The MuSt-PC: a Feasibility Study on Intent to Use a Tool With Regard to Symptom Management

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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A study on the intent to use a tool (MuSt-PC) to manage symptoms of patients in a palliative care trajectory.

Detailed Description
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A survey study will be conducted to evaluate if GHCPs have the Intention to Use (IU) MuSt- PC in daily practice. GHCPs are recruited via the connections of the seven Centers of Expertise in Palliative Care. To invite them to participate in the study, the GHCPs are approached directly via e-mail or telephone. Participating GHCPs will be educated on how to use MuSt-PC (educational materials and instruction webinar). GHCPs will be asked to use the CDSS for five individual patients. Every time after using MuSt-PC they will be asked to answer additional questions about their experience with using MuSt-PC in that specific instance. After using MuSt-PC for five patients, they are requested to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire about their overall experiences with using the CDSS.

Official Title
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The MuSt-PC: A Multidimensional Strategy to Improve Quality of Life of Patients With Multiple Symptoms and Palliative Care Needs - Feasibility Study

Conditions
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Palliative Medicine

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Survey


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Residents (in Dutch: Arts In Opleiding tot Specialist (AIOS) or Arts Niet In Opleiding tot Specialist (ANIOS)), medical specialists and nurse practitioners working in the following disciplines are invited to participate: General practice Nursing home Hospital: Clinical geriatrics Medical oncology Radiation oncology Pulmonology Cardiology Exclusion Criteria: HCPs who were formally trained in palliative care (kaderopleiding palliatieve zorg, Masteropleiding Palliative Medicine for Health Care Professionals at Cardiff University or post-HBO opleiding palliatieve zorg) and/or who have been or are currently a consultant of a palliative care consultation team are considered specialists in palliative care, are excluded from participation. GHCPs (e.g. nurses) who cannot independently decide about CDSS recommendation adherence, including drug interventions, are excluded from participation.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Arm 1<br>A targeted sample of healthcare providers (HCPs) who are not specialized in palliative care (GHCPs) constitutes the study population. | Other: Survey<br>* A survey study will be conducted to evaluate if GHCPs have the Intention to Use (IU) MuSt-PC in daily practice.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Questions evaluating Intention to Use (IU) | Questions evaluating Intention to Use (IU) (7-point Likert scales) | after 5 times use of the MuSt-PC tool within 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Questions evaluating other modified TAM domains | Questions evaluating other modified TAM domains: Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease-of-Use, Attitude, Compatibility, Subjective norm, Facilitators, Habit (7-point Likert Scales). | after 5 times use of the MuSt-PC tool within 3 months | 
| Perceived benefits and disadvantages of using MuSt-PC | Perceived benefits and disadvantages of using MuSt-PC (open-ended questions). | after 5 times use within 3 months | 
| Suggestions to improve the MuSt-PC CDSS | Suggestions to improve the MuSt-PC CDSS (open-ended question). | after 5 times of the MuSt-PC tool within 3 months | 
| An overview of the content of questions of participating GHCPs regarding MuSt-PC use. | An overview of the content of questions of participating GHCPs regarding MuSt-PC use. Questions will be analyzed qualitatively; coding will be done independently by two researchers. In case of disagreement, consensus will be achieved through discussion. Coding will result in categorization of question subject. Categorizations are ranked from most prevalent to least prevalent question subject (proportion of respondents). | after 5 times use within 3 months | 
| Most useful elements of MuSt-PC will be evaluated with a multiple-choice question. | Most useful elements of MuSt-PC will be evaluated with a multiple-choice question. (multiple answers allowed) Frequency and percentage of total respondents who chose the multiple choice answer possibilities will be evaluated | after 5 times use within 3 months | 
| Mean scores of HCPs adherence to CDSS recommendations | Mean scores (5-point Likert scale) of HCPs adherence to CDSS recommendations (each time using MuSt-PC) | after 5 times use of the MuSt-PC tool within 3 months |