In 2025, the Allina Health Brain and Spine Institute continued to grow, expanding existing programs and adding new services to improve community access to expert, comprehensive and award-winning care.
The Institute adopted a new name that more clearly reflects our full range of brain and spine expertise and our commitment to caring for people at every stage of their health journey. Epileptologist and Interim Institute President Ram Sankaraneni, MD, was named president of the Institute, continuing to provide leadership and support in the delivery of quality care and nationally leading programs and services.
In addition to maintaining its core strengths – two Comprehensive Stroke Centers, one Primary Plus Stroke Center, a Thrombectomy Capable Center, a Level 4 Epilepsy Center – the Institute expanded to broaden the range of support and treatment options it offers.
New headache and migraine, and multiple sclerosis programs launched to help meet the needs of more patients managing these conditions.
We expanded epilepsy, movement disorder and neurosurgery services to additional communities, making it easier for patients to access specialty care without traveling far. New Zeto® ONE EEG technology launched in Hastings, supporting remote and AI enabled evaluation of epilepsy and seizure disorders. We have also launched a new Adult Neurology Residency Program, which will help train future neurologists for our region.
In stroke care, we became the first in the Twin Cities to offer the Vivistim® device for stroke rehabilitation and continued to grow our focused ultrasound program, completing nearly 70 procedures in 2025 and shepherding other health systems to adopt this innovative treatment.
Awards
- Newsweek recognized Allina Health as one of America’s Best Neurological Hospitals (2025).
- Becker’s Hospital Review — 2025 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Neuro/Spine Programs
- Twin Cities Business — Ganesh Asaithambi, MD, named 2025 Notable Healthcare Leader
- American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® — Stroke Program: Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Faribault Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, New Ulm Medical Center, Owatonna Hospital, River Falls Area Hospital, United Hospital and St. Francis Regional Medical Center were recognized by the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® — Stroke program. This is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines.
- Minnesota Monthly Top Doctors 2025
- Mpls.St.Paul Top Doctors Rising Stars 2025
- Mpls.St.Paul Top Doctors 2025
- Castle Connolly 2026 Top Hospitals — Abbott Northwestern Hospital for Spine Surgery
