Literature Review

What my sister Ellen taught me about dignity and the importance of being seen: A powerful reflection on person-centered care, bias, and the true meaning of human dignity in medicine Good Men Project; by Harvey Max Chochinov; 2/23/26 Several years before her death at the age of 55 years due to complications of cerebral palsy, my sister Ellen was again in hospital, this time in intensive care and on the brink of respiratory collapse.  ... I’ve spent my entire career as a psychiatrist working in palliative care. This has included leading a large program of research, examining most aspects of end-of-life experience for patients nearing death. Recently I have recast the Golden Rule for healthcare professionals, reminding them they must aspire to a higher standard. I have coined this The Platinum Rule: do unto others as they would want done unto themselves. This means that healthcare professionals can’t presume to know what is in the patient’s best interest based on what they themselves would want in those circumstances; in other words, they need to take the time to consider the patient’s goals, hopes and wishes.

Hospice use rising for seniors following ICU stays U.S. News & World Report; by Deanna Neff, HealthDay News; 2/25/26For many older Americans, the intensive care unit (ICU) is a place of aggressive, life-saving intervention. However, a new national study reveals that more seniors are choosing a different path — transitioning from the high-tech world of the ICU to the comfort-focused environment of hospice. ... Between 2011 and 2023, the number of Medicare beneficiaries discharged to hospice after an ICU stay increased significantly, researchers from Boston University’s School of Medicine found. This shift occurred even as overall death rates remained steady, suggesting that the change in setting wasn’t tied to more people dying, but rather about how and where people spent their final days.Editor's Note: We posted a similar article on 2/23/26. We post this article for your awareness and use, due to its high profile in U.S. News & World Report.

Palliative care and quality outcomes in patients with brain metastases and poor prognosis: A multi-institutional analysis JCO Oncology Practice - An American Society of Clinical Oncology Journal; by Rohit Singh, MD, Camilo E. Fadul, MD, Emily Kopp, MS, Guneet Sarai, MD, Roger Anderson, PhD, Ryan F. Amidon, MD, Samantha Schuetz, MD, Amy Chang, MD, Ausia N. Iqbal, MD, Joseph A. Bovi, MD, and Alissa A. Thomas, MD; 2/23/26 Purpose: To analyze the patterns of palliative care (PC) consultation for patients with brain metastases (BMETs) and its association with treatment, overall survival (OS), and quality metrics (eg, advance directives [ADs], hospice enrollment). Conclusion: The involvement of PC services correlated with higher completion rates of ADs and increased hospice utilization, without compromising survival or significantly altering other treatment options. There is an unmet need for PC among patients with BMETs with poor prognosis.

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. 

Doing everything FOR the patient, not TO the patient HIStalk - Healthcare IT News & Opinion; by Nassib Charmoun; 2/23/26 “Do as much as possible for the patient and as little as possible to the patient.” That single sentence, written by Bernard Lown, MD in “The Lost Art of Healing,” should serve as a universal guide to thinking about medicine, caregiving, and what it truly means to heal. Dr. Lown was my mentor beginning in my early 20s and remained a close friend until his death in 2021 at age 99, He was decades ahead of his time. He believed that medicine should integrate scientific rigor with moral imagination, and that clinical excellence without compassion is incomplete care. ... Increasingly, the evidence suggests that quality of life, not simply quantity of life, must be the defining outcome.

