Literature Review

Exploring Artificial Intelligence in hospice and palliative care: An integrative review of technological and clinical Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Tuzhen Xu, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, Caiyi Liu, PhD, BSN, RN, Lin Li, PhD, Dan Song, PhD, RN, Gloria M. Rose, PhD, NP-C, FNP-BC, and Sen Zhu, PhD; 2/4/26 Conclusions: AI holds potential in enhancing timely, patient-centered palliative and hospice care, supporting prognostication, symptom management, and decision-making. Successful integration requires attention to clinician trust, workflow alignment, equity, and ethical considerations. To maximize its impact on underutilization, future research should focus on multicenter validation, representative datasets, ethical deployment, and seamless integration into clinical practice.

Sheinelle Jones honors nurses who cared for her late husbandTODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle; YouTube segment from tv show; 2/4/26 TODAY's Sheinelle Jones pays special tribute to the nurses and caretakers who looked after her husband Uche Ojeh while in hospice and not only made the time he had left more comfortable, but also supported her and the whole family during their most difficult moments. "The only reason I even have the strength to talk about it, is because I believe that they're our heroes. They deserve all the love and attention we can give them," she says. Then, the care team, Jazzie Stickle, Denise James Wright, Nykyra Owens, Chanel Duff and Jessica Goldstein, get a special surprise.Editor's Note: This segment on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle honored Uche's birthday, the first birthday Sheinelle and her family are experiencing since his death from brain cancer in May 2025. Hudson Valley Hospice provided hospice care, and beautifully represented the best of hospice care's philosophy and care. In addition to nurses and aides, Sheinelle especially thanked Uche's speech pathologist who helped him voice "I love you." I invite you to watch this and be inspired:  Sheinelle Jones' late husband Uche relearned to say 'I love you' in hospice. And she has the video.

Medical expertise does not prevent caregiving grief Medpage Today's KevinMD.com; podcast hosted by KevinMD; 2/2/26 Triple board-certified physician in adult and geriatric psychiatry and addiction medicine ... Barbara Sparacino shares the personal struggle of navigating end-of-life care for her own parents despite her extensive professional training. She explains the “prophet in your own country” paradox where family members often dismiss medical advice from their own relatives. The conversation explores the heavy guilt and self-doubt that arise when the professional detachment of a doctor collides with the emotional vulnerability of a child.  Barbara highlights the importance of setting boundaries to protect the parent-child relationship and offers advice on extending grace to oneself during this difficult season. Discover how stepping back from the physician role can actually be the greatest gift you give to your aging family.

How to responsibly use AI in palliative care and hematologic malignancies CancerNetwork; podcast by Ram Prakash Thirugnanasambandam, MBBS; 2/2/26 In a conversation with CancerNetwork®, Ram Prakash Thirugnanasambandam, MBBS, discussed the evolving roles that artificial intelligence (AI)–based tools may play in palliative care and the management of different hematologic malignancies. ... According to Thirugnanasambandam, implementing AI into one’s workflow may help accurately predict disease subtypes and burdens among patients with leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma. ... Thirugnanasambandam also discussed some of the ethical considerations surrounding the growth of AI-based tools, highlighting information privacy concerns and potentially biased datasets as notable issues with these platforms. Although AI may assist with decision-making, Thirugnanasambandam stated that it ultimately cannot replace a human’s nuanced clinical judgment and empathy.

De-mystifying performance measures for hospitalists: Mortality The Hospitalist; by Matt Cersale, ND, MPH, SFHM; Kristin Gershfield, MD, FHM; Preetham Talari, MD; Anunta Virapongse, MD; 2/2/26 Mortality is the ultimate outcome metric for patient care. In the hospital, measuring mortality appears simple and straightforward, but upon considering the layers of attribution and risk stratification, it becomes significantly more complex. Measures of mortality are used in various quality reporting and national ranking programs, making them a common focus of hospital leadership. However, the connection between hospitalists and measures of mortality is not always clear.

