Addiction Medicine Physician

Company Overview:

Upward Health is an in-home, multidisciplinary medical group providing 24/7 whole-person care. Our clinical team treats physical, behavioral, and social health needs when and where a patient needs help. Everyone on our team from our doctors, nurses, and Care Specialists to our HR, Technology, and Business Services staff are driven by a desire to improve the lives of our patients. We are able to treat a wide range of needs – everything from addressing poorly controlled blood sugar to combatting anxiety to accessing medically tailored meals – because we know that health requires care for the whole person. It’s no wonder 98% of patients report being fully satisfied with Upward Health!

Job Title & Role Description:

Patients receiving addiction medicine care often present at critical points in their health journey. Many face active substance use, withdrawal risk, medical instability, co-occurring psychiatric conditions, and significant social barriers. The quality and consistency of direct clinical care at these moments directly determines patient safety and outcomes.

As an Addiction Medicine Physician, you are the treating provider. Your assessments, prescribing decisions, and clinical interventions have immediate impact. You manage complex substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted therapy, relapse prevention, and stabilization of co-occurring conditions. Your work reduces overdose risk, prevents avoidable hospitalizations, and supports sustained recovery.

This role requires strong clinical judgment in real time. You identify risk early, respond to changes in patient status, and adjust treatment plans based on medical need. Many patients lack consistent access to traditional care settings. Your ability to deliver high-quality addiction treatment through telehealth and in-home encounters closes critical gaps in care.

You build continuity and trust with patients who may have experienced fragmented or inconsistent treatment. Through clear communication, realistic goal setting, and patient-centered decision-making, you help patients remain engaged and progress toward stability.

Primary Responsibilities:

Direct Patient Care

• Diagnose and treat substance use disorders using evidence-based practices
• Conduct comprehensive substance use and risk assessments
• Initiate and manage medication-assisted treatment, including buprenorphine and naltrexone
• Monitor treatment response, relapse risk, and medication adherence
• Manage withdrawal risk and escalate care when clinically indicated
• Treat co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions in collaboration with internal providers

Care Delivery Model

• Provide care primarily through telehealth visits
• Complete limited in-home visits when medically necessary
• Deliver care with consistency, clarity, and a patient-centered approach

Care Coordination

• Collaborate with Addiction Counselors, Nurse Practitioners, Nursing, and Care Specialists
• Contribute to individualized treatment plans aligned to patient goals
• Support transitions of care following hospitalizations, detox admissions, or residential treatment
• Communicate clinical updates, risks, and treatment changes clearly and timely

Quality and Documentation

• Maintain accurate, timely, and clinically sound documentation
• Ensure prescribing aligns with federal, state, and organizational requirements
• Support quality improvement efforts through clinical participation and feedback
• Identify patient safety concerns and escalate appropriately

Patient Experience

• Build trust with patients through respectful, direct communication
• Set clear expectations related to treatment plans and recovery progress
• Support engagement for patients with historical disengagement or care avoidance

Required Qualifications:

• MD or DO with board certification or eligibility in Addiction Medicine or Addiction Psychiatry
• Active, unrestricted medical license in at least one practicing state
• DEA registration with eligibility to prescribe buprenorphine
• Minimum two years of experience treating substance use disorders
• Strong knowledge of medication-assisted treatment and relapse prevention
• Comfort delivering care through telehealth platforms
• Experience working with Medicaid or Medicare populations
• Experience treating patients with complex medical, psychiatric, and social needs
• Multi-state licensure preferred or willingness to obtain additional licenses

Competencies:

Clinical Judgment:

• Demonstrates sound clinical decision-making focused on patient safety, risk identification, and evidence-based addiction treatment.

Communication

• Communicates clearly and directly with patients and multidisciplinary care teams, ensuring understanding of treatment plans, risks, and expectations.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of clinical outcomes, prescribing decisions, and documentation accuracy, following through on all patient care responsibilities.

Communication:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, able to relay complex information in an understandable and supportive manner.

Collaboration:

• Works effectively within a multidisciplinary team, partnering with counselors, nurses, and providers to deliver coordinated, patient-centered care.

Adaptability:

• Responds effectively to changing patient needs and evolving care models, maintaining clinical consistency in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Upward Health is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to attracting, retaining, and maximizing the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. This job description is a general outline of duties performed and is not to be misconstrued as encompassing all duties performed within the position.