Lamia Y. K. Haque, MD, MPH

Lamia Haque, MD, MPH is a hepatologist (liver specialist) and addiction medicine physician who treats patients with liver diseases and co-occurring substance use disorders. She has additional training in transplant hepatology.

Dr. Haque says she was initially drawn to general internal medicine during medical school. “But after doing a few rotations with the hepatology service during residency at Yale, I felt it was a great fit. I became interested in the overlap between addiction and liver diseases, so I completed a fellowship in addiction medicine prior to my training in hepatology with the goal of integrating these skills into my work as a liver specialist,” she says.

“The main focus of my clinic is providing integrated care for patients who have both addiction and liver disease, particularly those with alcohol-associated liver disease and cirrhosis,” she says. “I find taking care of my patients to be very rewarding. You get to build a strong relationship over time.”

Because liver disease can be silent in its early stages, it can sometimes take patients by surprise if an abnormality shows up in their blood work or imaging.

“For patients with advanced liver disease and addiction, my work involves a lot of education and goal-setting. We work together to fine-tune medications, manage any complications that may arise, ensure that health maintenance measures are taken, determine the goals of care, and if indicated, set up a referral for a liver transplant evaluation,” says Dr. Haque. “Providing on-site addiction treatment and facilitating referrals as needed is an important part of delivering comprehensive care for patients with conditions such as alcohol-associated liver disease and alcohol use disorder.”

Dr. Haque’s research involves using implementation science methods to integrate evidence-based addiction treatment into liver care settings.