Debbie Edwards

Debbie Edwards is a Research Fellow at the Medical School of The University of Western Australia, specializing in Emergency Medicine. Her research focuses on improving care for older adult patients, particularly those with frailty conditions who present to emergency departments.

Her primary research interests include:

• Frailty assessment and management in emergency settings
• Patterns of healthcare utilization among vulnerable populations
• Emergency department care transitions for older adults
• Patient activation and self-care capabilities
• Length of stay optimization
• Health outcomes measurement

Dr. Edwards' recent work examines how patient activation levels correlate with healthcare utilization following emergency department discharge for older adults with mild frailty. Her research employs cohort analysis methods to understand these complex relationships and identify opportunities for intervention.

Her findings have significant implications for improving care coordination and reducing unnecessary healthcare utilization among older adults with frailty, addressing an increasingly important challenge as populations age worldwide.