Hospice use after ICU admission increased across the US from 2011–2023 Medical Xpress; by Boston University School of Medicine, edited by Gaby Clark; 2/19/26 ... In a new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, researchers have found that more older adults in the U.S. are being discharged to hospice after an ICU stay than in the past, and this increase happened even as overall short-term death rates stayed stable. This research is the first to quantify hospice use after ICU stays on a national scale, and suggests a real shift in how end-of-life care is delivered to the seriously ill. These findings appear online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

[UK] Parental experiences of perinatal loss, with a focus on hospice provision: A thematic analysisPalliative & Supportive Care; Rhiannon Latham, Katrina Williams, Keeley Guest, Fauzia Paize, Robyn Lotto; 1/26Perinatal palliative care (PPC) offers holistic support to families of babies with life-limiting conditions, addressing emotional, psychological, and practical needs alongside ensuring dignity for the baby. Five key themes were identified [in this study]: the significance of language used by healthcare professionals when discussing the baby's condition; the importance of timely introduction to hospice care; recognition that grief is a personal and evolving process; the role of shared experiences in building relationships; and the importance of creating lasting memories. Findings highlight the importance of improving healthcare professionals' communication skills and integrating multidisciplinary palliative care services early in the care pathway. Parents expressed gratitude for the hospice support, particularly the opportunity to spend quality time with their baby and make lasting memories.

Cindy Mensik on hospice care: When to shift focus? Investors Hangout; by Lucas Young; 2/17/26 Families in Texas City, TX, are facing a critical decision as loved ones enter the later stages of life. A recent article featuring insights from hospice care expert Cindy Mensik outlines when it’s time to pivot from aggressive treatment methods to hospice care. The reality is stark: this shift isn’t about surrendering; it’s about prioritizing comfort and quality of life during challenging times.

How to plan for a ‘good death,’ according to a VCU researcher VCU News, Virginia Commonwealth University; by Madeline Reinsel; 2/16/26 People talk a lot more about death than dying. That’s according to Yifan Lou, Ph.D., a Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work assistant professor who studies how expectations around death and end-of-life care differ across cultures. ... “My job is really trying to understand different populations and then help design a policy and health care system that can support their value of the good death.” Planning for a good death requires patients and families to make decisions around hospice care, pain management, quality of life, financial affairs and long-term care, ideally alongside a social worker.

Geographic and sociodemographic disparities in access to hospice in Pennsylvania American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Jacob Whitman, PhD, Dylan Nagy, MS, Harsheni Sudakar, BSPH, Coleman Drake, PhD, Lindsay Sabik, PhD, and Yael Schenker; 2/14/26 online ahead of print Results: In total, 2.3 million Pennsylvanians, or 17% of the state population, reside in census tracts classified as cold spots. Cold spots were concentrated in rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. Compared with other tracts, cold spot tracts were lower income, less educated, older, more reliant on public insurance, and less racially diverse. Patterns were consistent when restricting to high quality hospice and nonprofit hospices. Conclusion: Geographic disparities in hospice access compound existing sociodemographic inequities. Addressing these inequities will require efforts to expand high-quality hospice availability in underserved communities.

Sociodemographic disparities and impact of palliative care utilization during end-of-life hospitalizations in patients with gastric cancerJournal of Palliative Medicine; by James Lee, Jasmine Lee, Rahul Tripathi, David Stein, Ballakur Rao, Daniel Jamorabo, Lisa Fisher; 1/26Gastric cancer is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage and is associated with high symptom burden. Among 13,435 weighted hospitalizations [among gastric cancer patients who died during hospitalization] ..., 57.6% received palliative care. Black patients had 32% lower odds of receiving palliative care than White patients ... Higher palliative care use was associated with greater income, large hospitals, urban teaching hospitals, and private/other insurance. In adjusted analyses, palliative care was linked to a $36,240 reduction in hospital charges ..., with no significant difference in LOS [length of stay]. Palliative care was associated with higher odds of DNR status ... and lower odds of CPR, mechanical ventilation, transfusion, and vasopressor use.

[Global] UCLA report reveals a significant global palliative care gap among children  UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA; by University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Health Sciences; 2/10/26 Nearly all the world’s 10.6 million children experiencing serious health-related suffering (SHS) live in low- and middle-income countries with little to no access to palliative care specialized care for their illness, according to a comprehensive new report published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. ... The findings reveal a dramatic shift: most children in need of palliative care now live longer with severe, chronic illness, fundamentally changing the type of services needed and extending the duration of these services. ...