The substance use disorder (SUD) Bridge Clinic provides rapid assessment, treatment initiation, and stabilization for patients with substance use disorder, with a specific focus on equitable care which seeks to eliminate any disparities in access to or retention in treatment by race, ethnicity, or language. The clinic is staffed by a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, an office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) nurse, social workers, psychologists, a recovery coach, and a resource specialist. The clinic also serves as a core rotation for the addiction medicine fellowship. The supportive care model consists of rapid access to low threshold evaluation and treatment for individuals identified with SUD throughout the Mass General and Mass General Brigham system. Patients are assessed by the team and a patient-centered treatment plan is determined. The patient is managed by the Bridge Clinic team on a transitional basis while linkages are made to the suitable and patient-preferred level of care within the community. Bridge Clinic care is delivered in a brick-and-mortar clinic at Mass General as well as on a community-based mobile van in communities surrounding Boston. This position requires providing clinical care in both settings.

Part-time and full-time opportunities are available for this exciting and innovative opportunity and could be paired with either inpatient hospitalist medicine/addiction consultation or outpatient primary care opportunities at Mass General. Clinic leadership opportunities may be available for the right applicant. Protected time is also available for the development of programmatic components related to culturally relevant care models and for health equity and quality improvement efforts.

Clinical Practice

• Provides patient assessment, diagnosis, determination of a treatment plan, withdrawal management, initiating maintenance pharmacotherapy, and evaluation/management of SUD-associated medical complications
• Performs medically delegated aspects of patient care as agreed upon by nursing and medical administrators according to practice guidelines
• Performs or supervises administration of extended-release injectable medications for opioid and alcohol use disorder.
• Performs screening and referral to treatment for HIV and hepatitis
• Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision -making.
• Demonstrates patient-centered approach to care, engages in shared decision making with patients, recognizes their subjective health needs, past experiences, and treatment preferences. Is willing and able to engage with patients in all stages of readiness.
• Demonstrates competency in Harm Reduction as a philosophy and set of core practices and is comfortable integrating harm reduction services into clinical care, including but not limited to: low-threshold pharmacotherapy, education on safer use techniques, distribution of sterile injection and smoking supplies and drug checking equipment, and providing overdose education and naloxone distribution.
• Serves as a patient and family advocate and facilitates compassionate and trauma-informed approach within the Bridge Clinic.
• Provides electronic consultations (e-Consults) to primary care and other physicians across the system for patients with SUD. Consults may include, but are not limited to, diagnostic clarification, initiation of pharmacotherapy, and general treatment recommendations.
• Demonstrates a commitment to equity, cultural humility, harm reduction, and patient-centered practice

Education

• In collaboration with team members, and clinical leadership, applies new technology, physician theories, evidence-based research findings and experiential knowledge to support practice.
• Serves as preceptor for physician and nurse practitioner addiction fellows.

Research/Research Utilization

• Participates in and supports research activities that will positively influence Bridge Clinic patient care and patient care outcomes. In particular, supports evaluation activities related to assessing clinical outcomes for evidence of racial disparities in treatment engagement and retention, targeting no significant difference between patients by race, ethnicity, or language.
• Participates in and facilitates quality assurance and performance improvement activities for evaluation of structure, process, and outcome criteria as it relates to clinical practice, in coordination with senior leadership and administration.
• Is familiar with current trends in health care and their implication to the treatment of substance use disorder. Including: appropriate pharmacologic and non -pharmacologic treatment modalities as indicated for the management of the substance use disorder and related complications and harm reduction services.

Professional Development

• Engages in self-performance appraisal on an annual basis, identifying areas of strength as well as areas for professional and practice development.
• Identifies individual learning needs and goals and develops a plan to meet them.
• Maintains clinical knowledge and skills based upon current physician and health care practices.
• Maintains membership in professional physician organizations.
• Maintains the standards and educational requirements specific to the physician role and licensure.
• Maintains and updates clinical knowledge and skills based on current health care practice/research.

Active MA medical license, experience caring for patients with SUD, and a dedication to excellent, person-centered, equitable clinical care, delivered in an interdisciplinary team-based program. The physician must have the ability to develop and deliver flexible, innovative treatment models, with a focus on reducing racial disparities. Board certification in Addiction Medicine is strongly encouraged.

These include but are not limited to:

• diagnostic clarification for SUD
• management recommendations for intoxication and withdrawal states
• pharmacotherapy initiation
• psychosocial treatments and recovery support needs
• harm reduction education and interventions
• providing education/referrals 
• coordination of services between providers, including others on the Bridge Clinic team and community partners

Multi-lingual candidates and candidates from diverse background are strongly encouraged to apply.

A qualified candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal communication, a commitment to equity, conflict resolution and organizational skills.