Introducing: Whole Spine Care™

We’re excited to introduce Whole Spine Care™—a new term for the thoughtful, team-based spine care that Semmes Murphey Clinic has delivered for generations. Our specialists have long believed that great outcomes start with understanding the full picture of a patient’s spine health. That’s why we bring together experts across multiple disciplines to guide each patient from diagnosis through recovery.

Spine conditions can be complex, involving the spinal cord, nerves, muscles, and bones. That’s why we offer more ways to treat spine issues than anyone else in the Mid-South—from physical therapy and pain management to advanced imaging and minimally invasive surgery. When surgery is needed, patients benefit from our award-winning ambulatory surgery center and a team known for outstanding outcomes.

At Semmes Murphey, we treat more than just pain—we treat people. Our providers strive to consider how spine issues affect each patient’s daily life, goals, and overall well-being. We take physical, mental, and emotional health into account when building care plans, ensuring patients feel heard, supported, and empowered throughout their journey.

A few of our spine care specialists share their thoughts on what whole spine care means to them and their patients.

“Whole Spine Care means combining the best of neurosurgical science and experience with a deep compassion for how these conditions affect my patient’s life. It’s not just about fixing a symptom—it’s about caring for the whole person and helping them move through life with freedom and confidence.” - Dr. Kevin Foley, neurosurgeon, chairman

“When I think of whole spine care, I think of providing holistic patient care and treating the whole person. This means also addressing their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual needs. It’s important to recognize the interconnectedness of these aspects and promote overall health and well-being.” - Dr. Sonia Eden, neurosurgeon

“Whole spine care ensures that patients are receiving patient-centered care with a focus on a stepped level – conservative, interventional and then finally, surgical. We offer patients state-of-the-art treatment options when most appropriate for that individual's condition or diagnosis.” - Dr. Leland Berkwits, interventional pain management

“As a clinician with a background in neurosurgery, to me ‘whole spine care’ encompasses not only those diagnoses we deem surgical, but being able to really hear and validate all patients, even those with non-surgical complaints. It means acknowledging the limitations of our diagnostic tools and the incredible complexity and physics involved in back and neck pain and truly understanding how debilitating it can be on their quality of life. And I think it very often means collaborating closely with our colleagues in physical therapy, physiatry and pain management to utilize a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach to offer our patients the best possible outcomes.” - Kristen Hughes, PA

Visit WholeSpineCare.com to learn more about the interconnections between your spine and the whole body. To meet with a Semmes Murphey spine specialist, book an appointment today by calling 901-522-7700 or completing this form.