If you ask most people to describe a neurosurgeon, they’ll likely paint a picture of a highly trained specialist wearing scrubs, performing complex surgeries in a sleek operating room.
Dr. Zain Allison checks all those boxes, but he’s also a man focused on a bigger mission. Yes, even bigger than brain surgery! From metro Denver to rural Colorado to Africa, he’s working to make sure people can access the care they need, no matter where they live.
It’s a mission that started long before he became a neurosurgeon.
From EMT to Global Health Leader
Dr. Allison’s journey into global health began as a college emergency medical tech (EMT), when he saw firsthand how critical emergency care is. That early experience sparked his desire to bring care where it was needed most, leading him to the African island of Madagascar.
At first, he thought improving access to emergency care might be straightforward — train EMTs, bring in ambulances, and transport people to the hospital. However, once patients arrived at the hospital, the care they needed often wasn’t there.
“You can help someone survive the trip to the hospital but then they get there and there’s no operating room, equipment or ICU,” says Dr. Allison.
He began working with smaller communities in rural Madagascar, supporting local clinics and training teams in basic emergency care like cleaning wounds, treating injuries and safely transporting patients to larger facilities.
In 2010, Dr. Allison founded Gratia Servo, a nonprofit focused on building stronger emergency care systems in underserved communities.
In recent years, Gratia Servo has expanded to Uganda. When Dr. Allison first visited the rural town of Kisiita, the hospital was functioning with minimal infrastructure. Today, it has an operating room, pharmacy, lab equipment and even newborn incubators.
Expanding access to care has become a family mission. Dr. Allison’s wife, an ER doctor, is part of the work too. “Being able to do this together, that’s what I’m most proud of,” he says.
Care Closer to Home: Serving Grand County
Dr. Allison’s time abroad and his experience caring for rural patients during medical school made him more aware of the care gaps closer to home.
“You don’t have to go across the world to find people who need help,” he says. “There are people right here in Colorado who struggle to get the care they need.”
In Grand County, many patients had to drive several hours over mountain passes just to access neurosurgical or cranial care. That isn’t realistic for many, especially during illness or in winter conditions.
“If it’s difficult to get care, people just don’t go to the doctor,” Dr. Allison says. “They don’t get the treatment they need, even for serious problems.”
Recognizing the need, Dr. Allison helped launch a neurosurgery clinic at Middle Park Health. What started small has grown into a full-service location offering imaging, surgeries and follow-up care.
Dr. Allison sees it as common sense. “It just makes more sense for me to drive to Grand County than for 15 patients to drive to Denver,” he says.
Meeting the Needs of a Changing Denver
Back in Denver, Dr. Allison is helping meet another need: expanding care for a growing, more active population in neighborhoods like Cherry Creek and Platte Park. As the city continues to grow, so does the need for specialty care that’s faster and easier to access.
He recently helped open a new neurosurgery and spine clinic on the campus of AdventHealth Porter. At this location, the team now offers complex neurosurgical, cranial, spine and cancer care, as well as a new interventional pain management service. The clinic provides a vital resource for patients who need access to specialized treatment without long wait times, especially for conditions where timing makes all the difference.
“Cancer doesn’t wait,” Dr. Allison says. “When someone gets a diagnosis, they need answers fast, not six weeks from now.”
The team also works closely with oncologists, radiologists and other specialists to ensure patients receive timely, coordinated care. It’s part of Dr. Allison’s broader goal of not just providing great surgical care, but making the patient experience easier and more accessible.
