Collaborative Care: Engaging Patients and Families in Quality and Safety Initiatives at Stanford Health Care

July 8th, 2025

In this presentation, we will explore the strategies employed by Stanford Health Care to actively engage patients and their families in initiatives aimed at enhancing quality and safety within our healthcare system. We will discuss the importance of patient and family involvement in decision-making processes, share successful examples, and highlight collaborative programs that foster open communication and feedback.

Katie Smith CAVS, PMP

Katie Smith is the Manager of the Volunteer Resources Department and the Patient & Family Partner Program at Stanford Health Care, where she leads initiatives to enhance patient and family engagement through a dynamic volunteer program. With extensive experience in volunteer management, Katie is dedicated to improving the patient and family experience by fostering collaboration and meaningful connections between volunteers and the healthcare community.

Before joining Stanford Health Care, Katie held various roles in nonprofit organizations, where she developed expertise in volunteer recruitment, training, and retention. Her passion for service was cultivated through her involvement in several AmeriCorps programs, which deepened her commitment to community engagement and quality care. Katie holds degrees in Anthropology and Behavioral Science from San Jose State University. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, listening to audiobooks, and exploring new bakeries with her family.

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas has been a volunteer at Stanford Healthcare since 2020. He currently sits on Stanford’s Patient Safety Committee, ADA workgroup, chairs the Disability Patient Family Advisory Council and serves on the Emergency Department PFAC. Dylan has been a patient at Stanford since 2005, starting off at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital and has since transitioned to the adult side. Dylan is passionate about all things healthcare because he has multiple chronic illnesses that result in regular visits to the hospital and also has extensive allergies that put him at risk in any environment that does not have a solid safety culture. What motivated Dylan to get involved with volunteering and specifically participating on Patient Family Advisory Councils is that he wanted to be able to amplify positive patient and family experiences while helping to change the negative.

In addition to Dylan’s volunteerism at Stanford, he is a volunteer for Ronald McDonald Charities Bay Area and, when he is able, he enjoys taking pictures of any kind but favors landscape and wildlife photography the most.