H. Gregory Frankel
MD, MBA

Dr. Frankel specializes in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery. Following a neurosurgical internship and residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, he obtained a fellowship in Complex and Reconstructive Spine Surgery with a focus on spinal deformity and revision surgery. 

Medicine is personal to him. Motivated to pursue a career in the healing arts after witnessing his mom suffer a major Multiple Sclerosis attack, Dr. Frankel strives to care for others with the same blend of compassion and expertise as he would his own family. 

A New Jersey native, Dr. Frankel was born and raised in Livingston, where he and his family are delighted to return as they start the next chapter of their lives. As a new member of the New Jersey Brain and Spine family, he plans to launch a Spinal Deformity program that serves the communities in and around Northern New Jersey. 

Meet The Expert

Doctor's Biography

Dr. Frankel is devoted to advancing neurosurgical knowledge among his colleagues and peers. He has a particular interest in spinal deformity, computer-assisted navigation in spinal fusions, minimally invasive spine surgery, as well as resident and medical student education. While in residency, Dr. Frankel worked to help develop a resident curriculum for training on a spinal surgery simulator and regularly worked in the skull base lab teaching junior residents and medical students. He has been published in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals and his work has been presented at multiple national conferences.

 

Dr. Frankel performed emergency spinal fusion surgery on me in January 2025. My case was complicated by a late stage cancer diagnosis . Dr. Frankel was honest, direct and calming during an uncertain and scary time. While inpatient Dr. Frankel & his team were highly visible, accessible and coordinated care with my other physicians. I am so grateful for the care Dr. Frankel and his team provided to me!

Susan Alvarez
Extensive surgery done by Dr Frankel 2 weeks ago. I highly recommend him as a skilled surgeon and compassionate physician . I cannot thank him and his staff enough for getting me through a difficult time. You won't be disappointed if choosing him to care for you.
My experience with Dr. Frankel has been top notch. I met him during a very scary visit to HUMC last week and even at my emergency room bedside, he was calm and caring, taking the time to explain all the details. I was scared and he made me feel like we could find solutions. His methodical and steady thought process made everything feel like we would figure things out, together.

Dr. Frankel looked at me with compassion and thoughtfulness, which sometimes is the last thing you feel in emergency hospital situations. He was by far the best doctor I encountered during my stay. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting him at his office for my follow up on From Road, and from my initial check in to my final visit with Julia S. the Dr's Concierge, I felt so taken care of. Julia went out of her way to help me find the right doctors in the Neuro Group and scheduling the necessary tests and scans. Her sense of calm and compassion really matched that of Dr. Frankel. Their new office on From Road is modern, airy and bright and feels like a boutique hotel over a clinical cold place. I am so pleased to have found a doctor, like Dr. Frankel. I look forward to his guidance and solutions-based approach to finding out what is happening to my body and brain at this time. Truly outstanding experience!
Great doctor and great team
Dr. Frankel is an excellent listener. He is attentive to all my concerns and made me feel comfortable and confident that he was the right Nuerosurgeon for my back problems. I’m 6 weeks after surgery and my leg pain is gone and I am feeling stronger every day. Thank you Dr. Frankel.
Dr. Frankel was great. He patiently listened to and answered our questions. Gave us a lot of peace of mind after a terrible experience prior to our seeing him. His staff was very kind and helpful.
5 stars don’t even begin to do justice to how amazing Dr. Frankel is! Before seeing him, I nervously Google-searched his name and couldn’t find any reviews, which made me a little unsure at first. Now, I’m thrilled to be one of his first reviews because he absolutely deserves the recognition.

Dr. Frankel is an amazing doctor who truly cares about his patients and their families. I was very nervous and scared before my initial consultation appointment, but he made me feel calm and supported. He listened carefully to my concerns and explained everything in a way I could easily understand.

Unlike other doctors that I have seen, Dr. Frankel didn’t just assume the cause of my pain. He sent me for further testing, including an MRI, and discovered that the real issue was a cyst on my spine, not just a herniated disk. Thanks to his thoroughness and attention to detail, I was able to get the correct diagnosis and treatment I needed.

He was also incredibly supportive of my worried family members. He answered all their questions patiently and helped them feel more at ease. After my spinal surgery to remove the cyst and treat a herniated disk, Dr. Frankel went above and beyond. He checked on me in the hospital and even called several times afterward to make sure I was recovering well.

Dr. Frankel is kind, thorough, and truly dedicated to his patients. I can’t thank him enough for easing my fears and taking such good care of me. Now I am totally pain free, where I needed a walker to walk even the shortest of distances. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a caring and skilled surgeon.
Very professional. Has my confidence.
Doctor Frankel was lovely to meet with. He explains everything in layman’s terms and gave us an honest assessment of my situation. He recommended more imaging of my spine (I’ve seen a lot of highly regarded surgeons for this problem, and NONE has requested more, DIFFERENT tests), and he recommended I see a rheumatologist to build up my bones before we can consider any further treatment, including possible surgery. Very patient with all our questions, and we never felt rushed. So happy I found him!
A very positive first visit and happy with our plan of action.
New Jersey Brain and Spine | H. Gregory Frankel

Specializations

Education and Fellowship

Medical School

New York University Grossman School of Medicine

Residency

Northwestern University Department of Neurological Surgery (Served as Chief Resident)

Fellowship

Complex and Reconstructive Spine Surgery, Northwestern University Department of Neurological Surgery

Awards and Recognition

Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF): Clinical Fellowship Grant: 2023

Beta Gamma Sigma: 2022

Northwestern Memorial Hospital Consultant of the Year: 2018

Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society: 2016

Magna Cum Laude: 2012

Hospital Affiliations

Clara Maass Medical Center

Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center

Englewood Health

Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Medical Center

Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center

Hackensack University Medical Center

Holy Name Medical Center

Posts by Dr. H. Gregory Frankel

The Silent Struggle: Recognizing the Often-Missed Symptoms of a CSF Leak

Persistent severe headaches can sometimes indicate underlying health issues. If your headache improves when lying […]

The-Difference-between-back-doctors-finding-the-right-back-doctor

Why a Second Evaluation is Crucial for deciding to get a Spinal Fusion

Considering Spinal Fusion Surgery? Why It’s Crucial for Every Patient to Get A Second Opinion  […]