Literature Review

Palliative care in rural, remote, and northern communities: a scoping review BMC Palliative Care | Springer Nature; by Natasha Magyar, Katherine Kortes-Miller & Lynn Martin; 3/19/26 ... This scoping review provides an analysis of the current literature addressing palliative care in rural, remote and Northern regions globally and identifies themes in existing literature to determine areas of need for future research. ... Identified barriers include travel and cost of accessing care, policy issues, lack of communication, lack of knowledge/education. On the other hand, the identified facilitators include collaboration, advanced care planning, specialized education and training of care partners, utilization of telemedicine, and the use of volunteers.

Palliative care and its importance on Block Island The Block Island Times, Block Island, RI; by Laurie Anderson, APRN-C, CDOE; 3/6/26 ... On Block Island, [Rhode Island,] palliative care is a cornerstone of a plan to allow residents to age in place. ... On Block Island, the importance of palliative care is magnified by geography. With no inpatient hospital and limited access to specialty services, island residents often rely on local care combined with strong coordination to meet complex health needs. ... One of the most meaningful local commitments to palliative and end-of-life care on Block Island is the Livesey Endowment for Palliative and End of Life Care, established through Block Island Health Services. ... In our small, close-knit island community, palliative care also serves a broader social purpose. It helps preserve independence, reduces unnecessary hospital transfers, and honors patients’ wishes to remain connected to their homes, families, and community. 

C-TAC report: From metrics to momentum - accelerating the spread of community-based palliative care The John A. Hartford Foundation, Washginton, DC; 3/4/26 The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) and and The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) have released a report, "From Metrics to Momentum: Accelerating the Spread of Community-Based Palliative Care." The report summarizes discussion from a September 2025 C-TAC national convening of clinical, policy, payer, and delivery system leaders that was focused on accelerating the spread of community-based palliative care and identifying meaningful approaches to measuring access. 

Investigating the role of occupational therapy in palliative care a literature review Home Healthcare Now; by Carlie Liseo, OTD, OTR/L and Daniel Martin, D.Sc., MS, OTR/L; March/April 2026 ... Three themes regarding the provision of occupational therapy (OT) services to palliative care (PC) patients were identified: engaging in meaningful activities to increase quality of life (QOL), symptom management and comfort, and supporting caregivers and client environments. OT can play a pivotal role in catering to PC clients’ needs by promoting occupational engagement, alleviating symptoms, and modifying environments. This review offers recommendations for OT service provision in palliative care, clarifying the profession’s role within multidisciplinary home healthcare teams.

Mercy Hospital’s outpatient palliative care switches to for-profit model The Durango Herald; by Elizabeth Pond; 3/1/26 Outpatient palliative care through Mercy Hospital is now operating on a for-profit basis under new CommonSpirit Health at Home ownership. Meanwhile, the palliative care program – which offers symptom management for those with serious and terminal illnesses – is facing staff turnover. 

Hollywood Health System, Inc. announces major expansion of palliative care services amid record demand The America Watch, Toluca, CA; Press Release; 2/20/26 Hollywood Health System, Inc. (HHS), a leading provider of comprehensive post-acute clinical care, today announced a significant increase in patient enrollment within its Palliative Care Services division. To meet this rising demand due to shifting demographics, the company is methodically expanding its clinical staffing and specialized resources, reinforcing its commitment to high-quality supportive care. ... To support the growing patient census, Hollywood Health System, Inc. has increased its clinical headcount by 25% over the last two quarters. 

New Jersey's new Community-Based Palliative Care Medicaid (CBPC)  State of New Jersey - Department of Human Services - Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services; email and website notifications; 2/9/26 Community-Based Palliative Care is a benefit available to NJ Family Care members, starting April 1, 2026. The benefit was signed into the law by Governor Murphy on December 21, 2023, underscoring the state's commitment to supporting residents facing serious illness. Community-Based Palliative Care (CBPC) is designed to support people living with serious health conditions by helping manage symptoms, coordinating care, and making the healthcare system easier to navigate. You can receive CBPC while continuing your current treatments. CBPC is not hospice; a terminal diagnosis is not required. It is designed to give you extra support alongside the care you already receive.

Spreading the principles of palliative care to all corners Health Affairs; by Jessica Nutik Zitter; 2/2/26 My daughter Sasha is a first-year medical student. ... Most recently, she has been envisioning herself as a palliative care physician. She tells me it may be the only specialty that will allow her to practice her values. As a long-time palliative care physician who has acted as an evangelist for the specialty, I surprised myself with a reflexive response. “I’m not sure that’s the best choice for you,” I said. ... Something needs to change—for our patients and for ourselves. ... I propose several strategies ...

National policy framework for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes; email and webpage; 2/3/26The NCPPCH recently formally released its National Policy Framework for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes, and has begun early engagement with key national partners. This framework is intended to help policymakers at the state and federal level better understand the structural, licensing, and reimbursement pathways needed to support Pediatric Palliative Care Centers nationwide. Review the Policy Framework and Executive Summary here: https://www.ncppch.org/national-policy-framework.

The future of palliative care? Community-based models with Alan Chiu, Mindy Stewart-Coffee, and Ben ThompsonGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Alan Chiu, Mindy Stewart-Coffee, Ben Thompson; 1/22/26In this thought-provoking episode of the GeriPal podcast, we are joined by Alan Chiu (Chief of Palliative Care at Monogram Health), Mindy Stewart-Coffee (National Vice President of Palliative Care at Optum Home and Community), and Ben Thompson (National Medical Director for Hospice and Palliative Care at Gentiva) to discuss this revolution happening in palliative care. The conversation centers around the rapid growth and investment in community-based palliative care, which has emerged as a key area of innovation and opportunity to meet the largely unmet needs of patients living with serious illnesses. With a focus on expanding access, improving outcomes, and addressing workforce shortages, the guests explore how value-based care models are reshaping palliative care delivery.

Defining palliative care quality in a tight reimbursement environment Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/27/26 Palliative care delivery is undergoing an evolutionary period of change. These services are offered in several different ways across the country, which brings both benefits and challenges when it comes to defining quality in the space. Today’s palliative care providers are shaping the outlook of the field, but through diversified approaches, according to Brynn Bowman, CEO of Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). The field is reaching a pivotal stage when it comes to supply and demand or resources, an issue that greater standardization could help to address, she indicated. 

The role of specialty palliative care in cancer surgery: Rebecca Aslakson & Myrick ShinallGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Rebecca Aslakson, Myrick Shinall; 1/29/26Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that routine perioperative palliative care does not improve outcomes for patients undergoing curative-intent cancer surgery. No, that wasn’t a typo. Regardless of how the data were analyzed, the findings remained consistent: perioperative palliative care DID NOT improve outcomes in the only two randomized controlled trials conducted in this area—the SCOPE and PERIOP-PC trials... One key takeaway for me from this discussion was the idea that patients undergoing curative-intent surgery might simply be too early in their cancer trajectory to derive meaningful benefits from palliative care, and maybe the focus should be more on geriatrics. I especially appreciated the closing discussion about the future of research in this area: if routine perioperative palliative care doesn’t improve outcomes, what should the next generation of studies focus on?

Participants praise palliative care program for the homeless Medscape; by Kate Johnson; 1/26/26 Patient perspectives about a palliative care outreach intervention for adults experiencing homelessness are overwhelmingly positive, according to a qualitative, descriptive study of the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program in Toronto. “While previous research suggests persons experiencing homelessness emphasize symptom management needs at the end of life, our findings also underscored unmet primary care, medical supply, and psychiatric needs,” wrote lead author Alexander R. Levesque, MD, of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and coauthors.