Ambrose Wong, MD, MSEd, MHS
Associate Professor of Emergency MedicineCards
About
Research
Overview
Dr. Wong applies healthcare simulation technology to address workplace violence and improve behavioral care in the emergency setting. He has authored eighteen peer-reviewed publications on behavioral emergency care and received an NIH NCATS KL2 & YCCI Scholar Award to implement an agitation code team response intervention. He is the current recipient of an NIMH K23 career development award to investigate the use of health IT in preventing episodes of agitation for behavioral patients in the emergency department. In 2023-2024, he received PCORI funding for a broad pragmatic study to implement peer support enhanced behavioral crisis response teams in the emergency department as well as an NIMH R01 award that uses system dynamics modeling techniques to develop interventions for agitation management and improvements in safety.
Medical Research Interests
Aggression; Behavioral Medicine; Behavioral Research; Competency-Based Education; Education, Medical; Interprofessional Relations; Patient Safety; Patient Simulation; Workplace Violence
Publications
Featured Publications
Qualitative study of patient experiences and care observations during agitation events in the emergency department: implications for systems-based practice
Wong AH, Ray JM, Eixenberger C, Crispino LJ, Parker JB, Rosenberg A, Robinson L, McVaney C, Iennaco JD, Bernstein SL, Yonkers KA, Pavlo AJ. Qualitative study of patient experiences and care observations during agitation events in the emergency department: implications for systems-based practice. BMJ Open 2022, 12: e059876. PMID: 35545394, PMCID: PMC9096567, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059876.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmergency departmentAgitation eventsQualitative studyEmergency careQualitative studies of patients' experiencesPhysical restraintStudies of patients' experiencesAvoidance of physical restraintSystem of healthcare deliveryPhysical restraint useEmergency care networkCommunity-based teaching hospitalSystems-based practiceTertiary care academic centreInterviews of patientsVerbal de-escalationGrounded theory approachPatient-oriented strategiesExposure to psychological traumaExcessive psychomotor activityCare approachSocioeconomic inequalitiesPatient experienceRestraint useCare networkA qualitative system dynamics model for effects of workplace violence and clinician burnout on agitation management in the emergency department
Wong AH, Sabounchi NS, Roncallo HR, Ray JM, Heckmann R. A qualitative system dynamics model for effects of workplace violence and clinician burnout on agitation management in the emergency department. BMC Health Services Research 2022, 22: 75. PMID: 35033071, PMCID: PMC8760708, DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07472-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExperience of workplace violenceClinician burnoutWorkplace violenceIncreased perceptions of safetyPhysical restraintPerceptions of safetyClinician stressWorkplace assaultsAgitated patientsEmergency departmentEffects of workplace violenceUse of restraintsQualitative system dynamics methodsModel building sessionsSymptoms of burnoutIncreased perceptionInterprofessional panelClinician stakeholdersResultsThe final modelRisk of assaultImpact future decisionsPatient safetyEpisodes of agitationAgitation managementClinician experienceDesign and Implementation of an Agitation Code Response Team in the Emergency Department
Wong AH, Ray JM, Cramer LD, Brashear TK, Eixenberger C, McVaney C, Haggan J, Sevilla M, Costa DS, Parwani V, Ulrich A, Dziura JD, Bernstein SL, Venkatesh AK. Design and Implementation of an Agitation Code Response Team in the Emergency Department. Annals Of Emergency Medicine 2021, 79: 453-464. PMID: 34863528, PMCID: PMC9038629, DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.10.013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsResponse team interventionPhysical restraint useInterrupted time series analysisRestraint useEmergency departmentTeam interventionRates of physical restraint useTeam-based interventionAdministrative supportQuality improvement studyResponse teamBehavioral health systemManagement of agitated patientsInterprofessional collaborationRestraint ordersExcessive psychomotor activityRestraint ratesHealth systemED visitsImprovement studyPhysical restraintCompare trendsPrimary outcomeTime series analysisAgitated patientsAddressing Workplace Safety in the Emergency Department: A Multi-Institutional Qualitative Investigation of Health Worker Assault Experiences.
