Joseph Leigh Ferguson, MD| Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery | MedStar Health
About me
Joseph L. Ferguson is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in spinal surgery.
He specializes in:
- Cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back) and lumbar (lower-back) pathologies
- Minimally invasive techniques
- Lumbar stenosis
- Lumbar degenerative spine disorders
- Cervical Stenosis
- Cervical herniated disks
- Neck and/or arm pain or weakness
- Leg pain and weakness
- Cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy
- Scoliosis (adult)
- Surgery: spinal, minimally invasive, microscopic, motion-sparing
Dr. Ferguson believes each patient is unique and requires an individualized, focused, and thorough treatment approach to address the diagnosis. He approaches each patient-physician relationship as a partnership, with the best outcomes resulting from a collaborative effort. His goal is to help patients and their families understand their conditions and to educate them on all possible options, in order to restore function and relieve pain for a return to an active lifestyle.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Scoliosis
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spinal Stenosis
- Vertebral Compression Fracture Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Injury
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Disorders In Diseases
- Bursopathy
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Chest Injury
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Head Injury
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lower Leg Injury
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Meningitis
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Muscle Disorders
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Sprain
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Presence Of Functional Implants
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Scoliosis
- Shoulder Burns
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thumb Synovitis
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Laminotomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Osteotomy
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Choice Fund PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- IH-HMO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Medicare Direct
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Sentara Health
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS II
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- TRICARE East Prime
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- HighMark
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- OA Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- UHC Passport
- Network OA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Medicare FFS
- Navigate
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CIGNA PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- TRICARE for Life East
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Choice POS II Open Access
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-POS Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- IH-POS
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- POS OA
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Student Resources
- Employee Health Plan
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthpedic Surgery
Fellowship: Rush University Medical Center (2019)
Fellowship: Atrium Health Union West (2019)
Residency: Medstar Health (2018)
Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2018)
Medical School: Jefferson Medical College (2013)
Graduate: Drexel University (2007)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Basques, BA, Ferguson JF, Kunze KN, Phillips, FP. Lumbar Spinal Fusion in the Outpatient Setting: An Update on Management, Surgical Approaches and Planning. Journal of Spine Surgery (accepted, pending publication).
- Louie PK, Haws BE, Khan JM, Markowitz J, Movassaghi K, Ferguson J, Lopez GD, An HS, Phillips FM. Comparison of Stand-alone Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion versus Open Laminectomy and Posterolateral Instrumented Fusion in the Treatment of Adjacent Segment Disease following Previous Lumbar Fusion Surgery. Spine. Aug 12, 2019 (ePub ahead of print).
- Ferguson J, Mariorenzi M, Kalantar SB. Anterior cervical decompression and fusion for a single-level disc herniation. Seminars in Spine Surgery. 2014; 26(3): 154-9.
- Ferguson J, Hwang S, Tataryn Z, Samdani A. Neuromonitoring changes in pediatric spinal deformity surgery: a single-institution experience. Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics. 2014; 13(3): 247-54.
- Radcliff K, Ferguson JL, Reis-Rodrigues LM, Gruskay J, Levine AM, Albert T, Vaccaro AR. Chapter 24: Traumatic Spondylolisthesis of the Axis (Hangman's Fracture) in Spine Trauma, 2nd edition. Eds: Zigler JE, Eismont FJ, Garfin SR, Vaccaro AR, from American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2011.
- Samdani AF, Cahill PJ, Hwang SW, King J, Edwards A, Fine A, Ferguson J, Betz RR: Larger curve magnitude is associated with markedly increased perioperative complications after scoliosis surgery in patients with spinal cord injury. 18th International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (podium), Copenhagen, Denmark, July 13-16, 2011.
- Zlotolow DA, Ferguson JL, Knutsen E, Kozin SH. The Natural History of Shoulder Function in Patients with Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy. NARAKAS meeting, May 19-22, 2011, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Ferguson JL, Zlotolow DA, Kozin SH. Timing of Recovery of Shoulder Function in Patients with Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy.
- Poster, AOA Research Symposium, Thomas Jefferson University, March 2nd, 2012
- E-Poster, Annual Meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, September 6-8, 2012, Chicago, IL.
- Ferguson JL, Hwang SW, Stanton P, Fine A, Samdani AF. Neuromonitoring Changes in Pediatric Spinal Deformity Surgery: Single Institution Experience. New England Neurosurgical Society annual meeting, June 21-23, 2012.