Reframing Conflict: How to Master Difficult Conversations in Emergency Medicine From a Sex and Gender Lens (AWAEM Sponsored) #1
Authors
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Ynhi Thomas, MD, MPH, MSc
Baylor College of Medicine
Dr. Ynhi Thomas serves as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, the Assistant Medical Director for the Ben Taub Emergency Center, and the Assistant Director for Health Equity and Community Engagement for the Henry J.N. Taub Department of Emergency Medicine. Her multidisciplinary work is at the intersection of behavioral health, sex and gender medicine, and health equity. Her clinical training extended beyond the traditional scope, including fellowship training in Emergency Department (ED) leadership, operations, quality improvement, and health system development.
She has pioneered initiatives aimed at enhancing patient care and safety, specifically targeting our hospital’s behavioral health population. Among these are the development of a Behavioral Health Sorting Tool, influenced by trauma activation codes, that categorizes patient acuity based on presenting signs and symptoms. Recognizing the need for specialized care for patients with acute agitation, she also instituted a multidisciplinary Crisis Intervention Team, consisting of Emergency Medicine providers, psychiatry specialists, nursing staff, and security personnel. Further, she has formulated guidelines for a structured, team-based approach to the use of physical restraints, delineating clear roles and responsibilities to minimize risks to patients and staff. These endeavors have fortified her capabilities in team management and operational planning within the high-stakes, fast-paced environment of the ED.
As a physician-scientist, Dr. Thomas' contributions have been multifaceted, encompassing sex and gender medicine, healthcare inequities, interprofessional communication, team dynamics, and educational material development. Most recently, her focus has been directed towards behavioral health-centric studies, including investigations into sex and racial disparities in the use of physical restraints, as well as gender-specific variations in mental health screenings and post-injury trauma outcomes.
Dr. Thomas completed her Emergency Medicine residency and fellowship training in Leadership, Quality, and Administration at Baylor College of Medicine. She obtained MD at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and her MPH at the University of Alabama School of Public Health. She also has a Master of Science in Medical Anthropology from Oxford University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.