Professional Development Services

Gilbert Varela, MD, has served as the president and chief executive officer of Alliance Health Systems in Los Angeles, California, since 2014. He expanded his professional activities in 2017 by establishing Varela Medical Group, a private practice emphasizing industrial and personal injury cases. In addition to his work with Alliance and in his private practice, Gilbert Varela engages with professional organizations such as the California Society of Addiction Medicine.

With more than 700 members, the California Society of Addiction Medicine (CASM) is the largest state chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). The organization provides members with a range of educational opportunities, including a biannual Addiction Medicine Review Course that allows medical professionals to consistently refresh their addiction medicine knowledge. The review course alternates with the biannual State of the Art Conference, which focuses on the latest discoveries and techniques in the field.

An accredited provider of continuing medical education (CME), CASM also maintains a Public Policy and Advocacy program and a leadership development retreat, providing members with all of the knowledge they need to effectively address addiction treatment at their practices and throughout their communities. More specialized educational services include journal clubs that facilitate intimate discussions on the latest clinical topics and research.

CASM also offers CME-approved webinars, training and scholarship programs, and a newsletter that notifies members of various topics of interest. To learn more about CASM’s educational offerings, please visit www.csam-asam.org.

What Is Substance Use Disorder?

Dr. Gilbert Varela earned a degree in medicine from the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. As a member of the California Society of Addiction Medicine, Dr. Gilbert Varela is dedicated to treating people with substance use disorders (SUDs).

Many individuals self-medicate their depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues with substance use or alcohol use. Substance use, for whatever reason, becomes less of a choice with time. Long-term exposure causes brain functions to shift, and the user loses control. SUD affects the regions of the brain involved in learning, memory, and behavior control.

Treatment for SUD is administered in two primary settings: inpatient and outpatient. Inpatient care is for intensive treatment; outpatient care is for non-intensive treatment. The main objective is to get the persons with SUD started in the most effective but least restrictive setting and then move them along a continuum of care as their requirements change.

What Are Co-Occurring Disorders?

Dr. Gilbert Varela has business, psychology, and medical degrees from various educational institutions. As the CEO of Sadler Healthcare, Inc., Dr. Gilbert Varela attends to the patients' co-occurring disorders.

Co-occurring disorders, also known as dual disorders or dual diagnosis, are disorders in which a person has both a drug use condition and a mental health disorder. Alcohol or drug dependence is a serious condition than alcohol or drug abuse. People with addiction have struggled in their efforts to abstain from or regulate their drug consumption, in addition to facing increasingly harmful effects. Increased tolerance and withdrawal in some cases are indications of physiological dependency.

Meanwhile, mood and anxiety disorders are two of the most prevalent mental health disorders observed in chemically dependent people. People with severe mental illness are most likely to have co-occurring alcohol use problems. If not treated in time, alcohol problems may lead to serious physical health conditions such as alcohol-induced liver disease. 

Three Bike Paths Near Los Angeles

Based in Los Angeles, Dr. Gilbert Varela serves as chief executive officer and medical director of Sadler Healthcare, Inc., where he has been since 2002. In his free time, Dr. Gilbert Varela enjoys hiking, biking, and jogging.

Los Angeles is known as a city where you need a car, but there are opportunities for bikers to get recreational riding in. Here are some favorite rides in LA:

Backbone Trail

Located around 30 minutes outside of the city, Backbone Trail goes through the Santa Monica Mountains and offers great views of Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean. It runs 14 miles and has rough terrain, making it better for intermediate to advanced riders.

Ballona Creek Bike Path

This seven-mile, beachside path runs from Culver City to Playa Del Ray. There are plenty of parks and water fountains along the path, and it ends at the ocean for those who’d like to take a swim. This is a mostly smooth trek and great for riders of all skill levels.

LA River Bikeway

This is a series of disconnected paved paths running 51 miles along the LA River. While most of the bikeway is pleasant, the most entertaining stretch follows the Glendale Narrows/Elysian Valley Bicycle Path, which goes through trendy Frogtown.