Kristin Edwards, MD

Kristin Edwards, MD, has been the Medical Director of Palliative Care at Bridgeport Hospital since 2014. Under her leadership, the palliative care program grew from two people to a multi-site consult service with a full Interdisciplinary Team (3MD, 2NP, 1Chaplain, 2SW, 1RN). Her interest in alleviating suffering for patients and families naturally extended to an interest in alleviating suffering for clinicians, and in July 2020, she was named Bridgeport Hospital’s inaugural Chief Wellness Officer. In this role, she partners with senior leaders to improve communication, transparency, workplace efficiency, and access to individual wellbeing tools.

Dr. Edwards received her BA in Psychology from Williams College, MD from UCLA School of Medicine, and Palliative Care Fellowship at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, NY. She has pursued additional leadership training including a Health Care Educational Leadership Fellowship through Keck-USC School of Medicine, the Certified Physician Executive tract through American Association of Physician Leaders (formerly American College of Physician Executives), and her ACC coaching credential through International Coach Federation. In 2019, Dr. Edwards was designated as an Emerging Leader in Hospice and Palliative Medicine by the AAHPM, a national award given every 5 years to 40 leaders in the field of palliative care.