Joseph Leigh Ferguson, MD| Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery | MedStar Health
About me
Joseph L. Ferguson, MD, is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who is affiliated with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Ferguson specializes in state-of-the-art, minimally invasive and motion preservation techniques to treat conditions of the bones, discs, and nerves of the neck and back.
With advanced expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery, Dr. Ferguson performs a wide range of procedures in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine designed to relieve pain, restore mobility, and help patients return to an active lifestyle. His surgical expertise includes transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), anterior lumbar fusion (ALIF), extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF), and lumbar fusion techniques tailored to each patient’s unique condition.
He also specializes in surgical disc replacement, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), posterior cervical laminoplasty, and lumbar laminectomy, offering both traditional and motion-preserving approaches depending on the clinical needs of each case. Dr. Ferguson frequently treats patients with complex degenerative spine disorders and employs innovative strategies to manage spinal instability, deformity, and nerve compression.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ferguson is committed to advancing the field of degenerative spine surgery through research, education, and the integration of the latest technologies. His expertise in thoracic fusion and minimally invasive techniques allows him to achieve optimal outcomes with reduced recovery times and improved patient satisfaction.
Philosophy of care
Dr. Ferguson believes each patient is unique and requires an individualized, focused, and thorough 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.
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)
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
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Biomechanical Lesions
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Disorders In Diseases
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spine Instability
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Head Injury
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lower Leg And Ankle Fracture
- Lower Leg Injury
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Sprain
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Presence Of Functional Implants
- Sacral Spine Fracture
- Sacral Spine Herniation
- Scoliosis
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Spine Herniation
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Procedures I perform
- Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
- Bulging Disc Treatment
- Cauda Equina Syndrome Treatment
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Degenerative Spine Surgery
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF)
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Fusion
- Lumbar Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Posterior Cervical Laminectomy
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation Treatment
- Spinal Deformity Correction With Intraoperative Ct
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Dural Fistula Treatment
- Spinal Facet Joint Pain Treatment
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Hematoma Treatment
- Spinal Infection Treatment
- Spinal Injury Treatment
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
- Thoracic Fusion
- Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
- Vertebral Compression Fracture 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
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst EPO
- POS OA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- TRICARE East Prime
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-Open POS II
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- TRICARE East Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Choice POS
- UHC Passport
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- HighMark
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- Sentara Health
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-POS
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Navigate
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Choice Fund PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Indemnity
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Choice POS II
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Basic
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Network OA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- TRICARE for Life East
- United Healthcare Choice
- Medicare Direct
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- OA Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-EPO Plus
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Medicare FFS
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthpedic Surgery
Fellowship: Atrium Health Union West (2019)
Fellowship: Rush University Medical Center (2019)
Residency: Medstar Health (2018)
Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2018)
Medical School: Jefferson Medical College (2013)
Graduate: Drexel University (2007)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025
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.