The COMPASSION Study

The aim of this research study is to better understand the in-home hospice experience for participants, caregivers, hospice nurses, and oncology providers by conducting telehealth check-ins between participants and caregivers and oncology care teams.

Study procedures include giving verbal consent to participate and a one-time survey delivered by email or phone call.

About 200 people, which includes 50 participants, 50 caregivers, 50 hospice nurses, and about 50 oncology providers, are expected to participate in this research study.

Inclusion criteria

• Patient of any gender with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer
• Eligible for in-home hospice services and referred by DFCI clinical team to in-home hospice </= 1 week before enrollment
• Ability to conduct video or phone check-ins, even if assistance required.
• Able to provide verbal consent with a willingness to take a survey at 4-6 weeks, if medically able
• Hospice setting is within Massachusetts
• Non-English language allowed but interpreter services must be present at each meeting and will be coordinated by scheduling team
• Willingness to provide a caregiver/loved one's contact information for survey contact at 4 weeks after enrollment

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to provide verbal consent
• Hospice care planned outside of a home setting (note: if participants start out in a home hospice setting but later transition their hospice care to an inpatient setting, enrollment is allowed as long as they started in a home setting)
• Hospice setting outside of Massachusetts
• Individuals who are under the age of 18, as this is not a project focused on pediatric patients.