Medication-Assisted
Treatment for
Opioid Use Disorder
Effective treatment that fits into your life.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) uses FDA-approved medications, along with individualized medical care, to help reduce cravings, prevent relapse, and support long-term stability.
Proudly serving patients across Pennsylvania via our Norristown office and secure telemedicine.
PRIVATE & DISCREET
Your privacy is always respected.
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT
FDA-approved medication options proven to help.
DIRECT PHYSICIAN CARE
The doctor you start with is the doctor who stays with you.
NORRISTOWN & TELEMEDICINE
Local office care with statewide Pennsylvania telemedicine.
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
Treatment options for different needs and budgets.
MAT Is Not One Medication.
It Is a Long-Term Treatment Strategy.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) grew from an important medical realization: opioid use disorder is a chronic medical condition, not a problem reliably solved by willpower or detox alone.
Detox is not treatment. Withdrawal relief is only the beginning.The real goal is long-term stability—reducing cravings, lowering relapse risk, maintaining control, and helping you build a healthier, more productive life.
At our office, MAT is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It is chronic care, personalized to you.
Buprenorphine-Based Treatment Options
Buprenorphine partially activates opioid receptors and can reduce withdrawal, cravings, and opioid use while supporting long-term stability.
Suboxone /
Buprenorphine
Daily oral treatment and one of the most established office-based medication options for opioid use disorder.
EXPLORE SUBOXONE TREATMENT →Sublocade®
Once-monthly extended-release buprenorphine injection that removes the need for a daily dose.
EXPLORE SUBLOCADE →Brixadi®
Weekly or monthly long-acting buprenorphine with several dosing and injection-site options.
EXPLORE BRIXADI →Long-Acting
Buprenorphine
Compare Sublocade and Brixadi and learn how long-acting treatment can create freedom from the daily routine.
COMPARE LONG-ACTING OPTIONS →Naltrexone-Based Treatment Options
Naltrexone works differently by blocking opioid receptors. It is a non-opioid option for appropriate patients after an opioid-free period.
Vivitrol® for
Opioid Use Disorder
Once-monthly extended-release naltrexone that blocks opioid receptors and their usual effects.
EXPLORE VIVITROL FOR OUD →Oral Naltrexone
Daily non-opioid medication that may be appropriate for selected patients who prefer an oral option.
LEARN ABOUT NALTREXONE →The Goal Is Control — Not Simply Getting Through Withdrawal.
Opioid use disorder behaves like other chronic medical conditions. Treatment works best when it is managed over time rather than treated as a short episode. Dr. Watson’s approach is to help patients reach stability, maintain control, and get on with life while adjusting the treatment plan as needs and goals change.
Is the Doctor Who Stays With You.
Learn More About Your Treatment Journey
Learn how treatment can begin with stabilization and build from there.
LEARN MORE →Understand how patients transition safely onto buprenorphine.
LEARN MORE →Private, individualized care directly with Dr. Watson.
LEARN MORE →Learn about insurance coverage and lower-cost treatment options.
LEARN MORE →You do not have to know which treatment you need before you call.
CONTACT US → We Don’t Expect You to Know
the Right Medication on Day One
Most patients begin with oral buprenorphine so treatment can be started, adjusted, and stabilized. From there, the conversation changes.
As Dr. Watson gets to know you, treatment can be refined around the things that matter in your real life.
Convenience
Daily medication versus weekly or monthly treatment.
Affordability
Generic oral treatment versus higher-cost long-acting options.
Safety at Home
Including whether children or others could accidentally access medication.
Consistency &
Compliance
Whether taking medication every day is realistic.
Privacy & Lifestyle
Work, travel, family responsibilities, and how much mental space treatment occupies.
Past Experience
What has or has not worked before and what you have learned.
Treatment Paths May Change as Your Needs Become Clearer
Suboxone /
Buprenorphine
Established, flexible, and generally one of the most affordable medication options.
EXPLORE SUBOXONE →Sublocade® & Brixadi®
Long-acting buprenorphine injections can offer freedom from the daily routine.
