Early Palliative Care-Health services research and implementation of sustainable changes: the study protocol of the XXXX project.

@entity1 @entity26467 @entity5
BACKGROUND: International medical organizations such as the American Society of Medical Oncology recommend early palliative care as the "gold standard" for palliative care in @entity1 with @entity5 . Nevertheless, even in @entity5 , early palliative care is not yet routine practice. The main goal of the @entity26467 project is to evaluate whether early palliative care can be implemented-in the sense of "putting evidence into practice"-into the everyday clinical practice of @entity5 . In addition, we are interested in (1) describing the type of support that @entity1 would like from palliative care, (2) gaining information about the effect of palliative care on @entity1 ' quality of life, and (3) understanding the economic burden of palliative care on @entity1 and their families. METHODS/DESIGN: The @entity26467 project is a multi-center, prospective cohort study with a sequential control group design. The study is a project of the Palliative Care Center of Excellence (KOMPACT) in Baden-W  rttemberg, Germany, which was recently established to combine the expertise of five academic, specialist palliative care departments. The study is divided into two phases: preliminary phase (months 1-9) and main study phase (months 10-18). In each of all five participating academic @entity5 , an experienced palliative care physician will be hired for 18 months. During the preliminary phase, the physician will be allowed time to establish the necessary structures for early palliative care within the @entity5 Center. In the main study phase, @entity1 with @entity5 will be offered a consultation with the palliative care physician within eight weeks of diagnosis. After the initial consultation, follow-up consultations will be offered as needed. The study is built upon a convergent parallel design. In the quantitative arm, @entity1 will be surveyed in both the preliminary and main study phase at three points in time (baseline, 12 weeks, 24 weeks). Standardized questionnaires will be used to measure @entity1 ' quality of life, symptom burden and mood. Using interviews with palliative care physicians, oncologists, department heads, @entity1 and their caregivers, the qualitative arm will explore (1) what factors encourage and hinder the early integration of palliative care into standard oncology care, (2) what support @entity1 and their caregivers would like from palliative care, and (3) what effect palliative care has on the economic disease burden of @entity1 and their families. DISCUSSION: The study proposed is meant to serve as a catalyzer. Local palliative care teams should be put in position to routinely cooperate with the primary treating department at their respective @entity5 center. The long-term goal of this project is to create sustainable improvements in the care of @entity1 with incurable @entity5 . TRIAL REGISTRATION: DRKS00006162 ; date of registration: 19/05/2014.
