Literature Review

[Portugal] Reiki and Therapeutic Touch for symptom burden and quality of life in palliative settings: A systematic reviewPalliative Medicine; by Raquel Pontes-Gomes, Paulo Reis-Pina; 5/26Evidence regarding Reiki and Therapeutic Touch in palliative and end-of-life care remains limited and heterogeneous. Nine studies involving 415 participants were included: five mixed-methods studies, three randomized controlled trials, and one qualitative cross-sectional study conducted in North America (n = 6) and Europe (n = 3). Cancer was the predominant diagnosis.  Some studies reported improvements in symptoms (pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and stress), and in quality-of-life domains (sleep, relaxation, energy, hope, and emotional well-being). Qualitative findings described perceived relaxation, comfort, and emotional support. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify their potential role in palliative care.

Penn Medicine’s approach to clinical care AI tools focuses on problems they want to solve Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare (PSQH); by Christopher Cheney; 6/12/26 Penn Medicine has embraced a range of AI tools in clinical care such as a new collaboration with K Health that includes AI tools to engage patients and tee up visits with clinicians. ... With so many AI tool options becoming available in clinical care, it is important for senior leaders to have a focused approach for AI tool adoption, according to Srinath Adusumalli, MD, vice president and chief health information officer at Penn Medicine. “At the highest level, when we adopt AI tools in clinical care, we focus on the problems we are trying to solve,” Adusumalli says. 

By the Bay Health recognized as 2026 Golden Bell Honoree for Innovative Healthcare Workforce Development Program ByTheBayHealth.org News, Larkspur, CA; by Sarah Robertson; 5/27/26 By the Bay Health has been named a 2026 Golden Bell Honoree by the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) and the Marin County School Boards Association (MCSBA) in recognition of its Pathways to Care Careers initiative ... The award recognizes By the Bay Health’s longstanding partnership with Marin County schools and its commitment to expanding access to healthcare career education for high school and college students. A key component of the initiative is the Introduction to the World of Healthcare course at San Marin High School. Funded by private donations to By the Bay Health, the course is taught by a By the Bay Health clinician and clinical guest lecturers through a partnership with the Marin County Office of Education.Editor's Note: Congratulations on this innovative partnership and investment in future healthcare professionals. May this intergenerational model inspire other healthcare organizations to help cultivate the next generation of compassionate care.

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. 

Dying for a change: understanding compassionate release policies in the United States ehospice; by Shivani Kaushki, PhD, MSSW; 5/25/26 As the United States prison population continues to age, the question of how society supports incarcerated individuals at the end of life has become increasingly urgent. ... Conducting a systematic review utilizing rigorous PRISMA guidelines, this study analyzed decades of research examining U.S. compassionate release policies, programs intended to allow terminally ill or severely debilitated individuals to spend their final days in the community instead of a correctional facility.

The dying dream of the dead to be at peace with life DW; by Hannah Fuchs; 5/22/26 Many people have vivid dreams shortly before death. Research suggests the dreams are not a sign of confusion — but may help both the dying and their loved ones make sense of loss. Known as End‑of‑Life Dreams and Visions (ELDVs), they often occur as dreams during sleep, and sometimes as visions while a person is awake. For those experiencing them, they can feel more vivid and real than ordinary dreams — and for those observing them from the outside, it can be unsettling. Medicine long dismissed ELDVs as episodes of sudden confusion (delirium) or as side-effects of medication. But today, the thinking is shifting.

Research spotlight: characterizing patient perceptions of palliative care in surgical settings Mass General Brigham | Patient Care; by Claire Morton, MD and Zara Cooper, MD, MSc; 5/19/26 ... Question: What did you find? Generally, patients were not familiar with palliative care. If they had heard of it, they often equated it with hospice or end-of-life care, leading to misconceptions about its scope and purpose. However, our observations revealed that patients frequently initiated discussions about concerns relevant to palliative care, such as social or psychological burdens they were experiencing during their visits with surgeons. This indicated an underlying interest in these domains, even if they were not explicitly aware of how palliative care could address them. ...Question: What are the real-world implications, particularly for patients? ...

Clinician grief is a hidden crisis in modern hospice care MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Linda Ellington, RN; 5/12/26 I stood knocking at the door of my hospice patient like I did every Monday for the past eight months. A musically talented man in his early 40s was always waiting for my weekly nursing visit, more so for the aspect of socialization. He was diagnosed with colon cancer two years prior and had a colostomy bag, leaving this once vibrant, social, even handsome man a shell of what he once was. He became introverted and allowed only one friend to check on him occasionally. He had no family and only one estranged child who lived in another country. There was no answer at the door ...

End-of-life doctors reveal 5 common fears people face in their final moments SavingAdvice.com; by Amanda Blankenship; 5/3/26  Most people avoid thinking about death, but doctors who work in hospice and palliative care say the same fears come up again and again. ... Research shows that death anxiety is common, with many people experiencing fear tied to the process of dying, not just death itself. ... here are five of the most common fears [identified by these doctors] among people facing their final moments.

Social work involvement in advance care planning post US 2016 Medicare policy change: A systematic reviewBMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Peiyuan Zhang, Yixuan Wang, Jihyeong Jeong, Kaipeng Wang, John G Cagle; 4/26Since 2016, the US Medicare programme has reimbursed physicians and advanced practice providers for advance care planning (ACP) discussions; however, social workers-who play a critical role in ACP-remain excluded from reimbursement. Across studies, clinical social workers demonstrated strong knowledge of advance directives and reported high levels of confidence in facilitating ACP discussions. Most participants expressed positive attitudes towards ACP and viewed ACP facilitation as a core professional responsibility. Intervention studies suggested that social worker-led ACP initiatives may increase patient engagement in ACP, particularly completion of formal ACP documentation. These findings support ongoing policy discussions regarding the inclusion of social workers in ACP reimbursement frameworks.

CMS educational video: Hospice levels of care and how to bill for service intensity add-on (SIA) payments CMSHHSgov YouTube and CMS MLN Connects Newsletter; posted on CMS's YouTube channel 4/17/26, posted in CMS MLN Connects Newsletter 4/23/26 This video is intended to educate hospices on a service opportunity called a service intensity add-on payment. Hospice agencies are paid a daily rate for each patient enrolled in hospice regardless of the number of services provided on a given day, including days when hospice provides no services. Hospice benefits allow hospices to bill an additional payment on an hourly basis for registered nurse and social worker visits during the last seven days of a patient’s life in addition to their standard daily reimbursement.

Cultivating interdisciplinary shared wisdom through a structured case conference American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Meredith A. MacMartin, MD MS, Amelia M. Cullinan, MD, and Catherine H. Saunders, PhD MPH; 4/8/26 Objectives: To develop and understand the impact of a structured, case-based, facilitated discussion of communication challenges on the function and wellbeing of an interdisciplinary specialty palliative care team. Conclusions: Embedding a weekly facilitated case discussion in the usual practice fostered a virtuous cycle of individual growth and team connectedness among interdisciplinary palliative care providers. Similar conferences could be implemented in other medical teams to teach practical wisdom and reduce burnout.