accepted Insurance

This chart is a list of the most common health insurance plans we accept. This list is subject to change. Please check your individual plan to confirm their participation and the coverage allowed.

Due to the different physician groups and hospitals within the Wake Forest Baptist system, physician services and hospital services are billed separately. Please remember that health insurance coverage varies, so some services may not be covered.

If you don’t see your plan or you have questions, please call our Customer Service Center at 877-938-7497. We will do our best to work with you and your plan.

Key

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH
- North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC
- Lexington Medical Center
CHC
- Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes
- Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR
- High Point Regional
N/A
- Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC
-Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC


Wake Forest Baptist Health Managed Care/MA Contracts - April 2024

AETNA CONNECTED NC ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations

AETNA NC PREFERRED+: Accepted at all locations

AETNA (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

AETNA MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

AETNA WHOLE HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

ALIGNMENT HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

AMBETTER OF NC: Accepted at all locations

AMERIHEALTH CARITAS NEXT ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations 

BCBSNC (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

BCBS HIGH PERFORMANCE (NATIONAL NETWORK): Accepted at all locations

BLUE LOCAL WITH ATRIUM HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

BLUE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

BLUE VALUE: Accepted at all locations

CAROLINA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

CIGNA: Accepted at all locations

CIGNA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC and Wilkes)

CIGNA HEALTHSPRING MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at Wilkes)

CIGNA LIFESOURCE (TRANSPLANTS): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point) 

CRESCENT PPO (ASHEVILLE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

DEVOTED HEALTH (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

DIRECT NET:
Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC)

FIRST HEALTH NETWORK: Accepted at NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and CHC)

FIRSTCAROLINACARE (PINEHURST, NC): Accepted at NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

GATEWAY HEALTH ALLIANCE (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point) 

HEALTHGRAM (formerly PRIMARY PHYSICIAN CARE): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and LMC (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

HEALTHTEAM ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA CHOICECARE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

LIBERTY ADVANTAGE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

MAGELLAN (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

MEDCOST: Accepted at all locations

MEDCOST ULTRA: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not applicable at CHC)

PHCS/MULTIPLAN: Accepted at NCBH, CHC, LMC and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and Wilkes)

OPTUMHEALTH (TRANSPLANTS - APPLICABLE TO NCBH/WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

PREFERRED CARE OF VA INC: Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

SOUTHERN HEALTH SVCS (COVENTRY-PPO ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

TWIN COUNTY (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC and Wilkes)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM (WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS (not applicable for services provided at NCBH, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED HEALTHCARE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE ESSENTIALS ACA/EXCHANGE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

VA CCN: Accepted at all locations

WELLCARE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

 

LMC ONLY: Contracts specific to support Lexington employer groups, low volume
NATIONAL PROVIDER NETWORK/MEDICAL RESOURCES

 

CHC ONLY: Contracts specific to support CHC
TRICARE


Key 

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH - North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC - Lexington Medical Center
CHC - Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes - Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR- High Point Regional
N/A - Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC - Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC

Publications