Cultivating leaders in medicine: We can do better Medscape; by Aba Black, MD, MHS; 1/29/26 ... there’s no question that medicine as a field has lagged when it comes to propagating tenets of effective leadership. ... [Too] many doctors make it through the endurance run that is medical education without ever being told what makes a good leader. There’s good reason to want more doctors in leadership roles, as healthcare administrators with clinical expertise bring an important skill set to the challenges facing our healthcare system. While hospitals led by economists may fare better financially, physician-led hospitals are associated with lower mortality rates and higher patient satisfaction. 

[Sweden] Palliative medicine physicians' experiences using the Numeric Rating Scale for pain assessment in patients with advanced cancer: a qualitative study BMJ Open; by Lisa Martinsson, Margareta Brännström, Per Fransson, Sofia Andersson; 1/6/26 This study aimed to describe palliative medicine physicians' experiences performing pain assessment using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)-one of the most widely used pain assessment tools-for patients with cancer receiving specialised palliative care. ... The tool may seem simplistic, but, ... the physicians found interpreting the assessments challenging for the whole team. This complexity should be incorporated into future healthcare education and training within the palliative care area, where patients often have chronic pain conditions in combination with cognitive impairment. Future research needs to focus on developing reliable pain assessment methods for patients who are cognitively impaired because of the cancer.

Meant to Be: Denise's journey into hospice nursing The McKenzie, Tennessee Banner; 1/27/26 When Denise lost her husband, Tony, to leukemia at only 39, her world shifted forever. She was 29. ... In her thirties, ... she enrolled in nursing school, determined to rebuild her own story, one chapter at a time. ...Then came a nursing hospice opportunity. ... For Denise, hospice nursing isn't about endings; it's about helping families find peace, honesty, dignity, and hope in the final chapter. She carries the responsibility with deep reverence. "We're the last chapter," she says softly. "And if that chapter ends poorly, a lot of it is on us." ... Denise's journey reminds us that sometimes the hardest heartbreaks lead us to the most meaningful callings. Editor's Note: [Full access to this may require a subscription.] What personal life experiences brought many of your clinicians to end-of-life care? You may be surpised how little you know about them; what brings meaning and purpose for them; how seeing their journeys inspires you in your leadership role.

Rethinking medications at the end of life for patients with advanced cancerCure; by Ruan Scott; 1/27/26 Key Takeaways

How do I tell my patient they’re dying? Medscape; by Lisa Mulcahy; 1/27/26 Ruth Parry, PhD, still remembers a conversation she mishandled as a junior National Health Service stroke rehabilitation physiotherapist many years ago. ... Since then, Parry has analyzed nearly 100 video consultations between practitioners and patients with poor prognoses in stroke and head injury and with terminal diagnoses. Her research explores a critical clinical dilemma: How do doctors navigate the delicate balance of providing fair, accurate information about dire prognoses while respecting a patient’s feelings and personal choices?

Participants praise palliative care program for the homeless Medscape; by Kate Johnson; 1/26/26 Patient perspectives about a palliative care outreach intervention for adults experiencing homelessness are overwhelmingly positive, according to a qualitative, descriptive study of the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program in Toronto. “While previous research suggests persons experiencing homelessness emphasize symptom management needs at the end of life, our findings also underscored unmet primary care, medical supply, and psychiatric needs,” wrote lead author Alexander R. Levesque, MD, of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and coauthors. 

Improving timeliness of palliative care referrals within the ICU: A quality improvement project Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing (DCCN); by Stephanie Fiore, Simone O'Donovan, Kerry A Milner; 1/23/26 ... Using the Model for Improvement, this quality improvement project was conducted over 7 months, including a 4-month baseline phase and a 3-month implementation phase. ICU nurses used a PC screening tool to evaluate patients within 48 hours of admission. The project aimed to increase PC screenings to 75% and ensure PC referrals within 48 hours. ...  The implementation phase saw a significant increase in PC screenings, with compliance reaching 90.9% after process adjustments.