Your Doctor’s Doctor: How Atlantic Brain and Spine Is Setting a New Standard for Spine Care
By Samantha Kelly, CEO, Atlantic Brain and Spine
“Do I need spine surgery?”
It’s a difficult question for any patient to face. And unfortunately, it’s not always answered in a way that truly serves the patient.
A recent study found that more than 200,000 unnecessary back surgeries were performed over a three-year period. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a reflection of a system that can prioritize volume over value. Too often, patients are guided toward aggressive procedures with long recoveries and uncertain outcomes, when less invasive options may offer a better path forward.
The challenge is that many patients are never told those options exist.
After nearly two decades in healthcare, I’ve come back to the same thought again and again: something needs to change.
At Atlantic Brain and Spine, we’ve built our model around that belief. Our focus is simple — put patients first. Every decision, every recommendation, and every treatment plan is designed to support better outcomes, faster recoveries, and a higher quality of life.
A Different Approach to Spine Care
Atlantic Brain and Spine was built with intention. We brought together fellowship-trained experts in both neurosurgical and orthopedic spine care — not just to offer more services, but to make better, more thoughtful decisions for our patients.
Our approach is grounded in four core principles:
Compassion
Expertise matters. But so does how care is delivered.
Our surgeons take the time to listen, understand, and connect. You’re not just an MRI or a diagnosis. Your lifestyle, your goals, and what matters most to you all shape your care plan.
Because the right treatment isn’t just about what we can do — it’s about what’s right for you.
Comprehensive Care
Spine care doesn’t exist in isolation.
Every patient has access to a full team that includes neurosurgical and orthopedic spine specialists, case managers, and a network of providers focused on non-surgical treatments like physical therapy, pain management, and physiatry.
We also take on the burden of coordination — referrals, records, and communication — so you can focus on what matters most: getting better.
Collaboration
The best decisions are never made in isolation.
At Atlantic Brain and Spine, cases are reviewed in weekly spine conferences where multiple specialists weigh in. This means patients benefit from more than one perspective — often receiving the equivalent of a second or third opinion as part of their care.
For more complex cases, including spine tumors, multidisciplinary teams come together to design truly individualized treatment plans. This collaborative approach helps avoid unnecessary procedures and leads to more thoughtful, effective care.
Cutting-Edge Technology
Spine care has evolved significantly over the past decade.
Advances in imaging, minimally invasive techniques, and robotic-assisted surgery have changed what’s possible — and what patients should expect.
More traditional procedures, like multi-level spinal fusion, can involve large incisions, extended recovery, and long-term limitations. While still necessary in certain cases, they are no longer the default.
Our surgeons focus on the least invasive approach appropriate for each patient. In many cases, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted techniques can preserve mobility, reduce pain, and allow patients to return home the same or next day.
The benefits can include:
- Faster recovery
- Lower complication risk
- Minimal scarring
- Less pain
- Better long-term outcomes
The New Bottom Line: Your Health
Atlantic Brain and Spine was built for a different purpose.
We’re not driven by volume or unnecessary procedures. We’re driven by outcomes — and by what our patients say after treatment:
“It feels like a miracle.”
“All the people surrounding me were angels.”
“It was concierge-level service. Whatever we needed, they got back to me within an hour.”
These moments define success for us.
They’re also why patients trust us — and why they refer their family, friends, and even other physicians to our care.
We see it in the patients who travel to us from across the region, and in the doctors who choose us when it’s their own health on the line.
Trust is not something that comes easily in healthcare today. It has to be earned.
At Atlantic Brain and Spine, we are committed to earning it — every single day.
If you’re facing a spine diagnosis or trying to understand whether surgery is the right next step, we encourage you to learn more about your options and what a truly patient-centered approach can look like.
