Demystifying the end: Hospice care impact on the Black community 
Word In Black | Houston Defender; by Laura Onyeneho; 3/2/26 
... For African American, Afro-Caribbean and African immigrant families, generational trauma and a lack of trust in the healthcare system often lead to delayed decisions about hospice care. “There’s been a historical gap in access and trust,” said [Monica James, Community Engagement Coordinator for Houston Hospice]. “Our goal is to show up consistently, to listen and to let these communities know they have options and that they’re not alone.” ... “For communities of color, we have to meet people where they are. That means understanding family dynamics, faith and what dignity means to different people,” she said. 

The hard truth about leadership: It’s about what you’re willing to give up 
Forbes; by Mark Nevins; 2/27/26 
The leadership behaviors that feel hardest in the moment are often the ones that create the most durable trust and performance. Leadership is often described in terms of vision, strategy, and decisiveness, but in some ways, these are the easy parts. Anyone who has led people through uncertainty knows that the job is defined by heart and guts just as much as head, and leading through difficult situations often comes down to what leaders are willing to give up. At its core, leadership is a series of sacrifices: of ego, of speed, of personal preference, and often even of comfort. 

Love hurts: Leadership, quality, and the future of hospice & palliative care | part one 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN Talks); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Alex Smith and Dr. Eric Widera; 3/4/26 
TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership host Chris Comeaux and co-host Cordt Kassner join forces with Dr. Eric Widera and Dr. Alex Smith of the GeriPal Podcast, leaders in Palliative Care and Hospice innovation discuss emerging quality measures, data-driven hospice analytics, research challenges, and the leadership needed to guide healthcare organizations through change. For professionals working in healthcare leadership and serious illness care, the conversation offers valuable insight into the policies, research, and innovations shaping the future of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

[Canada] New report released advancing equity in palliative and end-of-life care 
ehospice | BC Centre for Palliative Care, British Columbia; by the BCCPC Project Team: Rachel Carter, Eman Hassan, Simon Anderson, Grace Hu; 2/22/26 
We’re pleased to share a new publication from the BC Centre for Palliative Care. This report distills key insights from a three-part Knowledge Exchange Series held in Spring 2025 that brought together people with lived experience, community organizations, clinicians, researchers, and system leaders across British Columbia. This Knowledge Exchange Series explored how health system services and community supports can work together to better meet the needs of underserved populations—highlighting both persistent gaps and promising paths forward. The report is supplemented with 12 population-specific chapters. [Read the full report]

Investigating the role of occupational therapy in palliative care a literature review 
Home Healthcare Now; by Carlie Liseo, OTD, OTR/L and Daniel Martin, D.Sc., MS, OTR/L; March/April 2026 
... Three themes regarding the provision of occupational therapy (OT) services to palliative care (PC) patients were identified: engaging in meaningful activities to increase quality of life (QOL), symptom management and comfort, and supporting caregivers and client environments. OT can play a pivotal role in catering to PC clients’ needs by promoting occupational engagement, alleviating symptoms, and modifying environments. This review offers recommendations for OT service provision in palliative care, clarifying the profession’s role within multidisciplinary home healthcare teams.

Clinicians outline strategies to improve cancer care in U.S. prisons 
Oncology Times; by Kumar Das, Dibash PhD; March 2026 
Cancer is now the leading cause of death in U.S. prisons, and outcomes for incarcerated patients are markedly worse than for those in the general population. A 2022 study of Connecticut's prison system found that people diagnosed with cancer while incarcerated had 92% higher mortality compared with 16% higher mortality observed in England and Wales. The difference, researchers said, underscores the role of healthcare access and correctional policy in shaping cancer survival.

A nurse-led violence prevention program that cut incidents to zero 
Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 3/2/26 
WakeMed Raleigh (N.C.) has gone 20 consecutive months — and counting — without a single workplace violence incident on its medical-surgical unit. It is all thanks to a program created by three nurse leaders. The program started with a partnership between med-surg and psychiatric nurses. ...

• First, they implemented a tool to identify patients at high risk for outbursts. This allowed staff to react and respond appropriately.
• Second, psychiatric nurses began rounding with med-surg nurses so they became a regular part of the team.
• Third, they worked with Melissa McAllister, MSN, RN, nurse manager of the mental health patient population for both pediatric and adults at the system, to create a new role: the mental health response nurse. 

Editor's Note: Consider how this model could translate to your setting.

• Start with your people: Who on your team has mental health training or prior clinical experience? Think broadly—social workers, chaplains, bereavement counselors, and clinical leaders may be underutilized assets.
• Assess your preparation: What ongoing education and core competencies do you require around violence prevention, patient neglect or abuse, caregiver distress, and drug diversion?
• Examine your partnerships: Are you actively connected with trusted mental health agencies in your service area?
• Zero incidents didn’t happen by chance. It happened by design.

Cambia Health Foundation releases comprehensive evaluation of Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program 
Business Wire, Portland, OR; Press Release; 3/3/26 
Cambia Health Foundation today released the results of a comprehensive evaluation of its Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, demonstrating the significant impact of a 10-year, $25 million investment in developing the next generation of palliative care leaders.  ... The program’s goals were measured against more than 175 sources, as well as 18 individual interviews, 5 focus groups and a comprehensive written survey completed by 117 individuals, including program participants and industry experts. Notable findings include:

• Seeding innovation: 91% agreed ...
• Developing leaders: 85% of scholars reported ...
• Improving care: 84% of scholars reported ...

Why Baylor Scott & White opted for an access redesign 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 3/2/26 
Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest nonprofit health system in Texas, has been undergoing a consumer-focused transformation aimed at expanding access. ... “One thing we heard consistently through all of that is just a need for more access,” Rob Watson, MD, chief clinical operations officer, told Becker’s. “Not just traditional access through what we would consider our large hospitals and clinics, but expanded options like digital and virtual as well as when they had an urgent need or an emergent need, more physical locations as well.”

Deprescribing at the End of Life: Jennifer Tjia, Jon Furuno, Simon Mooijaart
GeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Jennifer Tjia, Jon Furuno, Simon Mooijaart; 2/26/26
In this episode of the GeriPal Podcast, we tackle the pressing topic of deprescribing at the end of life with expert guests Jennifer Tjia, Jon Furuno, and Simon Mooijaart. The conversation focuses on identifying medications that should almost always be discontinued—such as statins, osteoporosis meds, finasteride, and vitamins, which offer minimal benefit for patients with limited life expectancy. We also delve into more nuanced cases, such as antithrombotics, which present complex decisions that challenge clinicians, particularly when prognosis spans the many weeks to months range. Finally, we explore practical strategies for engaging patients and families in deprescribing conversations.

Irish man completes 30,000km charity cycle to Australia 
RTE | 100; by Cara McHugh and Sinéad Hussey; 2/7/26 
A Roscommon man has finished a cycling challenge which began almost two years ago and saw him travel over 30,000km across three continents to Australia. Fergal Guihen, from Arigna, arrived in Sydney earlier today marking the completion of a mammoth challenge of endurance which began in March 2024. The 27-year-old set out on the arduous 'Rossie to Aussie' challenge with the goal of raising awareness and funds for both the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and NorthWest STOP suicide prevention services. He has raised almost €170,000 to date. 

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do! ~ Steve Jobs