Vrablik MC, Lawrence M, Ray JM, Moore M, Wong AH. Addressing Workplace Safety in the Emergency Department: A Multi-Institutional Qualitative Investigation of Health Worker Assault Experiences. Journal Of Occupational And Environmental Medicine 2020, 62: 1019-1028. PMID: 32991380, DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWorkplace violenceEmergency departmentGeographically distinct institutionsHealth workersPatient assaultsThematic analysisHealthcare systemPotential interventionsEmergency preparednessPhases of preparednessIdentified conceptsHealthQualitative investigationInterventionInterconnected influencesSustained impactWorkplace safetyWorkplacePreparednessAssault experiencesComprehensive approachIndividual workersDepartmentRecovery phaseWorkersHealing the Healer: Protecting Emergency Health Care Workers’ Mental Health During COVID-19
Wong AH, Pacella-LaBarbara ML, Ray JM, Ranney ML, Chang BP. Healing the Healer: Protecting Emergency Health Care Workers’ Mental Health During COVID-19. Annals Of Emergency Medicine 2020, 76: 379-384. PMID: 32534830, PMCID: PMC7196406, DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.04.041.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2025
Association between patient primary language, physical restraints, and intramuscular sedation in the emergency department
Kumar A, Ryus C, Tartak J, Nath B, Faustino I, Shah D, Robinson L, Desai R, Heckmann R, Taylor R, Wong A. Association between patient primary language, physical restraints, and intramuscular sedation in the emergency department. Academic Emergency Medicine 2025 PMID: 39948714, DOI: 10.1111/acem.70004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPatient's primary languagePortuguese-speaking patientsPhysical restraintEmergency departmentPrimary languageED visitsQuality of clinical interactionsRegional health care networkHealth care networkVerbal de-escalationElectronic medical recordsLogistic regression modelsAdult patients ageLanguage speakersEnglish speakersCare networkSpanish speakersPortuguese speakersCultural interpretationRetrospective cohort analysisAgitation symptomsOdds ratioClinical interactionsEvaluate associationsPrimary outcomeCharacterizing Emergency Department Care for Patients With Histories of Incarceration
Huang T, Socrates V, Ovchinnikova P, Faustino I, Kumar A, Safranek C, Chi L, Wang E, Puglisi L, Wong A, Wang K, Taylor R. Characterizing Emergency Department Care for Patients With Histories of Incarceration. Journal Of The American College Of Emergency Physicians Open 2025, 6: 100022. PMID: 40012663, PMCID: PMC11852703, DOI: 10.1016/j.acepjo.2024.100022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCare processesHistory of incarcerationRestraint useEmergency departmentHealth care team membersMeasuring care processesCompare socio-demographic characteristicsCare team membersHealth care disparitiesEmergency department careHealth care systemSocio-demographic characteristicsUnique patient encountersMultivariate logistic regressionCare disparitiesHealth behaviorsED settingCare systemPatient encountersSubstance use historyMedical adviceLogistic regressionDemographic characteristicsTeam membersCare
2024
5.1 Identifying Drivers of Physical Restraint Use in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Rolison M, Adu M, Faustino I, Kumar A, Powers E, Wong A, Hoffman P, Tiyyagura G. 5.1 Identifying Drivers of Physical Restraint Use in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2024, 63: s7-s8. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2024.07.065.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEducational and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency medicine resident physicians: a qualitative study
Fults E, Gerwin J, Boyce M, Joseph M, Wong A, Evans L. Educational and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency medicine resident physicians: a qualitative study. BMC Medical Education 2024, 24: 1055. PMID: 39334215, PMCID: PMC11429862, DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05972-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmergency medicine resident physiciansResident physiciansQualitative studyEmergency departmentResident physicians' experiencesEmergency medicine facultyCOVID-19 pandemicResident physician trainingResidency program leadershipSocial support systemsBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemicData saturationPhysician trainingCode teamFrontline physiciansPractice styleUrban academic institutionProgram leadershipPhysician experienceMedicine facultyResident experiencePersonal impactPhysiciansMoral injuryResident preparationComparing Male and Female Resident Physicians in Central Venous Catheter Insertion Self-confidence and Competency: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Solberg M, Wong A, Ikejiani S, Bonz J, Evans L. Comparing Male and Female Resident Physicians in Central Venous Catheter Insertion Self-confidence and Competency: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2024, 40: 63-69. PMID: 39117882, PMCID: PMC11780025, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08982-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTraining programPost-trainingCentral venous catheterFemale resident physiciansSelf-confidenceSelf-reported confidenceMale traineesDifferences pre-Simulation training programVenous cathetersCannulation attemptsDesigning training programsPhysician residentsInserting central venous cathetersSkill-based outcomesLinear regressionDesignUsing dataMale physiciansResident physiciansCentral venous catheter insertionRetrospective cohort studyClinical competenceSpecialty designationBaseline demographic characteristicsPhysician education
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Ambrose Wong, MD, MSEd (master of science in education), MHS, is an emergency medicine specialist who cares for people with acute illnesses, injuries, and other urgent conditions. He utilizes a range of strategies to ensure comprehensive care for patients experiencing agitation and other behavioral health issues in the emergency department.
As an associate professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Wong conducts research aimed at improving patient wellness in emergency care and designing interventions that help patients and caregivers navigate stressful situations.
He applies health care simulation techniques and other technologies to address workplace violence, support patients experiencing mental health crises, and enhance teamwork among care providers in the emergency department. He has been honored by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine for his achievements in research and education.
Dr. Wong received his medical training from Washington University School of Medicine and completed a residency in emergency medicine followed by a fellowship in medical simulation at New York University School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Emergency Medicine
Board Certifications
Emergency Medicine
- Certification Organization
- AB of Emergency Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2015
News
News
- March 11, 2025
Yale Emergency Medicine Extends Its Legacy as a National Leader
- March 08, 2024
Yale Emergency Medicine Ranks First for Third Year in NIH Funding According to National Report
- March 01, 2024Source: SAEM Pulse March-April 2024
An Interview with R01 Grant Recipients Drs. Ambrose Wong and Rebekah Heckmann
- October 16, 2023
Wong and Team at Yale Emergency Medicine Receive $6.9 Million PCORI Award
Get In Touch
Contacts
Administrative Support
Locations
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.