Getting help for opioid or alcohol use disorder is medical care, plain and simple. It tends to go better when the doctor treating you already knows your health, keeps things private, and is still your doctor a year from now. At Burkhart Direct Family Care in Knoxville, medication-assisted treatment isn't a separate program at a separate clinic. It's part of the everyday primary care Dr. Burkhart already provides.

Dr. William Burkhart is a board-certified family physician in West Knoxville. He provides confidential treatment for substance use disorders, including opioid dependence and alcoholism, as part of the ongoing relationship you already have with your doctor. Care is individualised, and for opioid use disorder it may involve Suboxone.

It sits within the practice's full list of services.

If you need help right now

This page is not emergency care. If you or someone else is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911. For free, confidential support available 24/7, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357, or call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Treatment from your own family physician

Most addiction treatment in Knoxville happens at a standalone clinic or program, off to the side from the rest of your health care. That can make getting help feel exposed, and it leaves your care spread across people who don't always talk to each other.

Here, the doctor helping you through recovery is the same one who looks after your blood pressure, your labs, your mental health and your yearly physical. One chart, one relationship, one person responsible for it. For a lot of people, seeing their own family doctor also just feels more private than walking into a clinic that treats only one thing.

What medication-assisted treatment involves

Treatment for substance use disorder here is confidential and built around you. It starts with a full history, a physical exam and an honest talk about what you want to change. Dr. Burkhart treats opioid dependence and alcoholism, and for opioid use disorder that care may include Suboxone.

What treatment looks like depends on you: your history, your health, and what you're trying to reach. You work that out with your physician, in person, instead of being slotted into a fixed program.

How this works within your membership

Burkhart Direct Family Care runs on a simple monthly membership. There's no insurance billing, no copay, and no charge for Dr. Burkhart's time. Members are never billed for a visit.

Evaluation visits, follow-up visits and the physician time involved are covered by your membership
You reach Dr. Burkhart directly by text or phone, 24/7, which matters most in the moments that are hardest
Laboratory testing is available at wholesale pricing
Prescriptions are filled at your local pharmacy, so any medication is a pharmacy cost rather than a practice charge
Your care stays coordinated in one place, alongside the rest of your health

For the full picture of what is and is not included, see how membership works.

What this costs

Monthly membership rates depend on your age and household size, and the current pricing is listed in full on the Burkhart Direct Family Care membership page.

There is a one-time registration fee of $175, charged at your first office visit. It covers everyone in your household who registers within the same 30-day period. Monthly fees begin one calendar month after that first visit.

Beyond membership, your costs are any medication at your pharmacy and any laboratory work at wholesale pricing. Nothing else is billed.

If you would prefer to be evaluated before committing to membership, a one-time consultation is available for $175 and includes a full history and physical examination.

Call (865) 540-6857

Common questions

Is treatment confidential?

Yes. Care for substance use disorder is handled with the same privacy as the rest of your medical care, by your own family physician, rather than at a separate clinic.

What does Dr. Burkhart treat?

Dr. Burkhart provides treatment for substance use disorders, including opioid dependence and alcoholism, as part of ongoing primary care. Care is individualised, and for opioid use disorder it may involve Suboxone.

Do I need health insurance?

No. Health insurance is not required to become a patient. The practice does not bill insurance and does not charge copays.

Can I use HSA funds?

HSA funds can be used for medications, laboratory work, imaging and other healthcare costs. They cannot be used to purchase the membership itself, because a Direct Primary Care membership is a healthcare service rather than a healthcare plan.

Where is the office?

9724 Kingston Pike, Suite 302, Knoxville, TN 37922, in West Knoxville.

Is the practice accepting new patients?

Availability is limited by design, so the panel is capped at 500 patients. Call to check current availability.

You can read more about insurance, HSA and Medicare questions on our FAQ page.

Related services in Knoxville

Getting started

Call (865) 540-6857 during business hours, or send us a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Your first visit is a full history and physical exam, plus an honest conversation about the care that fits you.

This page provides general information about services offered at Burkhart Direct Family Care. It is not medical advice, is not emergency care, and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Treatment decisions are made individually, in person, after evaluation.