Dr. Heather Bell, MD, FASAM, FAAFP

Media Releases

Breaking Barriers and Stigma to Advocate for Change in Addiction Care

An exceptional addiction medicine specialist, Dr. Bell is making significant strides in the field of addiction treatment and opioid stewardship. With a strong focus on patient-centered care and breaking down barriers and stigma associated with addiction, she is dedicated to providing compassionate and effective care for individuals and their loved ones affected by the disease of addiction. 

Having received her medical education and training from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2009, she has since embarked on a career path that spans rural primary care, corrections, and addiction medicine. Recognizing the urgent need for improved opioid prescribing practices amidst the opioid epidemic, she initiated an opioid stewardship program in 2015 with state funding. This pioneering program has not only achieved success in her local community but has also been expanded to 12 additional Minnesota communities, focusing on appropriate opioid prescribing and medications for opioid use disorder treatment.

An expert in her field, the doctor is board-certified in family medicine and addiction medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) and also board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).

In addition to her groundbreaking work in opioid stewardship, Dr Bell co-facilitated the first ProjectECHO in Minnesota, a telehealth teaching program focusing on opioid prescribing and addiction topics. She has since transitioned to the University of California-Irvine’s TNT (Train the Trainer) virtual based teaching and mentorship program. As an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, she continues to do an addiction curriculum for Medical Students.  She is now a staff physician at Hazelden Betty Ford in Center City, MN. 

Her commitment to education and advocacy in the addiction field is further exemplified by her co-leadership of  “Addiction 2 Recovery” podcast, a podcast that bridges the gap between the recovery community and the medical community, breaking down the silos and stigma. Her dedication to improving addiction care has garnered her prestigious accolades, including the American Hospital Association (AHA) Nova Award, the 2020 Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) Presidents Award, the 2020 University of Minnesota Medical School Early Career Alumni Award and the 2021 Minnesota Academy for Family Physicians (MAFP) Family Physician of the Year award.

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