New neurosurgery program aims to keep Northern Colorado patients closer to home
by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Residents across Northern Colorado will soon have expanded access to advanced spine care as Banner Health launches a new neurosurgery department at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center.
The new program will be led by neurosurgeon Eric Arias, MD, recognized as a “Top Doctor” by Denver’s 5280 Magazine, alongside physician assistant Jocelyn Grigsby, PA-C. The pair plan to treat patients in Fort Collins several days each week while expanding Banner’s neurosurgical services across the region.
The department will focus on diagnosing and treating conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spinal instability. Dr. Arias is among the first neurosurgeons in Northern Colorado to perform artificial disc replacement procedures, which can preserve natural spinal motion and reduce the long-term strain sometimes caused by traditional spinal fusion surgeries.
“Our goal is to give patients in Fort Collins and across Northern Colorado the feeling that they’re receiving the best spine care in the state, without having to travel to Denver,” Arias said.
Arias graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2010 and completed residency and fellowship training at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Grigsby earned a master’s degree in health science in physician assistant studies from South College in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2020.
The two have worked side by side for five years, building a high-volume neurosurgery practice in the Denver metropolitan area and helping establish neurosurgical services at Banner North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. They will continue collaborating with CarePoint in Denver and Greeley while expanding services for Banner patients in Fort Collins.
Both clinicians say their active lifestyles help shape their approach to patient care. Outside the hospital, they participate in long-distance cycling, snowboarding, running, and triathlons.
“We understand how important it is to stay active because we live that ourselves,” Grigsby said. “Helping someone return to skiing, running, or simply living without pain is incredibly meaningful.”
The new neurosurgery program is designed to provide a comprehensive care pathway—from clinic visits and imaging to surgery and follow-up—at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center.
A dedication ceremony for the neurosurgery department, the hospital’s new Joint Replacement Center, and expanded cancer services is scheduled for March 31 at 4 p.m.
More information about services at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center is available at https://bannerhealth.com/fortcollins.
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Attribution: Banner Health