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Table 1 Overview of tailored support (A, B and C), depending on type of work-related problems experienced

From: Design of a multicentre randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored clinical support intervention to enhance return to work for gastrointestinal cancer patients

Healthcare professional

A (oncological nurse)

B (occupational physician)

C (multidisciplinary team)

Factors (differ according to type of support)

• Fatigue

• Pain

• Treatment

• Uncertainty about the future

• Lack of support from family and friends

• Lack of support in work environment

• Neuropsychological symptoms

• Occurrence of side effects that prevent patient from doing current work

Combination of the following factors:

Number of working hours—treatment—stage of cancer and fatigue

Combination of the following factors:

Medical complications—fatigue—stage of cancer—type of cancer—perception of change regarding work—dietary problems

First meeting Points for discussion include:

• Discuss restrictions on work due to cancer

• Inform patient about the importance of work

• Feasibility of continuing to work during treatment

• Patient’s point of view on work

• Plan to RTW or sustain work

• Discuss restrictions on work due to cancer

• Inform patient about the importance of work

• Feasibility of continuing to work during treatment

• Patient’s point of view on work

• Plan to RTW or sustain work

• Advice on workload/planning working hours/tasks, etc.

• Preliminary interview, occupational physician and patient

• Multidisciplinary team consultation

• Occupational physician provides feedback to patient

• Discuss restrictions on work due to cancer

• Inform patient about the importance of work

• Feasibility of continuing to work during treatment

• Patient’s point of view on work

• Plan to RTW or sustain work

• Advice on workload/planning working hours/tasks, etc.

Second meeting Points for discussion include:

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first meeting

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first meeting

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first meeting

Third meeting (if indicated)

Repeat matters discussed in second meeting

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first and second meeting

Repeat matters discussed in second meeting

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first and second meeting

Repeat matters discussed in second meeting

• Discuss contact with work environment

• Already resumed work or still working

• Barriers to RTW

• Discuss key decision-points within the process of reporting sick leave (legal obligations)

• Evaluate aims first and second meeting