New psychiatrist joins Lutheran's medical staff

By Kathy Crabtree, MD, Lutheran Hospital Chief Medical Officer

I am thrilled to announce that Rebecca Thomas, MD, Psychiatry, has joined Lutheran as our psychiatric consult-liaison through West Pines Behavioral Health Hospital. She's available to our patients Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The psychiatric C-L service at Lutheran is dedicated to supporting the care of hospitalized patients who require psychiatric consultation by integrating specialized psychiatric expertise into their overall medical treatment.

Dr. Thomas will offer evaluations and recommendations for patients with co-occurring psychiatric and complex medical conditions across all inpatient units. She will provide care through bedside psychiatric consultations and by partnering with medical and surgical teams as an integral part of the patient’s care team.

Dr. Thomas is a board-certified adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist with extensive experience in clinical, academic and leadership roles. She is dedicated to delivering evidence-based, compassionate care across the lifespan—from children and adolescents to medically complex adults—recognizing the unique psychiatric challenges faced at each stage of life.

As the chief medical officer at West Pines, Dr. Thomas leads system-wide efforts to enhance the quality and integration of psychiatric care. She has served as a visiting associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and has worked across inpatient, outpatient and C-L settings to ensure developmentally appropriate and medically informed psychiatric care.

With a strong foundation in both medicine and nursing, Dr. Thomas takes a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to mental health care. She helped lead the expansion of psychiatric services across Colorado, including the development of the first specialized inpatient unit in Colorado Springs for children with complex trauma and mental health needs.

Recognized for her excellence in clinical care and teaching, she was named Psychiatry Teacher of the Year 2022–2023 at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and has been honored as a Top Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Thomas is passionate about supporting families and communities as they navigate the growing emotional and psychiatric needs of children and adults alike. Her mission is to ensure that psychiatric care remains integrated, person-centered and grounded in both science and compassion. 

In her free time, Dr. Thomas loves spending time with family, being outdoors and kickboxing. 

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Thomas to Lutheran!