The Basics
With an office based out of Marina del Rey, California, Dr. Robert Waldman is a top addictionologist with nearly three decades of experience. Clients who work with Waldman can expect individualized treatment plans that encompass a range of different therapeutic modalities with an emphasis on safe detox procedures. Although he’s best known as one of the foremost addiction experts in the country (and in fact was the addiction expert in Dr. Conrad Murray’s wrongful death trial with Michael Jackson), Waldman is also an expert in nephrology, the study of kidneys and kidney diseases—knowledge he brings to his practice. He’s been in the field for a remarkable 28 years and delivers treatment in a range of environments—including his office, hospitals and client homes.
Clientele
Though these customizable services may seem accessible to only a rarefied class of clientele, Waldman’s patients run the gamut, from those who can’t pay to instantly recognizable celebrities. For the latter, Waldman’s office has an underground parking lot with a back door to escort clients in for maximum discretion.
Protocol
Because treatment through Waldman’s practice is so variable, there are no fixed lengths of treatment on a micro or macro level—all therapeutic decisions are based on each individual’s needs. Those in need of detox can set these services up through Waldman’s practice, with harm reduction through medication-assisted treatment available as well. Waldman is certified to provide Vivitrol and Suboxone services, though he does not prescribe methadone.
When clients first come in, they go through a 45-minute to one-hour initial evaluation session. After that, each session can vary anywhere from five or 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how extensive a check-in each client requires. The length of each program also varies considerably, though Waldman tries to steer his clients into long-term care for relapse prevention purposes and to support sustained sobriety.
Waldman has no hard limit on how many clients he’s willing to take on, though he reportedly has never needed to turn someone away for lack of time. Care can be covered through a range of insurances, though self-pay options are available as well.
History
Before becoming an addiction specialist, Waldman went to medical school at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1978. He worked as an internist with a specialty in nephrology until changing his focus to addiction in 1988, providing him a breadth of experience that is often twice as long as many competing doctors in his field. Shortly after, Waldman became the Director of Critical Care at the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital from 1994 to 1997. His intellectual interest in addiction has led to several television appearances as well, with spots on Dr. Drew and Relapse.
Treatment Recommendations
As mentioned, each treatment plan varies according to client preferences and what kinds of services each can afford. Waldman’s practice tends to include general medical care, with an emphasis on detox and helping clients catch up on ancillary medical needs. Aside from that, Waldman recommends that clients attend therapy in conjunction with medical treatment. AA/NA meetings are also highly recommended though allowances can be made for those with a strong objection. Additional holistic services can be arranged by referral whenever necessary.
In all, Waldman’s practice is about eschewing the white lab coat approach for something warmer and more personal (all patients receive his personal email and cell phone number). Clients who are treated by Waldman can be assured a safe detox process followed by thorough medical support that can work with a range of preferences and budgets.
Dr. Robert Waldman
4644 Lincoln Blvd #540
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Reach Dr. Robert Waldman by phone at (310) 301-9076 or by email. Find Dr. Robert Waldman on his website.
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