Table 4. Activities and communications among members of the care pathway relevant for group comparison and mutual exclusion.

Activities and communications	Intervention group (QoL pathway)	Control group (standard postoperative care)
CP and professional therapists trained in treatment options and trial protocol	✓	✓
CP able to order one or more QoL therapeutic options also in standard care (e.g., physiotherapy)	✓	✓
Timing and extent of adjuvant therapies with negative influence on QoL (chemotherapy, radiation, endocrine therapy) captured	✓	✓
CP receives QoL profile and expert report	✓	−
Onset and duration of any QoL therapies are prompted by profile and expert report	✓	−
CP is able to communicate with professional therapists and opinion leaders about the meaning of the profile and what should be done	✓	−
QoL unit calls CP by telephone, 4 weeks after patient's regular follow-up date, asking if anything was done in response to QoL diagnosis	✓	−

Abbreviations: CP=coordinating practitioner; QoL=quality of life; ✓=present; −=absent.

Activities are present in both groups, contamination occurs and reduces effectiveness.