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Lynn R. Webster, M.D., FACPM, FASAM

Medical Director and Co-Founder, Lifetree Clinical Research® & Pain Clinic
President, Utah Academy of Pain Medicine

Dr. Webster is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine and is also certified in addiction medicine. In his private practice, he treats chronic-pain patients, many of whom have complex diagnoses. He also detoxes opioid-addicted patients.  This dual role lends Dr. Webster a valuable perspective. He is dedicated to treating patients in pain while simultaneously working to minimize the potential for abuse and addiction.

His clinical research interests are diverse. They include pain and pain mechanisms, substance abuse, addiction, sleep medicine and cultural and political attitudes toward pain management. A primary focus is the development of novel agents to treat pain.

Dr. Webster earned his doctorate of medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed his residency in the University of Utah Medical Center’s department of anesthesiology. He lectures extensively on the subject of preventing opioid abuse and criminal diversion in chronic pain patients, and has authored numerous scientific abstracts, journal articles and the recently published book entitled Avoiding Opioid Abuse While Managing Pain: A Guide for Practitioners.  This book was written for clinicians who prescribe opioids as a guide to sort out the clinical, regulatory, and ethical issues associated with the prescribing of opioid analgesics.  It includes step-by-step protocols for assessing patients for the risk of opioid abuse as well as for legally protecting the opioid prescriber.

He is the co-founder of LifeSource, a non-profit foundation established in 2006 to educate physicians, patients and communities on health issues (with an emphasis on pain-related, scientific and social issues), as well as fund and conduct research that will discover new solutions and hope for improved life.  LifeSource’s first project is entitled “Zero Unintentional Deaths."  The campaign was developed to educate physicians, chronic pain sufferers and all communities about the increasingly serious issue of unintentional overdose deaths relating to methadone and other prescription medications, and it aims to eliminate unintentional overdoses from prescribed methadone. 

Dr. Webster was also instrumental in launching the Utah chapter of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and is currently its president. This organization seeks to achieve high medical standards, improve access to pain care and educate all interested parties about the many pain-related scientific and social issues.