Pantea Vahidi

Founder Compassion Clinic

Pantea Vahidi is the founder of Compassion Clinic, an organization dedicated to promoting the well-being of both patients and providers by advancing the practice of compassion. As both a nurse and an engineer, Vahidi blends the art and science of nursing and has developed the Vahidi Compassion Model™, a first-of-its-kind, reverse-engineered framework that translates compassion into teachable skills and behaviors. This evidence-informed model equips healthcare professionals with practical tools to express compassion more frequently, even in high-stress environments. To promote workforce well-being, Vahidi created Compassion Circle™, a facilitated peer support forum designed to foster shared understanding, connection, and renewal. The Circle provides a safe space for healthcare executives and clinicians to reflect on challenges, offer mutual support, and refill their emotional reserves so they can continue pouring care forward. As a keynote speaker, Vahidi has delivered workshops and talks at healthcare systems, national and international conferences, and served as a guest lecturer at universities across the nation. Vahidi is a passionate advocate for clinician well-being and compassionate systems of care. She serves on the advisory board of the Clinician Burnout Foundation, is a charter member of the A Loving Organization Consortium, and holds committee and faculty roles with the Planetree Global Patient-Centered Care Forum, the Healthcare Reinvention Collaborative, and Practicing Excellence. Her work has been featured by NAMI, Thrive Global, and various podcasts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her support for nurse well-being was recognized by the media and embraced by clinicians globally. Vahidi holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from UC San Diego, a BSN from National University, and is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at UC Irvine. She has received postgraduate certification in Trauma-Informed Care and has collaborated with the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at UCSD on scientific research, including a published scoping review titled “Measures of Empathy and Compassion.” She most recently partnered with Mayo Clinic and several other healthcare organizations on a study exploring what matters most in patient-provider relationships. Vahidi believes compassion is the ultimate remedy to heal humanity.

Day 2: From Insight to Impact: Operationalizing Patient Experience

4:35 PM Design Thinking Roundtable Workshops: Collaborative Problem-Solving with PX Leaders

Join fellow patient experience leaders for a hands-on, small-group session using design thinking to tackle real-world challenges in healthcare. Guided by experienced facilitators, each table will focus on a specific PX pain point—from care transitions to staff burnout—and work through a rapid-cycle innovation process to uncover creative, actionable solutions.

These intimate, interactive discussions are built for participation—not passive listening—so come ready to share, brainstorm, and leave with fresh ideas you can put into practice.

What to Expect:

Choose from several timely PX challenges curated by industry leaders
Collaborate with peers in a structured yet flexible design-thinking framework
Walk away with practical strategies and inspiration to take back to your team

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #1: The Disruption Mandala – Making Meaning from Chaos

Julie Kennedy Oehlert, Chief Experience and Brand Officer, ECU Health

How might we transform disruption into a catalyst for clarity, creativity, and meaningful change in patient experience?

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #2: From Reactive to Proactive: Rethinking Workplace Violence Prevention in Healthcare"

Stephanie Bayer, Senior Director, Patient Experience, Cleveland Clinic

How might we design safer environments and stronger support systems to protect staff from physical and verbal abuse while maintaining compassionate care?

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #3: Winning Over the Why: Engaging a Disconnected C-Suite in the Value of Patient Experience

Lisa Drumbore, Vice President, Chief Experience Officer, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System

How might we reframe patient experience as a strategic priority for executives who see it as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a business imperative?

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #4: Designing a Patient Advisory Board That Actually Drives Change

Cassandra Cisneros, Director, Patient Experience, Penn Medicine

How might we create a patient advisory board that goes beyond box-checking and becomes a meaningful engine for insight, inclusion, and impact?

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #5: Bridging the Discharge Gap: Redesigning the Patient Transition from Hospital to Home

Lynn Charbonneau, Former Director, Patient Experience and Guest Services, Tampa General

How might we improve communication, clarity, and follow-through during discharge to reduce confusion, readmissions, and dissatisfaction?

ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOP #6: Designing Compassion into Every Patient and Staff Experience

Pantea Vahidi, RN, Founder, Compassion Clinic

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Pantea.

Download The Latest Agenda