Literature Review

The complexity of multi-service organizations Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Christ Comeaux with Rebecca Ramsy and Mark Jarman-Howe; 7/30/25 Rebecca Ramsay and Mark Jarman-Howe, two dynamic leaders who are navigating the evolving world of hospice and multi-service healthcare with vision and heart,  share their experiences in managing diverse service lines, emphasizing the importance of culture, workforce resilience, and community engagement. Rebecca and Mark discuss the challenges of balancing mission and margin while fostering innovation and collaboration. The conversation underscores the importance of strategic planning, mentorship, and understanding regulatory frameworks to navigate the healthcare landscape effectively.  

System wide goals of care implementation: A podcast with Ira Byock, Chris Dale, and Matt GonzalesGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Ira Byock, Chris Dale, Matt Gonzales; 7/24/25Most health care providers understand the importance of goals-of-care conversations in aligning treatment plans with patients’ goals, especially for those with serious medical problems. And yet, these discussions often either don’t happen or at least don’t get documented. How can we do better? In today’s podcast, we sit down with Ira Byock, Chris Dale, and Matthew Gonzales to discuss a multi-year healthcare system-wide goals of care implementation project within the Providence Health Care System. Spanning 51 hospitals, this initiative [found] an increase from 7% to 85% in goals of care conversation documentation for patients who were in an ICU for 5 or more days. How did they achieve this? Our guests will share insights into the project’s inception and the strategies that drove its success, including:

Death anxiety: Dani Chammas & Keri BrennerGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Dani Chammas, Keri Brenner; 7/17/25What is death anxiety? We spend the first 15 minutes of the podcast addressing this question. And maybe this was unfair to our guests, the fabulous dynamic duo of palliative psychiatrists Dani Chammas and Keri Brenner (listen to their prior podcasts on therapeutic presence and the angry patient). After all, we invited them on to our podcast to discuss death anxiety, then Eric and I immediately questioned if death anxiety was the best term for what we want to discuss!

A lesson in humility: Reviewing medical 'truths'Medscape podcast; by Neil Skolnik; 6/25/25In this month's column, Dr Neil Skolnik delivers a lesson in humility by providing an overview of medical interventions that were obviously correct — until science proved otherwise. These examples serve not as an admonishment of medical practice, but rather as a reminder to physicians and scientists to always examine their assumptions and stay up to date with research, because our understanding of disease states and treatment courses can always change. Although we've come a long way, Dr Skolnik offers this advice: "Good medical advice moves in a zigzag path toward truth, and those who offer it must not pretend to know all the answers."

How do I adapt my leadership as my company grows?Harvard Business Review podcast; by Muriel Wilkins; 6/16/25She’s an entrepreneur who has led her company to a fair amount of success. After recently hitting a roadblock, she’s hired new talent and is looking to position her company for continued growth. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to adjust her leadership to keep pace with her growing business.

In the passenger seat - The vital role of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) in hospice careIllinois Hospice and Palliative Care Organization podcast; 6/20/25We’re pleased to share the latest episode of In the Passenger Seat, where we explore the vital role of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) in hospice care. In this thoughtful conversation, our guest speakers Rachael Miller and Allison Bush, of Lightways Hospice, share how Child Life professionals help children and families navigate the challenges of serious illness, dying, and grief.[Note: Link downloads this podcast.]

Who Cares podcast: The future of aging in AmericaNational Alliance for Care at Home podcast; by Steve Landers and Elyssa Katz; 5/30/25The first episode of the Who Cares podcast is out now! Join hosts Dr. Steve Landers and Elyssa Katz as they dive into the future of aging in America and set the scene for the wide-ranging conversations that will follow.[Membership may be required to access the podcast from this link; it may be available using other services.]

Psilocybin in serious illness: James Downar, Ali John Zarrabi and Margaret RossGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, James Downar, Ali John Zarrabi, Margaret Ross; 5/8/25We’ve covered psychedelics on the podcast before — first in 2019 with Ira Byock, where we explored their potential role in medicine, and then again in 2023 with Stacy Fischer, Brian Anderson, and Theora Cimino, focusing on the reasons to approach psychedelic use in patients with caution. In today’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at the current state of the science around one specific psychedelic: psilocybin. We’ll discuss three recent clinical trials involving patients with serious illness, joined by our guests James Downar, Ali John Zarrabi, and Margaret Ross.

HIV, aging, and palliative care: Peter Selwyn and Meredith GreeneGeriPal Podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith; 5/1/25Peter Selwyn, one of today’s guests, has been caring for people living with HIV for over 40 years. In that time, care of people with HIV has changed dramatically. Initially, there was no treatment, then treatments with marginal efficacy, complex schedules, and a tremendous burden of side effects and drug-drug interactions. The average age at death was in the 30s. Now, more people in the US die with HIV rather than from HIV. Treatment regimens are simplified, and the anti-viral drugs are well tolerated. People are living with HIV into advanced ages. The average age at death is likely in the 60s. Nearly half of people living with HIV are over age 55. One in 10 people with newly diagnosed HIV is an older adult. Our second guest, Meredith Greene, is a geriatrician and researcher who focuses on care of older adults living with HIV, in the US and Africa.

RCT of PC in EDGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Corita Grudzen, Fernanda Bellolio, Tammie Quest; 4/10/25Today we focus on an intervention, published in JAMA, that gave emergency clinicians basic palliative care knowledge, training, and skills. We talk with Corita Grudzen and Fernanda Bellolio about their cluster stepped wedge randomized trial of a palliative care intervention directed at emergency clinicians... We are fortunate to have Tammie Quest, emergency and palliative trained and long a leader in this space, to help us unpack and contextualize these findings.

Does confronting mortality make our lives more meaningful? | The Ethical Life podcast SC Now, Florence, SC; podcast hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada; 1/29/25 Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss how our awareness of mortality shapes the way we live. Kyte begins by discussing how ancient philosophers, particularly the Stoics, believed we should keep death constantly in mind, [helping] us avoid self-deception about our mortality and the tendency to become overly attached to material possessions and markers of success. Later, the hosts discuss how major religions have grappled with the question of what happens after death. ... Rada and Kyte share their personal reflections on mortality. ... Kyte says he ponders it daily, not in a morbid way, but to remind himself to use his finite time wisely. They discuss how people near the end of life often shift their priorities to relationships, forgiveness and small joys. 

Hawaii Care Choices kicks off talk show about health care Hawaii Tribune Herald; 11/1/24 Hawaii Care Choices has launched “Let’s Talk Healthcare Hawaii!” — a new TV talk show and podcast dedicated to palliative care education. [Access to the full story requires subscription.]

[Podcast] Health by law: What should clinicians and students know about the legal landscape of advance care planning?AMA Journal of Ethics; by Thaddeus M. Pope; 10/7/24Dr Thaddeus M. Pope joins Health By Law to discuss updates to the Uniform Law Commission’s Health-Care Decisions Act.