Literature Review

Referral and utilization patterns for home-based palliative care services among older adults BMC Palliative Care; by Joohyun Chung, Aaron Langlois, TylaAnn Burger, David L Chin; 6/11/26 Background: Home-based palliative care (HPC) improves quality of life for individuals with serious illness but remains underutilized in the United States, with persistent disparities in access. HPC is also frequently misconceived as appropriate only at the end of life. ... Results: ... Patients who received HPC were more likely to be older, female, insured through Medicare Part B, and referred from larger hospitals. Conclusion: These findings underscore ongoing structural disparities in access to home-based palliative care and highlight the need for targeted strategies to improve equitable access to HPC services.

Palliative care: ‘This part of medicine gives me the most meaning’ UCLA Health; by Mary-Rose Abraham; 6/16/26 Second annual summit gathers interdisciplinary team of providers ... UCLA Health’s second annual palliative care summit highlighted the specialty’s role in improving quality of life for patients living with serious illness and their families, supporting healthcare teams and advancing patient-centered care. The summit also addressed the importance of a culture of wellness as a hedge to workplace burnout.

How Mayo Clinic adopted an innovative AI tool for palliative care utilization HealthLeaders; by Christopher Cheney; 6/10/26 The AI tool not only identifies hospitalized patients with serious illnesses who could benefit from palliative care services but also targets these patients faster than the health system could in the past. ... To address underutilization of palliative care services, Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health developed an AI tool to boost palliative care in the hospital setting.

Nurse and provider perceptions of palliative care Nursing Management; by Eydie Tipton, Tracy Viers, and Chelsea Wilson; 5/1/26 Conclusions: Findings suggest that knowledge gaps may not be the primary barrier to palliative care (PC) utilization. Instead, systemic and cultural factors likely contribute to under-referral. Leadership-driven strategies, including standardized referral processes, enhanced interprofessional education, and supportive clinical environments, may help translate knowledge into consistent practice.Editor's Note: Yes, real persons are behind each research article we post. Read this community's pride in the palliative care nurses of Quincy, IL behind this study. Eydie, Tracy and Chelsea saw a need, developed a research project, and saw it through to publication: National journal publishes palliative care research by area nurses.

Geographic distance between perinatal and pediatric palliative care services and implications for practice standards American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Radion Svynarenko, PhD, Meaghann S. Weaver, MD, PhD, MPH, HEC-C, Ambria Williams, BA,Ashley Kiefer Autrey, MD, DonnaMaria E. Cortezzo, MD, Abigail B. Wilpers, PhD, Abagail D. Cohen, MA, HEC-C,  Lisa C. Lindley, PhD, RN, FPCN, FAAN; 5/14/26 Background: Practice standards recommend early integration of perinatal and pediatric palliative care (PC) with seamless transitions across settings. Little is known about the proximity between these services nationally. Results: 418 pediatric PC physicians and 296 perinatal PC programs were included. Five states (CA, TX, NY, FL, OH) had the highest concentrations of pediatric PC physicians. ... Median drive times to the nearest pediatric PC physician for programs lacking on-site expertise reached approximately 5 hours in NM and SD; 3 hours in ND and MT; and 2 hours in AL, CO, WV, and TN.

Research spotlight: characterizing patient perceptions of palliative care in surgical settings Mass General Brigham | Patient Care; by Claire Morton, MD and Zara Cooper, MD, MSc; 5/19/26 ... Question: What did you find? Generally, patients were not familiar with palliative care. If they had heard of it, they often equated it with hospice or end-of-life care, leading to misconceptions about its scope and purpose. However, our observations revealed that patients frequently initiated discussions about concerns relevant to palliative care, such as social or psychological burdens they were experiencing during their visits with surgeons. This indicated an underlying interest in these domains, even if they were not explicitly aware of how palliative care could address them. ...Question: What are the real-world implications, particularly for patients? ...

Palliative care and age-friendly care - CAPC Position Statement CAPC | Center to Advance Palliative Care; Position Statement; 5/11/26 The U.S. health care system is evolving to better meet the needs of a rapidly growing aging population by advancing age-friendly care. CAPC’s position statement outlines how palliative care can accelerate IHI recognition and support success with CMS measures. It also offers practical recommendations for leaders and policymakers to integrate palliative care into age-friendly care.

Rural palliative care: Karl Bezak, Jeanie Youngwerth, Adie Goldberg, and Gregg VandekieftGeriPAL podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Karl Bezak, Jeanie Youngwerth, Adie Goldberg, Gregg Vandekieft; 4/9/26Rural populations in the United States face unique healthcare challenges. These communities tend to be older, have higher mortality rates, and experience higher rates of chronic conditions and physical disabilities compared to urban populations. Despite the increased need for palliative care in rural areas, access remains alarmingly limited. Even in hospital settings, where palliative care programs are more common in urban areas, only 35% of rural hospitals report having such programs, compared to 81% of urban hospitals.

Why health plans are partnering with palliative care providers McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 4/20/26 In recent months, several major health plans have disclosed deals with palliative care providers. The move mirrors a growing awareness of and appreciation for palliative care — which provides symptom relief, can be used alongside curative care and often takes place in the home — according to experts. In the latest agreement, which is slated to begin June 1, Humana inked a deal with Tuesday Health to deliver palliative care to Humana members with serious illness in Texas. ... The partnership reflects a shift in how palliative care is understood and delivered, Mihir Kamdar, head of clinical delivery for Tuesday Health, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse in an email.

Empassion, Karoo Health partner on cardiac-to-hospice transitions Hospice News; by James Warda; 4/28/26 Empassion Health and Karoo Health have unveiled a strategic partnership designed to provide a more seamless transition for patients from cardiac management to specialized serious illness care. This transition point, often referred to as “the gap,” is the period when traditional care cannot typically sustain the patient long-term, but they are not yet considered ready by insurance standards for hospice or palliative care, according to Empassion. Patients with advanced heart disease often drop into this gap. By bringing together Karoo’s cardiovascular care and Empassion’s palliative and hospice services, both organizations are working to eliminate that gap. 

Palliative care market: expanding healthcare focus on quality of life BriefingWire.com; Press Release; 4/23/26 Palliative Care Market is witnessing steady global growth due to the rising prevalence of chronic and life-limiting diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory illnesses, and neurodegenerative conditions. ... Technological advancements, such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, are further reshaping the palliative care landscape. These innovations allow healthcare providers to deliver continuous care to patients in remote or underserved areas, improving accessibility and reducing hospital dependency. Integration of digital health platforms is also enhancing coordination between multidisciplinary care teams, ensuring better patient outcomes.

Tuesday Health expands national footprint with Humana partnership to advance value-based palliative care PR Newswire, Houston, TX; by Tuesday Health; 4/14/26Tuesday Health today announced a new partnership with Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) to expand access to value-based palliative care for Texans living with serious illness, marking another step in the company's growing national footprint. Launching June 1, the program will support eligible Humana members and their caregivers ... Through the partnership, eligible Humana members will gain access to Tuesday Health's interdisciplinary care teams, including nurses, social workers, nurse practitioners and physicians.

“Transitions Supportive Care” program undergoes name change to “Big Bend Palliative Care” Big Bend Hospice; Press Release; 4/13/26 Big Bend Hospice announced today that its Transitions Supportive Care program will be renamed Big Bend Palliative Care, effective June 1, 2026. The name change reflects a strategic effort to align the program more closely with the Big Bend Hospice organization and the broader Big Bend Health system while providing greater clarity about the services offered. While the name is changing, the care remains the same, delivered by the same experienced team with a continued focus on comfort, support and quality of life.