Contact: Robin McCown, Executive Director, Georgia PHP, Inc.
(678) 825-3764; robin.mccown@gaphp.org
The Georgia Professional Health Program, Inc. (GAPHP) is pleased to announce our new Medical Director:
Susan K. Blank, M.D., DFAPA, DFASAM
The Georgia Professionals Health Program is proud to announce that Dr. Blank will take the helm as our next Medical Director, starting September 3, 2024. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of addiction. After obtaining her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia, she completed a residency in Psychiatry and Neurology at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She also received training in Forensics at the University of Virginia. Because of an interest in addiction, its diagnosis and treatment, she undertook specialized training in Addiction Medicine at the Talbott Recovery Campus under the direction of Dr. G. Doug Talbott. Recognizing that the most effective treatment for a patient with the disease of addiction involves the whole body, she obtained additional training, and completed a Fellowship and Advanced Fellowship training in Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine.
Dr. Blank is Immediate Past President of the Georgia Society of Addiction Medicine. She was Co-Chair of the Medical Association of Georgia’s “Think About It” Campaign-providing education to Health Care providers about proper prescribing of opioids and other high-risk medications. She is also a past member of the Board of Directors for The Georgia Council on Alcohol and Drugs and “Let’s Be Clear Georgia”. Dr. Blank and Dr. Lori Karan co-authored the chapter on Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction for the ASAM Patient Criteria released in September 2013 and the ASAM Tobacco Guidelines in February 2022. Dr. Blank is a contributor to the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians Opioid Prescribing Guidelines, published in March 2017 and 2024, and has been a member of the Technical Expert Panel for PCPI Preventive Care guidelines for Tobacco Cessation, Influenza Immunizations and Alcohol Screening.
Dr. Blank is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American Board of Addiction Medicine, The American Board of Preventive Medicine, subspeciality in Addiction Medicine, and the American Board of Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Examiners, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Distinguished Fellow of American Society of Addiction Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and a Certified Medical Review Officer.
Dr. Blank is a distinguished speaker and lecturer at medical conferences and lay seminars throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. She has lectured over 200 times at medical schools, physician conferences, international meetings of physicians and other healthcare professionals and was an Associate Professor at Penn State University. She was in the active practice of addiction treatment and is recognized as a pioneer for her use of the most advanced techniques in the care of patients with the disease of addiction.
Georgia PHP’s long time Medical Director, Paul H. Earley, M.D. will transition to Medical Director Emeritus and will also remain on Georgia PHP’s governing board.