The MuSt-PC: a Pilot Study to Assess Symptom Burden of Co-occuring Symptoms

In this pilot study, physicians and nurse practitioners working in different care settings will use MuSt-PC, for adult patients with any life-limiting iilness, for whom the Surprise question is answered negatively: if the HCP answers "no" to the question "Would I be surprised if this patiënt died in the next 12 months?''. In total, at least 20 eligible patients will be recruited and asked to perform all study assessments.

After a baseline screening assessment, all eligible patients with at least 2 simultaneously occurring symptoms with a numeric rating score £4 on the 11 point scale on the Utrecht Symptom Diary, will be asked to fiil out the Utrecht Symptom Diary during two weeks.

In the first week twice daily (morning and evening), in the second week once daily (evening).

Inclusion criteria

• Patients identified as in a palliative care trajectory (based on a negative answer to the surprise question "Would I be surprised if this patiënt died in the next 12 months?")
• All primary diseases (cancer, non-cancer (e.g. COPD, haart failure, frailty)
• Patients should have at least two symptoms on the Utrecht Symptom Diary with a numeric rating score of 4 or higher
• Life expectancy of at least 4 weeks
• Able to fill out Dutch questionnaires
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who are unable or unwilling to self-assess their symptoms at baseline.