Table 1.

Primary and secondary outcome parameters

Study outcome	Data source	Assessment tool	Items and scales
Primary outcome
Communication skills addressing PC/EoL-related issues	External rating by study scientists	Study-specific rating manual (adapted version of COM-ON-checklist39,40 and COM-ON-coaching rating scales41)	13 Items (Likert scale 0-4) on 5 scales: •Emotions and empathy •Opportunities and hope •Further cancer-specific treatment •Addressing end of life •Explaining concept of PC
Secondary outcomes
Self-efficacy regarding conversations about PC	Physicians’ self-report	Scale ‘communication’ of the Self-Efficacy in Palliative Care Scale (SEPC; valid and reliable questionnaire59)	8 Items [visual analogue scale from (0) very anxious to (10) very confident]
Attitudes towards caring for terminal ill patients	Physicians’ self-report	Thanatophobia-Scale,60 valid and reliable59,60	7 Items (Likert scale 1-7)
Communication strategies in discussing PC/EoL-related issues	Physicians’ self-report	Communication about End of Life Survey20; good internal reliability	19 Items (Likert scale 1-5) on 2 scales: •Approach communication •Avoidance communication
Confidence in dealing with specific PC/EoL-related issues	Physicians’ self-report	Study-specific items	5 Items (Likert scale 0-4)
Attitudes towards early communication of PC/EoL-related issues	Physicians’ self-report	Study-specific items	2 Items (Likert scale 0-4)
Communication quality from the physicians’ perspective	Physicians’ self-report	Study-specific items	8 Items (Likert scale 0-4) on 4 scales: •motions and empathy •Opportunities and hope •Addressing end of life •Self-confidence addressing PC/EoL-related issues
Communication quality from the SPs’ perspective	External rating by SPs	Study-specific items inspired by the German version of the questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient-Interaction (QQPPI)61,62	15 Items (Likert scale 0-4) on 4 scales: •Emotions and empathy •Opportunities and hope •Addressing end of life •Further cancer-specific treatment
Satisfaction with PALLI-COM training	Physicians’ self-report	Study-specific items	5 Items (Likert scale 1-5)

COM-ON, communication in oncology; EoL, end-of-life; PC, palliative care; SP, simulated patient.