Status exploration and analysis of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany: A protocol for a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Multi-professional cooperation between healthcare providers is a key quality criterion of hospice and palliative care. While hospice and palliative care networks can support cooperation on a local level, opportunities for wider cooperation through the establishment and development of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany have not yet been explored systematically. AIMS: The HOPAN study aims at: (1) identifying regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany, (2) analysing these networks using an adapted quality assessment tool, and (3) proposing setting-sensitive recommendations for network development and exploring the benefits of these recommendations. METHODS: HOPAN is a prospective, observational, mixed-methods study comprising three work packages (WPs). In WP1, the stock of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany will be identified via database, literature, and internet research. In WP2a, focus groups will be conducted to adapt an existing maturity model for healthcare networks to regional hospice and palliative care networks. In WP2b, a questionnaire will be sent to each identified regional hospice and palliative care network to gain insight into their structure and status of development. In WP2c, group discussions will be conducted to develop setting-sensitive recommendations for these networks. Finally, in WP3, these recommendations will be sent to all participating hospice and palliative care networks, and the benefits of the recommendations will be evaluated via a questionnaire. DISCUSSION: Empirically developed setting-sensitive recommendations should enable the systematic establishment and management of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany, considering the specific needs and potential of each network. The study findings are expected to improve the overall development of hospice and palliative care services. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was prospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien) (Registration N° DRKS00030629; date of registration: 02 November 2022). The study is searchable under the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal of the World Health Organization, under the German Clinical Trials Register number.