Table 1 Overview of the components of the EPHECT intervention
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Education of involved professionals of the palliative home care team |
- Educational session of two hours for members of the PHC team consisting of group discussions, case studies and education on drug therapies and side effects - Training for the PHC team in working with the intervention materials |
| Information of involved oncologists | - Involved oncologists are informed about the intervention and the role of the PHC team |
| General practitioner (GP) as coordinator of care |
- GP were contacted by data nurse to give permission for introducing PHC to his/her patient - GP then contacted the PHC team to plan the first visit - GP is the central coordinator of care and communicates with the PHC team and oncologist |
| Regular home visits by the nurse of the palliative home care (PHC) team |
- In-person home visits with patient and family caregiver - Recommendation of minimum one home visit per month, but to be discussed with patient in first consultation - Consultations supplemented with in-between telephone contacts if needed |
| Semi-structured home visits not only focusing on symptom management, but also on psychological and social care |
- Semi-structured conversation guide used in home visits of the PHC team in which following topics are embedded: o Understanding and perception of illness o Routine symptom management (ESAS at each visit) o Organization of care o Coping mechanisms o Quality of life of patient and family caregiver o Preferences for future care |
| Interprofessional and transmural collaboration |
- Collaboration and communication via telephone contacts - Patients discussed by the PHC team during weekly meetings - GP should be contacted after each home visit and if needed after weekly meeting - If needed, GP should contact oncologist to discuss further actions |