Procedure
BLIND
Patients were randomized after providing verbal informed consent to participate over the phone. The randomization list was generated using an online randomization program (randomization.com). The informed written consent was obtained by post after randomization. The patients subsequently received appointments at the hospital by post. If the hospital was not able to provide the patient with an assessment within a reasonable time (in Sweden, this is considered to be 90 days), the patients were offered an assessment at another hospital. The patients were still able to continue their participation in the study and, depending on which hospital they were sent to, either the patient or the administrative staff at the hospital informed the first author (LG) about the date of their assessment. Due to the nature of the study, it was not possible to blind either the caregivers or the patients.