Wearable technology to monitor cancer caregivers' health and well-being: A systematic review
Health Sciences Review; by M. Courtney Hughes, Michelle L. Foster, Christy Muasher-Kerwin, Samantha M. Econie; 12/26
Cancer caregivers often experience significant physical and emotional strain. Wearable technology enables real-time tracking of caregiver stress, physical activity, and sleep. This review examined how wearable technology has been used to monitor cancer caregivers' health and well-being, including the outcomes measured and tools used.

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; 9/26
In 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.

Default hospice consultation in comfort measures orders and hospice engagement
JAMA Network Open; by L. Scott Sussman, John M. Henderson, Nancy Kim; 8/26
Hospice improves end-of-life care quality yet remains underutilized, with persistent racial and ethnic access disparities. In this quality improvement study, embedding hospice consultation within CMO [comfort measures only] orders was associated with substantial and sustained increases in hospice engagement. Because hospice enrollment cannot occur without consultation, improving consult reliability represents a meaningful intervention. This project embedded hospice consideration directly into an existing clinical transition rather than relying on interruptive alerts or educational efforts alone. These findings contribute to evidence that EHR [electronic health record]-based behavioral nudges can guide clinicians in time-sensitive, high-stakes settings.

Core addiction skills training in hospice and palliative medicine fellowships: A national survey addiction skills training in HPM fellowships
Journal of Pain & Symptom Management; by J Janet Ho, Steven Z Pantilat, Julie W Childers; 8/26
Hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) clinicians increasingly care for patients with serious illness and prolonged opioid exposure, yet often report limited training managing consequences like opioid misuse or opioid use disorder (OUD). PDs [program directors] perceived that fellows have low confidence with opioid misuse or OUD, despite commonly encountering such patients. Most programs offered limited training (2-3 hours), though many provided electives. Fewer than 20% of programs had faculty with formal addiction training, and 25% reported no faculty with buprenorphine experience. Conclusion: Despite broad recognition of the importance of core addiction skills, a shortage of faculty expertise constrains education in HPM physician fellowships.

Evaluation of palliative care technical skills in an acute care setting: A simulation-based, qualitative assessment
American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care; by Daniel Boron-Brenner, Alexzandra Gentsch, Jenna Campolieto, Sepehr Sedigh-Haghighat, John Liantonio; 8/26
Emergency 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.

[Germany] Unmet needs of heart failure patients across the different domains of palliative care – A qualitative interview study
Heart & Lung; by Chiara Pfeffer, Felix Schoenratha, Lennart Tügend, Anahita Khamseh, Susanne Jöbges, Johann Ahne, Asita Behzadie, Moritz Blum; 9/26
Currently, 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.

Let’s not wait to be prompted. Let us go out today, tomorrow and the days that follow and let us demonstrate our humanity. ~Princess Diana