Literature Review

Physician burnout is down. Here’s what’s working—and what isn’tAMA; by Jennifer Lubell; 9/29/26Effective health systems don’t just stop at measurement. They are using data to choose focused interventions—and they are honest about where the work still falls short. Leaders from Northwell Health, Ochsner Health and Sutter Health discussed successes and areas for improvement during a session on physician wellbeing at the Becker's Annual Meeting hosted by the AMA. [Recommendations include:]

What is a professional patient advocate, and why might you need one?ArcaMax; by Jennifer Schlinger; 10/6/26[Patient advocates] understand patients’ and families’ concerns, ensure their voices are heard by medical staff and interface with care teams, insurance companies and facility administrators. They also coordinate care, set up follow-up appointments and address potential gaps or blind spots in care. I train social workers – who often serve as patient advocates – to help people in a variety of settings, including hospitals and nursing homes. Earlier in my career, I served as a professional patient advocate supporting people in hospitals, home health and hospice. A trained patient advocate can provide much-needed support for people on their healthcare journey. Here’s what you need to know to work with one most effectively.

How to include a pharmacist in the palliative care mixCAPC blog; by Mary Lynn McPherson, Kat Walker; 10/18/21A discussion around the importance of palliative care pharmacy, including strategies for programs to partner with pharmacists. For complex patients ... pharmacists are gaining recognition as valued members of interdisciplinary palliative care teams. They are expanding their practice across different settings of care, and educating patients and their families, colleagues, and health system leaders about medication use in serious illness.Publisher's note: While the blog is a little dated, CAPC recently emailed members this article which continues to remain relevant.

Hot new drugs in palliative care: Max Stevenson, Alex McPherson, and Nisha IyerGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Max Stevenson, Alex McPherson, Nisha Iyer; 10/1/26When you think of palliative care pharmacotherapy, you probably think about the tried-and-true mainstays of our field like morphine, haloperidol, and senna. But the landscape of palliative symptom management is rapidly evolving, with hot new drug classes and rediscovered old-school opioids (and not just buprenorphine!). On today’s episode of the GeriPal Podcast, we sit down with three expert palliative care clinical pharmacists, Max Stevenson, Alex McPherson, and Nisha Iyer, to talk about 5 hot new drugs (or rediscovered).

Nearly one in four US adults projected to develop heart failureCardiologytoday; by Scott Buzby; 10/5/26One in four U.S. adults are projected to develop HF in their lifetime. The prevalence of HF is expected to increase from 3% currently to 3.8% by 2050. HF mortality represented 14.6% of all deaths in the U.S... Nearly one in four U.S. adults are projected to develop heart failure in their lifetime, and the overall prevalence of the disease is expected to keep rising due to an aging population with increasing comorbidities, researchers reported.

BlackDoctor launches first-ever medical advisory board  BlackDoctor, Chicago, IL; Press Release by BlackDoctor; 10/1/26 BlackDoctor, the leading health and wellness platform for Black America, today announced its first Medical Advisory Board. The board brings together eight physicians from across the country. They will help inform the company’s product and content development strategy for clinicians, advance its health education efforts, help shape new products and tools and facilitate strategic engagements across the healthcare ecosystem. ...  It gives the company, which reaches 30 million people each year, a formal layer of clinical oversight from physicians who understand the challenges facing Black patients and clinicians with specialities spanning cardiovascular health, cancer, mental health, kidney disease, clinical trials, dermatology and vision care.

NCPPCH CEO: Building stronger end-of-life pediatric supportHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/24/26Families often experience complex emotional, physical and logistical challenges when a child has a serious or terminal condition. Slow-moving state and federal policy are not keeping pace with the growing demand for improved support... Hospice News sits down with Jonathan Cottor, CEO and founder at the National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes (NCPPCH). The organization focuses on improving community-based pediatric palliative and respite care through increased education, policy advocacy efforts and offering support, guidance and best practice to providers. Guest Editor's Note by Judy Zeringue: This technical paper is intended to inform and educate policymakers, healthcare leaders, and community stakeholders about the role of Pediatric Palliative Care Centers to offer respite within the Medicaid care continuum. It examines existing Medicaid spending patterns, care delivery models, and policy alignment considerations relevant to sustainable, family-centered care for children with medical complexity, particularly those with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

What is end-of-life care at home? A complete guide for families exeleon | Healthcare; 9/28/26 A study published in Federal Practitioner in September 2025, using data from the CDC WONDER database, found that home was the most common place of death among cancer patients between 2003 and 2023, accounting for 40.3% of all recorded deaths. ... This guide walks through what services are typically included, how eligibility works, and what separates in-home support from care delivered in a facility. Along the way, it covers home care for end of life planning, the difference between hospice and general end-of-life support, and practical steps for arranging services quickly.

Center for Hospice Care spotlights doula volunteer program GreatNews.Life, Valparaiso, IN; by Bennett Silveus; 9/25/26 Over the years, Center for Hospice Care (CHC) has worked to provide a wide range of specialized hospice and palliative care options to members of the Northern Indiana community.  ... End-of-life doulas are trained, non-medical professionals who provide emotional, spiritual, and personal support and guidance to patients and families navigating the transitional period between life and death. ... Each CHC end-of-life doula works as a general volunteer for the non-profit, often starting off as a home visit or patient volunteer before moving to work as a doula. From there, the volunteer must take a 16-hour course and shadow a current doula to become fully trained in the practice.

At the bedside: clinician grief Core IM; podcast by Dr. Margot Hedlin, Dr. Danai Papadatou, Dr. Tamar Schiff and Dr. Jafar Al-Mondhiry; 9/8/26... "I can’t share his name, but I can tell you what he taught me about grief. I met this patient a few months after graduating from medical school, and by that point he was already dying. ... I grieved for this man the way I’ve grieved for many patients: I found a supply closet to cry in for a few minutes before my pager went off. But in the years since, years in which I worked at the epicenter of the COVID pandemic, worked nights at a cancer hospital, and suffered personal loss, I’ve found that grief is too large to be stuffed in a supply closet: when left unaddressed, it keeps coming back, in ways and places that I couldn’t predict."

4 in 5 doctors now work for ‘corporate entities’ as autonomy erodes Forbes; by Bruce Japsen; 9/8/26 Corporate entities now employ 82% of U.S. physicians, a trend eroding doctor autonomy, according to a new Physicians Advocacy Institute report. The survey reveals nearly half of doctors feel pressured to prioritize patient volume over optimal care. Furthermore, 63% encounter corporate barriers to out-of-network referrals, and 59% feel compelled to keep patients within their health system. PAI's CEO, Kelly Kenney, asserts that corporate owners' primary allegiance is to profits, not patients, directly restricting physicians' ability to ensure the best care.

Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard gives late nurses a final tribute Democrat and Chronicle; by Mike Murphy; 9/21/26 As Ruth Benjamin was getting ready to retire after more than 50 years in nursing, two of her colleagues passed away. ... Nursing is a calling and a way of life, Benjamin said by way of explanation, and many like her and her colleague gave everything they had to their profession. ... After some research, Benjamin founded the Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard, which celebrates its third anniversary in October. The all-volunteer honor guard ensures that late nurses are recognized, in a similar way that honor guards pay tribute to late military or first responders. ... The service is free.Editor's Note: Though this article is behind a paywall, you can learn more about this inspirational Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard from their website.