Baxter Health has expanded its addiction treatment services in North Central Arkansas with the addition of Dr. Blake Copeland to its Pain Clinic. The move aims to address what hospital officials describe as a significant gap in local healthcare by providing more integrated care for those grappling with both chronic pain and substance use disorders.
Dr. Copeland, an internal medicine physician with over a decade of experience in addiction medicine, now works alongside the clinic's existing team. With his expertise, Baxter Health hopes to provide specialized and coordinated care locally, eliminating the need for patients to seek treatment through separate providers or outside the region.
“Addiction touches a lot of families in our region, and access to a physician who specializes in this area of medicine has been a real gap,” said Brian Barnett, vice president of Physician Enterprise and Business Development at Baxter Health.
Dr. Copeland brings a diverse medical background to the role, including experience in hospital medicine, intensive care, primary care, hospice, and medical leadership. Baxter Health noted that his understanding of the interplay between chronic pain, substance dependency, and quality of life will help patients with complex healthcare needs.
The expansion also introduces additional treatment options to the area. One notable addition is Sublocade, a once-monthly buprenorphine injection for opioid use disorder. Baxter Health highlighted that this treatment has not been widely available in the region, marking a significant development in improving local access to addiction care.
“Blake brings clinical depth, leadership experience, and a genuine commitment to the patients who need this kind of care most,” Barnett added. “We are glad to have him here.”
Dr. Copeland earned his medical degree and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine in Memphis. His previous roles include serving as chief medical officer of Arkansas Continued Care Hospital, leadership positions in intensive and cardiac care units at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Paragould, and as a medical director for multiple long-term care and hospice organizations.
Dr. Copeland began seeing patients at the Baxter Health Pain Clinic in early September. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 870-508-5900.