Dr. Tessa Matson

Biography

Theresa (“Tessa”) Matson, PhD, MPH, is a Collaborative Scientist at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. Dr. Matson seeks to integrate addiction health services research into primary care in patient-centered ways that reduce disparities and help patients feel valued and informed about their treatment options. She recognizes that strong partnerships among researchers, health system leaders, clinical staff, and patients are necessary to implement processes that identify unhealthy substance use and improve treatment for substance use disorders. Her recent work describes gaps and potential biases in the diagnosis and treatment of cannabis use disorder and validates practical tools to improve recognition in primary care. Dr. Matson currently applies her implementation science expertise on NIDA-funded trials designed to improve the provision of care for alcohol and substance use disorders in primary care and mental health settings, along with studies aimed at promoting equitable receipt of substance use disorder treatment by addressing barriers and providing motivational support. During her doctoral studies at the University of Washington’s Department of Health Systems and Population Health, she completed a predoctoral fellowship at VA Puget Sound, studying system-level, organizational-level, and patient-level determinants of the receipt of evidence-based treatment for alcohol use disorder among vulnerable populations, and applied motivational interviewing and user-centered design principles to improve patient engagement.

Research Interests