Clinical trial · Interventional
Virtual Versus In-Person Approaches
Evaluating Palliative Care Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Virtual Versus In-Person Approaches
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of two models of early palliative care delivery for adults with cancer: virtual care provided through scheduled video consultations and standard in-person clinic visits. Early palliative care aims to improve quality of life, manage symptoms, and support patients and families throughout the course of serious illness. Although in-person services are well established, access barriers may limit their use, and virtual care may offer a feasible alternative. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either virtual early palliative care or in-person early palliative care. Both models include structured assessments of physical and psychological symptoms, communication and decision-making support, and routine follow-up with a palliative care specialist. Outcomes are assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Primary and secondary outcomes include quality of life, symptom burden, psychological distress, patient satisfaction, and healthcare utilization. The purpose of the study is to determine whether virtual early palliative care delivers outcomes comparable to those of traditional in-person care. The results may inform future models of palliative care delivery by identifying approaches that improve accessibility while maintaining high-quality patient support.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Malignant Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Palliative Care, Patient Care | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard In-Person Early Palliative Care | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Virtual Early Palliative Care | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Telepalliative Care
- description
- Participants assigned to this arm will receive early palliative care delivered primarily through scheduled virtual visits. Consultations will occur approximately every four weeks using secure video-conferencing platforms or, when necessary, telephone calls. A multidisciplinary palliative care team-including physicians, nurses, and other supportive care providers-will conduct symptom assessments, provide management recommendations, offer psychosocial support, and engage in care planning. Caregivers may join the virtual sessions when available. Additional follow-up contacts may be arranged to address urgent concerns or symptom changes. The clinical content is equivalent to standard in-person palliative care; only the delivery modality differs.
- interventionNames
- Other: Virtual Early Palliative Care
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- In-Person Palliative Care
- description
- Participants assigned to the control arm will receive standard early palliative care through face-to-face clinic visits at the King Hussein Cancer Center every four weeks. Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team consisting of physicians, nurses, social workers, and other supportive care professionals. Services include routine symptom monitoring, adjustment of treatment plans, psychosocial support, and additional assessments as clinically indicated. All clinical content follows evidence-based palliative care guidelines. The primary difference from the intervention arm is that care is delivered in person rather than virtually.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years or older * Diagnosed with a solid tumor at any stage * Referred to palliative care services at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) * Able to read and write in Arabic * Capable of providing informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive impairment that limits ability to consent or meaningfully participate * Psychiatric conditions that interfere with ability to consent or participate * Critically ill or receiving end-of-life care where participation would cause undue burden * Inability to participate in telehealth interventions due to lack of access to necessary technology * Absence of caregiver support when needed for telehealth participation
References
Publications (0)
Data not yet available