Literature Review

Black grief, Black healing: Exploring African American parents grief with cultural implications for treatmentFamily Process; by Nyla Rogers, Shareefah Al'Uqdah, Denzell Brown, Briayanna Johnson; 6/26African American parents experience child loss at disproportionately high rates, yet family systems and grief literature have largely overlooked this population's grief experience. This paper examines how therapists can provide culturally responsive care to African American parents navigating the death of a child. Drawing on existing literature, this paper expounds on the historical trends within the African American family system while delineating unique African American grief practices. Practical and culturally relevant clinical practices such as facilitating robust social support networks, creating structured opportunities for public and communal mourning, and therapeutically addressing the intensity of grief-related emotional responses are provided. Family therapists are called to expand their grief frameworks and family interventions beyond individualized, Western-centric models to encompass the collective, justice-oriented dimensions of loss that shape the lived experiences of African American families.

[Italy] Understanding the evolving role of early palliative care in myelodysplastic syndromes: A 2026 narrative reviewAnnals of Hematology; by Pasquale Niscola, Valentina Gianfelici, Marco Giovannini, Carla Mazzone, Maria Ilaria Del Principe; 5/26Myelodysplastic Syndromes/Neoplasms (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of blood cancers characterized by a broad spectrum of symptoms and varying impacts on quality of life (QoL). Although the integration of early PC care has long been recognized as an essential part of comprehensive management for patients with solid tumors, experience in the context of MDS is still limited. However, symptom control, QoL, advanced care planning goals, the reduction of aggressive therapies, intensive care use, including intubation before death, and resource use in the end-of-life (EOL) phase are critical issues that are enhanced through early PC in MDS management. Additionally, integrating standard hematological measures with early PC leads to fewer visits and hospital admissions near the EOL, particularly during the last 30 days. Moreover, patients with early PC die at home or in hospice care at a rate nearly in line with their preferences.

Compassion fatigue and spiritual care competence amongst palliative care nurses: a moderated mediation model of care quality and job satisfaction Journal of Clinical Nursing / Early View; by Enise Sürücü, Funda Veren, Hülya Kulakçı Altıntaş, Büşra Baş, and Zeynep Acar Demir; 5/30/26 Impact:

First do no harm: communication surrounding non-beneficial treatments American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Cassie Stanzler, MD, Adam Marks, MD, MPH, and Laura Taylor, MD, MSc; 5/21/26 Despite a consensus in the medical community that clinicians should not offer non-beneficial treatments (NBTs) to their patients, little guidance exists on the particular communication needs around this fraught topic. While intended in the spirit of non-maleficence, setting limits around NBTs can be seen by patients and families as abandonment, resulting in conflict. In this paper, we propose a framework to guide Palliative Care clinicians in communicating about these complex issues with patients and families. ... Our framework emphasizes proactive relationship building with patients and families, close attention to their values, and compassionate limit-setting when medically appropriate. 

Making a health system merger succeed: Michigan Medicine’s journey toward a high-quality, coordinated statewide system of careNEJM Catalyst; by Scott A. Flanders, Margaret Dimond, David C. Miller; 4/26After its April 2023 acquisition of Sparrow Health, Michigan Medicine and its five-hospital system, University of Michigan Health, launched a major effort to advance business, clinical, and cultural integration across the new 11-hospital enterprise. The goal was to achieve a coordinated, integrated statewide system of care that delivered improved quality and better experience, while providing academic hospital-caliber care closer to home for patients across the state. Those efforts have led to improved financial performance, [increased employee satisfaction and reduced RN annual turnover]. Clinical integration, driven by the development of local clinical programs, initiatives to coordinate statewide care, and innovative technology solutions, has resulted in a higher quality of care delivered closer to home. For cultural integration, the keys to success have been leadership alignment, a clear vision and goals, a supportive infrastructure, strong systemwide communication, and achieving and celebrating early wins.

Rigorous assessment of leadership development programs in health careNEJM Catalyst; by Amanda Woods Herron, Katelyn J. Cavanaugh, Courtney L. Holladay; 4/26Effective leadership is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of organizational performance within health care systems, but funding for such programs is frequently in jeopardy as revenues fail to keep up with other expenses. Therefore, the managers of such programs should adopt rigorous methods for evaluating the impact of their work. Despite the proliferation of leadership development programs, few institutions systematically evaluate these initiatives. This article presents a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of leadership development, grounded in implementation science and organizational research, as applied within a large academic health care institution. The framework emphasizes the necessity of clear eligibility criteria, integrated data sources, and alignment with institutional strategic priorities to assess program effectiveness and support continuous improvement.