Design and data collection
This was a pre-implementation exploratory study using a combination of open-ended survey questions and semi-structured in-depth interviews. We had originally planned focus groups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that had then started, we were prohibited from conducting focus groups and participants were even more limited in their resources in terms of time. The decision was then made for individual interviews via video conference that were easier to plan and conduct. After the ethics committee had approved the amendments, data collection could begin.Step 1: The survey contained a self-developed questionnaire including six open-ended questions about possible i) opportunities, expectations, ii) challenges, concerns, and iii) criteria, general requirements. The questionnaire commenced with a closed-ended question concerning the need for a university inpatient hospice on a five-point Likert scale and concluded with an open-ended question for additional remarks. The self-developed questions were informed by discussions with clinical experts, health services researchers as well as by our research objectives and reviewed literature, and co-developed with the head of the working group “hospice” at the Department of Palliative Medicine (TM). It was then distributed to all division heads of the Department of Palliative Medicine who passed our information material to their staff.Step 2: The interview guide was developed by KD (psychologist and PhD in health sciences) and JS (social and behavioural scientist and PhD in health sciences). The interview guide (supplemental file All interviews were recorded digitally and performed by the first author (KD). JS familiarised herself with a random sample of the responses. Afterwards, the codes and categories were discussed and negotiated between the authors and adjustments were made if necessary. Verbatim transcription was done by a professional transcriber who had signed a confidentiality agreement. Demographical information was collected at the beginning of each interview keeping the information to a minimum to ensure the greatest level of anonymity. The survey was conducted anonymously. In this respect, we do not know who participated in both (survey and interview) or only in one of the two.