Literature Review

Spiritual distress screening by nurses to increase comprehensive spiritual support of patientsJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Nair, Archana; Patterson, Dorothy; Hauver, Bethany; Labadie, Chelsey; 4/26This project aimed to address a gap in nurses’ awareness of spiritual care and comprehensive spiritual support of patients in a breast oncology clinic at a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center through interdisciplinary collaboration with chaplaincy. Following education, nurses screened patients during their initial visit to the breast surgical oncology clinic who were experiencing moderate to severe distress for related existential themes of distress using an assessment tool and referred them to chaplaincy or social work based on the screening results. Nurse-initiated chaplain referrals increased significantly during the study period, with the most common distress themes being stress, hopes/fears, and assistance/help. Patient acceptance of referrals averaged 18.7% for chaplaincy and 33.1% for social work. By enhancing nurses’ understanding of spiritual care and the role of chaplaincy, the clinic was able to improve the provision of comprehensive spiritual support, contributing to holistic patient care. 

‘Startling’: Palliative care services often not provided for severe brain metastases Healio; by Josh Friedman; 3/3/26 Half of patients with the most severe brain metastases may not be receiving palliative care consultations. Those who do have a significantly higher likelihood of filling out advance directive documentation and getting hospice care, and they have similar OS as those who did not receive consultations. ... “We have to rephrase the word fighting,” [Rohit Singh, MD, medical oncologist and assistant profess at University of Vermont] said. “I tell my patients, you’re not giving up fighting [getting palliative care]. You’re fighting for what’s better for you. You’re fighting for your quality of life. That’s you making it better. You’re not giving up anything. You are making sure whatever time we have aligns with your goals.”Editor's Note: Powerful communication from Dr. Singh. Reframing “fighting” can serve as a catalyst for alignment—across patients, families, and care teams. Palliative care isn’t surrender; it’s a deliberate choice to prioritize what matters most.

Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about wound care Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Nicole Dussault, Jared Morphew, Veronica Nwagwu, Brittany Gatta, Angela Richardson, Nancy Payne, E Foy White-Chu, Lidiette Wilson, Heather Dalton, Christopher E Winstead-Derlega, Katherine Ramos, Christopher A Jones; 3/30/26 ... In this article, we outline key tips for assessing and managing wounds, including understanding prognosis and goals of care, evaluating care settings, tailoring management to the underlying disease process, and addressing symptoms such as pain, odor, and psychosocial distress. A thoughtful, interdisciplinary approach is essential to reduce the physical and emotional burden wounds place on patients and caregivers.Editor's Note: As CMS implements the HOPE (Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation) Tool as of October 1, 2025, skin and wound assessment becomes a visible quality marker in hospice—requiring structured documentation, ongoing reassessment, and clear alignment with patient goals. 

Feasibility and acceptability of a self-written, tele-delivered, LGBTQ+-affirming adaptation of dignity therapy for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancerAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Lexie Wille, Kristie A. Wood, Mike C. Parent; 2/26Dignity therapy (DT) is effective in addressing dignity-related existential distress in people with advanced cancer, but the traditional protocol assumes supportive family structures, uses heteronormative language, and requires synchronous clinician facilitation. These features may limit accessibility for LGBTQ+ individuals. This pilot demonstrated that a self-written, tele-delivered LGBTQ+-affirming DT adaptation was feasible and acceptable for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancer.

Medicare plan switching and hospice care among decedents with advanced cancer JAMA Network Open; by Xin Hu, Changchuan Jiang, Youngmin Kwon, Fangli Geng, Qinjin Fan, Kewei Sylvia Shi, Zhiyuan Zheng, Jingxuan Zhao, Joan L Warren, K Robin Yabroff, Xuesong Han; 3/2/16Importance: Hospice ... is an excluded benefit under Medicare Advantage (MA), with coverage instead provided by traditional Medicare (TM). With growing MA penetration, more beneficiaries also switch between MA and TM for financial protection and physician access considerations, although less is known about how different Medicare programs and plan switching behaviors affect EOL care for patients with advanced cancers.Conclusions and relevance: In this cohort study of Medicare decedents with advanced cancers, continuous MA enrollees were most likely to receive hospice at home, while those who switched from MA to TM more frequently received hospice care in nursing homes. Plan switching near the EOL may reflect access barriers, highlighting the importance of addressing care coordination to improve EOL care.

