Literature Review

Medicine—Both a Science (Care) and an Art (CARE) JAMA Network - Viewpoint; by Theodore J. Strange, MD and Mario R. Castellanos, MD; 4/3/24In the current era, health care is increasingly characterized by the integration of big data, predictive analytics, medical devices, and artificial intelligence. These technological advancements have undoubtedly transformed the landscape of medical care, offering unprecedented precision and efficiency in diagnosis and treatment. Yet, amidst this surge of scientific innovation, the timeless art of medicine (compassion and caring) remains a foundational aspect of patient-centered health care ... The acronym CARE (compassion, assistance, respect, and empathy) encapsulates these enduring values. ... In a world increasingly driven by data and algorithms, these qualities foster a trusting and supportive relationship between health care professionals and patients, thereby enhancing the healing process and enriching the overall health care experience.

The HAP Foundation, CLHPN partner to address unmet pediatric hospice needs Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 4/5/24The HAP Foundation is partnering with the Child Life Hospice and Palliative Network (CLHPN) to improve awareness of and access to child life services among seriously ill youths and their families. The HAP Foundation helps support research and education in hospice and palliative care. Through the partnership, the organization will help fuel CLHPN’s efforts to expand understanding and utilization of child life specialist services and their benefits for families facing terminal and chronic illness. Child life specialists can help address a range of unmet psychosocial, emotional and spiritual family needs, according to Alyssa Friedberg, CLHPN co-founder.

The iconic stethoscope is getting a 21st century makeoverManaged Healthcare Executive, by Peter Wehrwein; 4/4/24 Two years ago, a pair of New Zealand physicians wrote an opinion piece in a peer-reviewed journal of the Royal Australasian of Physicians about point-of-care ultrasound. The gist of their argument was that ultrasound ought to be used more routinely to detect various heart and lung conditions. The somewhat cheeky title of that article is “Update on Echocardiography: Do We Still Need a Stethoscope?” Jason Bellet has spent more than a decade making pretty much the opposite case: Not only do healthcare professionals still need a stethoscope, they need a vastly improved, 21st century version that harnesses digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Incorporating bereavement into the continuum of careMedpage Today, by Charles Bankhead; 4/4/24... Despite being integral to high-quality, family-centered healthcare, bereavement support often is poorly resourced, even described as the "poor cousin of palliative care." ... To develop a framework for compassionate communities requires shifting bereavement care from "an afterthought to a public health priority," wrote Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD, of the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and co-authors in Lancet Public Health. ... In an ideal setting, bereavement care begins with pre-death grief education, continues through the dying process and end of life, and transitions into community-based support and psychosocial services, as needed. .. The [continuum of care] model comprises five essential "pillars":

Qualitative analysis of initial palliative care consultations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Christine L Watt, Ian C Smith, Jill Rice, Rebekah Murphy, Ari Breiner, Maria Duff, Danica Nogo, Shirley H Bush, Susan McNeely, Usha Buenger, Belinda Zehrt, Jocelyn Zwicker; 4/2/24, online ahead of print Background: Palliative care (PC) benefits patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), however the needs of patients and caregivers and the optimal timing of PC discussions remains unclear. This study reports the analysis of PC consult notes from a larger feasibility trial. The specific aims of this analysis were to i) identify the PC needs of patients with ALS via qualitative analysis and ii) identify characteristics of patients and caregivers that could predict specific PC needs.

Neuropsychiatric effects associated with opioid-based management for palliative care patients

Art exhibit in Sandy centers experiences of grief OPB, by Sheraz Sadiq; 4/3/24 Art and writing prompts were used during grief support groups offered by Mt. Hood Hospice to help participants process their experience with grief. Dozens of pieces of artwork, poems and other forms of writing created during those sessions are featured in "Grief Made Visible," an exhibit now in its second year that will open on April 5 at AntFarm Café and Bakery in Sandy, OR.

Should we be using palliative care for scleroderma? The Medical Republic, by Karina Bray; 4/2/24Almost three-quarters of systemic sclerosis patients could benefit from specialist palliative care, according to Australian research. The first-of-a-kind study, published in Arthritis Care & Research, set out to examine and quantify the need for palliative care to address high symptom burden as an integrated part of systemic sclerosis management. ... “Almost 75% of SSc patients may benefit from specialist palliative care input to manage specific severe symptoms, and the overlapping nature of such symptoms highlights the complex symptom management needs of SSc patients,” the authors wrote. 

Palliative and hospice care in hospitals and clinics: the good, the bad, and the ugly MedPageToday's KevinMD.com; by Earl Stewart, Jr., MD and Miguel Villagra, MD; 4/1/24 I walk into the patient’s hospital room during evening rounds. He looks pale and tired, having recently completed a round of chemotherapy for his stage IV pancreatic cancer. His wife is at the bedside, scared and concerned about her husband’s rapid decline. I sit down to discuss goals of care when the patient immediately says, “I can’t do this anymore.” His wife responds immediately to the patient: “Of course you can.” ...

Autism & Grief Project helps autistic adults navigate death and lossCision PRWeb, by Autism & Grief Project; 4/1/24 Launched by the Hospice Foundation of America and supported by the NLM Family Foundation, the project bridges resource gaps for adults on the autism spectrum. The Autism & Grief Project is an online platform supporting autistic adults as they navigate the complexities of grief arising from death and loss. Visitors can access free resources for adults, their families, professional support providers, and clergy members: austismandgrief.org.

Cancer patients often want ‘one more round.’ Should doctors say no? The Washington Post, by Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD; 3/31/24 My patient was in his early 30s and his leukemia had returned again following yet another round of treatment. He was a poster child for the recently reported rise in cancer rates in the young, and had just asked me what chemotherapy cocktail I could devise for him next, to try to rid him of his cancer. I hesitated before answering. Oncologists are notorious for always being willing to recommend to our patients one more course of treatment, even when the chances of success are negligible.  

Code status discussions; difficult but necessary The Hospitalist, by Mark Menet, MD, MPH; 4/1/24 I thought it was just where I practiced, but it turns out that, in the medical field, we’re really bad about having code discussions, which is a significant issue. When some of my patients revealed that no one had ever asked them about their code status before, I decided to conduct some research on this topic. It turns out that, at most, 41% of patients recall discussions about their code status, however, the 10.3% as documented by another study seems much more accurate.

Pediatric Division - National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/28/24The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care’s Pediatric Division represents a multi-disciplinary, volunteer team of pediatric palliative care (PPC) leaders. The Division membership is comprised of representatives from all 14 members of the Coalition, three family advocates, as well as representatives from aligned stakeholder organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Association for Child Life Professionals, and the State Coalition Network.