Social work involvement in advance care planning post US 2016 Medicare policy change: A systematic review
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Peiyuan Zhang, Yixuan Wang, Jihyeong Jeong, Kaipeng Wang, John G Cagle; 4/26
Since 2016, the US Medicare programme has reimbursed physicians and advanced practice providers for advance care planning (ACP) discussions; however, social workers-who play a critical role in ACP-remain excluded from reimbursement. Across studies, clinical social workers demonstrated strong knowledge of advance directives and reported high levels of confidence in facilitating ACP discussions. Most participants expressed positive attitudes towards ACP and viewed ACP facilitation as a core professional responsibility. Intervention studies suggested that social worker-led ACP initiatives may increase patient engagement in ACP, particularly completion of formal ACP documentation. These findings support ongoing policy discussions regarding the inclusion of social workers in ACP reimbursement frameworks.

Communication processes and priorities in Medical Aid in Dying conversations: A cross-sectional qualitative study of multidisciplinary cancer clinicians
Cancer Medicine; by Meghan McDarby, Alix Youngblood, Megan Miller, William E Rosa, Haley Buller, Betty R Ferrell; 4/26
Medical aid in dying (MAiD) is a practice that enables eligible individuals with a terminal, life-limiting illness to end their lives in a self-directed way. Multidisciplinary care teams play a vital role in facilitating discussions and patient decision making about MAiD in cancer care settings. Four themes were identified as communication priorities and processes critical for multidisciplinary teams when discussing MAiD with cancer patients: (1) addressing complexity of MAiD ... ; (2) thorough palliative care assessment; (3) strategies for clinicians and healthcare systems to optimize MAiD discussions; and (4) person-centered care that de-stigmatizes MAiD. Findings underscore the distinct complexity of MAiD discussions in oncology and highlight the need for tailored, person-centered approaches that go beyond standard end-of-life communication.

Improving advanced practice clinicians' knowledge and comfort of physician orders for life-sustaining treatment form: A homecare quality improvement initiative
Geriatric Nursing; by Jeanette M Ruiz, Yvonne Y Wu, Kristen R Choi, Emily J Martin, Eden R Brauer; 4/26
Many advanced practice clinicians (APCs) lack formal training on how to effectively discuss the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) with chronically ill older adults, often leading to communication gaps and delayed end-of-life decisions. This quality improvement initiative aimed to improve APCs knowledge and comfort in initiating and documenting POLST discussions with community-dwelling geriatric patients. A one-hour online training, incorporating didactic instruction, role-playing, and debriefing, was delivered for APCs providing home-based care. Surveys conducted before and after the training measured ... improvements ... in POLST completion documentation ... , POLST discussions documentation ... , POLST upload documentation ... , hospice knowledge ... , palliative care knowledge ... , preparedness to discuss POLST ... , comfort with end of life conflict discussions ... , addressing religious/cultural perspectives ... , and use of structured communication frameworks ...

Interventions for bereavement-What works, what does not, and what might
JAMA Psychiatry; by Charles F. Reynolds III, Holly G. Prigerson, M. Katherine Shear, Sidney Zisook; 4/26
The 2025 publication commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of a systematic review of “Interventions to Improve Care of Bereaved Persons” provides a timely opportunity to continue—and to deepen—a conversation of great importance about the universal experience of grief and its burdens, both personal and related to public health. The report was prepared at the Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center in Los Angeles; it aimed to review available evidence on screening, diagnosing, and treating children and adults with grief disorders related to bereavement. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration convened an independent subject matter advisory panel to assess the feasibility of developing standards for high-quality bereavement and grief care.

 
 

[New Zealand and Australia] Most palliative care doctors back research into psychedelic medicines for end of life care
News Wire; 4/12/26
A survey of palliative care doctors in New Zealand and Australia has found overwhelming support for more research into psychedelic medicines for patients facing terminal illness, adding weight to growing calls for a regulated pathway that would allow clinicians to explore what some researchers describe as transformative treatments. The study, which surveyed 93 palliative care physicians across both countries, found 88 per cent agreed that clinical use of psychedelic medicines for palliative patients warranted further investigation. [The source article referenced is Perceptions of Australasian palliative care physicians regarding the safety and efficacy of psychedelic medicines: An exploratory mixed-methods study; Psychedelics; by Nicholas Sawers, Michael Billingsley, David B. Menkes; 6/1/26.]

[Singapore] Factors associated with caregiver burden among family caregivers of patients on home-based palliative care: A systematic review
Palliative Medicine; by Wei-Ling Koh, Jerrald Lau, Chermaine Ang, Choon Meng Yee, Sara Ho, Ker-Kan Tan; 4/26
Home hospice services are increasingly central to palliative care as more patients express preference for care or death at home. In these settings, the role of family caregivers becomes crucial.  Heterogeneity across studies highlighted uniqueness of patient-caregiver dyads on caregiver burden - for instance, family caregivers with multiple social roles may face heightened pressure from meeting patients' care demands. Other factors include logistical, financial or care arrangement matters. Caregiver burden interventions should adopt multi-pronged approaches to ensure holistic support for patients and family caregivers, such as incorporating both medical and psychosocial support to enhance wellbeing of both parties.

I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, most of which never happened. ~ Mark Twain