Literature Review

Ethics and professionalism in artificial intelligence and medical practice: A position paper from the American College of PhysiciansAnnals of Internal Medicine; by Matthew DeCamp, Lois Snyder Sulmasy, Kyle E. Karches, for the Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee of the American College of PhysiciansArtificial intelligence (AI) in health care is being rapidly adopted in perhaps one of the most rapid implementations of technology in medicine to date. Better thought of as augmented intelligence, as a tool that provides assistance to physicians and patients, many guidelines for its use have been issued, but consensus has not yet been achieved on issues such as privacy, disclosure, and fairness. Patients and physicians need ethical guidance at the point of care. Three guideposts described in this American College of Physicians position paper and rooted in the patient–physician relationship—principles of medical ethics, clinical integrity, and physician-independent practical reasoning—can inform the ethical use of AI: relationality, self-governance, and competence. This paper examines the implications of AI for patients, physicians, and health care and provides guidance for its ethical use.

Do not play: Recognizing spiritual distress in serious illnessJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Jeanna A Ford; 9/26Spiritual distress is a significant yet frequently underrecognized component of serious illness and palliative care. Although spirituality is recognized as a core domain of quality palliative care, patients often express spiritual suffering through grief, mistrust, anger, identity, trauma, or existential concerns rather than explicitly religious language. This article explores the role of spiritual assessment and open-ended inquiry in recognizing spiritual distress through the case of an 86-year-old Black male with metastatic prostate cancer who repeatedly refused to answer standardized questions regarding spiritual distress. Although he identified as agnostic, broader conversations revealed profound sources of meaning, suffering, dignity, and peace shaped by experiences of racism, institutional mistrust, family, music, and legacy. The case illustrates how spiritual distress may emerge indirectly and highlights the limitations of relying solely on structured screening tools.

Educating the hospice workforce on pediatric concurrent care: A national workshop approachJournal of Pain & Symptom Management; by Rakhshanda Ramzan, Lisa C Lindley, Logan Hoover, Jia Liang, Markeya Martin, Salina Temesghen, Meaghann S Weaver; 9/26Medicaid insures most children at the end of life and mandates concurrent hospice and curative care coverage. Uptake remains inconsistent, partly due to hospice workforce unfamiliarity with the benefit and concerns about compliance. A brief virtual workshop shifted hospice workforce perceptions of pediatric concurrent care, revealing gaps in baseline understanding and increasing awareness of implementation challenges. Findings informed development of a Pediatric Concurrent Care Toolkit and suggest that practical implementation resources, policy guidance, and family-centered communication tools may be needed to improve uptake and access to concurrent care.

Evaluation of palliative care technical skills in an acute care setting: A simulation-based, qualitative assessmentAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care; by Daniel Boron-Brenner, Alexzandra Gentsch, Jenna Campolieto, Sepehr Sedigh-Haghighat, John Liantonio; 8/26Emergency physicians frequently encounter patients with serious illness, yet training in palliative care competencies remains inconsistent during emergency medicine (EM) residency. The objective of this study was to qualitatively examine EM residents' perceptions of the intersection between palliative care and emergency medicine following participation in palliative care-focused simulation scenarios. Residents reported uncertainty regarding core palliative care competencies, including interpretation of advance directives, documentation of do-not-resuscitate/do-not-intubate orders, and clinical decision-making during peri-arrest and resuscitation scenarios. Emotional responses included hesitancy and discomfort during high-stakes decision-making, particularly in the setting of limited information. Palliative-focused simulation elicited perceived knowledge gaps and emotional responses relevant to emergency care delivery. Simulation-based education may offer a structured approach to integrating palliative care competencies into EM training.

Is there a role for artificial intelligence in end-of-life care for persons with dementia? Perspectives of and recommendations by caregivers and hospice staff Oxford Academic / Innovation in Aging; by Oonjee Oh, Debra Parker Oliver, Karla Washington, George Demiris; 9/26In this study, we explored families’ and staff’s acceptance of AI in hospice dementia care and generated actionable recommendations for AI designers in supporting end-of-life care for persons with dementia... Participants described AI tools as potentially helpful for obtaining information, monitoring patients, managing medications and appointments, providing companionship, and conducting logistical tasks... The uniqueness of hospice, encompassing its humanistic nature and emphasis on families as part of the care unit, also emerged as a key factor impacting attitudes towards AI use... Families and frontline staff should not be considered merely as end users, but as key stakeholders whose needs and expertise should shape the direction of AI applications.

[Germany] Unmet needs of heart failure patients across the different domains of palliative care – A qualitative interview studyHeart & Lung; by Chiara Pfeffer, Felix Schoenratha, Lennart Tügend, Anahita Khamseh, Susanne Jöbges, Johann Ahne, Asita Behzadie, Moritz Blum; 9/26Currently, palliative care provision for patients with heart failure (HF) is limited and usually not tailored to the specific needs they might have. In this study, we sought to gain a better understanding of the needs and expectations expressed by patients with HF regarding palliative care. Participants expressed needs and expectations across all eight domains of palliative care. Some needs were specific to HF, e.g. for more HF expertise among all healthcare providers. Other needs were more generally associated with serious illnesses, e.g. long term access to psychological counselling for patients and caregivers, help with coming to terms with limited life expectancy, or provision of information in accessible language. Patients with HF express a host of unmet needs, many of which could be addressed by palliative care.

IBM study finds 60% of employees worry AI is eroding critical thinking skills Complete AI Training; 9/21/26 A new IBM study finds that 60% of employees worry AI is eroding their skills, with critical thinking cited most often as declining. The research, released September 21, 2026, surveyed 1,500 CHROs and 8,800 employees globally, revealing a gap between the skills HR leaders say AI demands and what workers prioritize. While 71% of CHROs identify the ability to supervise, validate and override AI outputs as the workforce's most essential skill, only 29% of employees rank judgment as important. At the same time, CHROs cite critical thinking (57%) and human judgment (48%) as among the most important workforce capabilities.