Haven Hospice simulations help caregivers understand dementia Levy Citizen, Chiefland, FL; by Antoniette Meyer; 3/19/26 A program offered by Haven Hospice is helping caregivers, medical professionals and community members better understand what daily life can be like for someone living with dementia. ... Through Haven’s Dementia Care Program, participants can take part in hands-on simulations designed to replicate some of the sensory and cognitive challenges people with dementia experience. During the exercises, attendees may wear specialized goggles or gloves, listen to music or attempt tasks that simulate symptoms such as vision loss, hearing impairment, reduced motor function and changes in perception. The activities are designed to demonstrate how dementia can affect memory, communication, emotions and everyday functioning.

MedPAC debates hospice payment updates via outlier, add-on payments Inside Health Policy; by Sigi Ris; 3/17/26 When it comes to addressing hospice provider’s high-cost treatments for patients with end-stage renal disease or cancer, Congress’ Medicare advisors seemed to support updating the hospice payment system with outlier payments rather than an add-on payment and commissioners debated the merits of creating a transitional care model for those patients that would reduce barriers to these support services. [Full access requires subscription, with option for 30 days free access.]

Alzheimer’s definitions, biomarkers, and antibodies: Halima Amjad, Barak Gaster, and Heather WhitsonGeriPAL podcast; by Alex Smith, Eric Widera, Halima Amjad, Barak Gaster, Heather Whitson; 3/12/26It’s an era of breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research, yet for many clinicians, it’s also a time of profound uncertainty. We are currently navigating competing definitions of the disease, multiple new biomarkers coming on market seemingly every week, and the clinical rollout of new amyloid antibodies. How do we translate this rapid-fire science into daily practice? On this week’s GeriPal podcast... we dive deep into:

Corticosteroid use and risk of adverse events in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancerThe Prostate; by Umang Swami, Qiujun Shao, Tamuno Alfred, Maelys Touya, Frank Cao, Pinal Kamdar, Jasmina Ivanova, Johanna Celli, David Nimke; 2/26Among the approved therapies for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), abiraterone and docetaxel are administered concomitantly with corticosteroids. This study evaluated the association between corticosteroid use and risk of adverse events among patients with mHSPC. Our findings suggest that patients exposed to corticosteroids are at increased risk of adverse events, hospitalization, and death. As not all mHSPC treatments require concomitant use of corticosteroids, these findings may help to inform treatment decision-making.

Palliative care physician explains living and dying with ALS Forbes; by Adaira Landry, MD, MEd; 2/26/26 Actor Eric Dane’s recent death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has drawn national attention. ... Beyond the headlines lies a deeper and more urgent discussion: what life—and death—look like for patients living with ALS. To better understand both the clinical and scientific landscape, I spoke with Dr. Maria “Marissa” Mapa, an internal medicine and palliative care physician who treats patients with ALS, and Dr. Melanie Leitner, chief scientific officer of the ALS Investment Fund, about current and future research directions.

Trends and disparities in left ventricular failure mortality in The United States: A 1999-2020 analysisJournal of Cardiac Failure; by Abdalhakim Shubietah, Hasan Munshi, Emmanuel Olumuyide, Muath Baniowda, Abdallah Hussein, Mohammad Alqadi, Qutaiba Qafisheh, Majd Oweidat, Omar Hamadi, Mohammad O Abdelhafez; 1/26 Left ventricular failure (LVF) is a significant cause of cardiovascular mortality in the United States. Despite advances in heart failure management, mortality rates have shown a notable increase over time, particularly in recent years. This study examines trends and disparities in LVF-related mortality using data from the CDC WONDER database from 1999 to 2020. LVF-related mortality has increased significantly over the past two decades, particularly after 2010, highlighting a growing public health concern. Disparities persist across sex, race, age groups, urbanization, and geographic regions. The high burden of deaths outside medical facilities suggests a need for enhanced outpatient and palliative care strategies.