Dr. Joe Adragna, Peak Family Medicine
When Dr. Joe Adragna returned home to Montrose after medical residency, he came back with a clear purpose: to help build a stronger, healthier community through accessible primary care.
Montrose, with a population of just over 20,000, is located on Colorado’s Western Slope and has a history rooted in agriculture. Today, it’s a hub for outdoor recreation, nestled between the expansive Black Canyon National Park, the San Juan Mountains, the Uncompahgre Plateau, and the Grand Mesa.
Despite its beauty and proximity to world-class fishing, hiking, and skiing, Montrose, like many other rural communities, often faces challenges in accessing health care. Losing even a few primary care providers can make it more difficult for people to get appointments, build trusted relationships, and receive consistent care close to home. While he was growing up, Dr. Joe saw firsthand how provider turnover was affecting local families.
That experience helped shape his vision for Peak Family Medicine, which he started in 2015.
What is the best way I can deliver value in health care?
Dr. Joe didn’t originally plan to practice family medicine. Instead, he began studying emergency medicine, shaped by years as an EMT and firefighter. During medical training, though, he saw hospital beds filled with patients with preventable conditions or who didn’t know where to turn for follow-up care. It made him question where the greatest value in health care could truly be delivered. His answer reshaped his career: “People who have primary care go to the emergency department less often. They go to hospitals for inpatient care less often.”
That realization led him to family medicine, where he could focus on prevention, long-term relationships, and whole-person care.
We care about team-based care, integrity, and community.
For Dr. Joe, these values guide how Peak Family Medicine serves patients every day. Patients receive support from providers who work closely together. The providers and team deliver on their promises. And they’re committed to building a health care model that can serve local families for the long term.
Today, Peak Family Medicine and its team continue to grow, providing primary care six days a week and support services through Peak Professionals, including behavioral health, pediatric psychology, rheumatology, chiropractic care, and general surgery.
Rocky [Mountain Health Plans] has supported us for years in the integration of behavioral health providers.
This support has helped Peak Family Medicine expand behavioral health services within its practice, making mental health care more connected and accessible for patients. Integrating behavioral health alongside primary care can help patients better manage their physical and mental health needs.
This whole-person approach can make a life-changing difference.
Dr. Adragna recalls one patient who regularly sought treatment for chronic migraines. During one visit, he paused to focus on preventive care.
We need to stop and say, what about the rest of you?
That conversation led to recommended screenings, including a colonoscopy that identified early-stage colon cancer before it became a more serious health crisis. Because of the early diagnosis, treatment could begin sooner.
Stories like this highlight the importance of strong local primary care. That’s why Rocky Mountain Health Plans works with local providers across Colorado to strengthen access to high-quality, coordinated, and connected care, especially in rural areas where resources can be more limited. In communities like Montrose, these partnerships are helping ensure more individuals and families can receive trusted care close to home.