Vivitrol®
Blocks opioid effects after an appropriate opioid-free period.
EXPLORE VIVITROL FOR OUD → The Doctor You Start With
Is the Doctor Who Stays With You.
Direct Physician Care means treatment decisions are made over time with the same physician who knows your history, understands what matters to you, and can help adjust the plan as your life changes.
The goal is not simply to prescribe medication.
The goal is to find the tools that give you the best chance to maintain control and move forward.Your treatment. Your life. Your plan.
Our Goal Is to Make Treatment Take Up Less of Your Life — Not More of It.
Our goal is to get you to spend the least amount of time, the least amount of money, and the least amount of mental real estate managing your substance use disorder by giving you the tools necessary to move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medication-Assisted Treatment
You do not have to understand every medication or decide which treatment you need before you call. These are some of the questions we discuss with patients as treatment begins and evolves.
What is medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder?
Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT, uses FDA-approved medications as part of ongoing medical treatment for opioid use disorder. The goal is not simply to get through withdrawal. Treatment is designed to reduce opioid use and relapse risk, improve stability, and help patients maintain control over time.
Is medication-assisted treatment the same as Suboxone?
No. Suboxone and other forms of buprenorphine are important MAT options, but they are not the only ones. Treatment may also include long-acting buprenorphine such as Sublocade or Brixadi, or naltrexone-based treatment such as Vivitrol.
Which medication do patients usually start with?
Many patients begin with oral buprenorphine. This allows treatment to be started, adjusted, and stabilized while Dr. Watson gets to know the patient and evaluates how treatment is working.
From there, the medication plan may stay the same or evolve based on the patient’s response, goals, lifestyle, affordability, consistency with daily medication, home safety, and other practical considerations.
Do I have to stay on the same MAT medication?
No. Treatment can change as your needs become clearer. Some patients remain on oral buprenorphine because it works well and is affordable. Others may eventually prefer a weekly or monthly long-acting medication because it reduces the burden of taking a medication every day.
What if I have trouble remembering medication every day?
That is one of the issues we consider when choosing treatment. Sublocade and Brixadi are long-acting buprenorphine injections that can reduce or eliminate the need to think about medication every day.
For some patients, moving treatment into the background can reduce the amount of mental real estate that opioid use disorder occupies.
Are there non-opioid medication options for OUD?
Yes. Naltrexone is a non-opioid medication that blocks opioid receptors. Vivitrol is the once-monthly extended-release injectable form of naltrexone.
Unlike buprenorphine, Vivitrol generally requires an appropriate opioid-free period before the first injection. Dr. Watson reviews timing and safety with patients individually.
Is medication-assisted treatment affordable?
There are treatment options at very different price points. Generic oral buprenorphine is often considerably less expensive than long-acting injectable medications. Insurance coverage may also significantly affect the cost of Sublocade, Brixadi, or Vivitrol.
Affordability matters because the best treatment plan is one that can realistically be maintained over time.
Can I receive treatment while continuing to work and care for my family?
For many appropriate patients, yes. Opioid use disorder treatment does not automatically mean leaving work, entering residential treatment, or putting everyday responsibilities on hold.
Dr. Watson provides private office-based care through the Norristown office along with secure telemedicine for patients across Pennsylvania.
How do I know which MAT option is right for me?
You do not have to know before you call. The answer often becomes clearer over time as Dr. Watson learns how you respond to treatment and understands your goals, daily routine, financial considerations, medication preferences, safety concerns, and past experiences.
Direct Physician Care allows those decisions to develop through an ongoing relationship with the same physician rather than treating medication choice as a one-time decision.
Does MAT cure opioid use disorder?
MAT is better understood as a way to help control opioid use disorder rather than as a simple cure. Opioid use disorder behaves like other chronic medical conditions and often requires ongoing management.
The goal is stability, quality of life, and giving patients the tools necessary to move forward without allowing treatment itself to dominate their lives.
Start With a Conversation.
You do not need to know which medication you need before you call. Dr. Watson can help you understand the options and build a treatment plan around your needs, goals, and life.