Behavioral Health Initial Intake Outreach

NCT07790107 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2026-0674
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 6,200
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to help patients get seen sooner for behavioral health appointments by informing them about group therapy options, which allow more patients to be seen at once, often more quickly than 1:1 therapy. We will test whether messages describing the benefits of group therapy might encourage more patients to sign up for group therapy, thereby shortening patients' time to beginning therapy.

Conditions

Behavioral Health

Keywords

psychotherapy; patient education; randomized controlled trial; access to care; patient messaging; nudges

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Time to first psychotherapy appointment

  Time from the date the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care) to the patient's first completed psychotherapy appointment, whether group or 1:1

  Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)

Other Outcomes (9)

• Time to first group psychotherapy appointment

  Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)

• Time to first 1:1 psychotherapy appointment

  Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)

• Completion of psychotherapy appointment (y/n)

  Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)

Study Arms (2)

Usual Care

NO INTERVENTION

Patients will receive usual care and will not receive the pre-intake call informational messages. Usual care includes the standard scheduling and communication processes for behavioral health intake appointments.

Pre-Intake Appointment Messages

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients will receive informational messages delivered through MyChart or text message before their scheduled behavioral health intake appointment. Patient instructions will also be modified.

Behavioral: Pre-intake appointment informational messages

Interventions

Pre-intake appointment informational messages BEHAVIORAL

Informational messages delivered through MyChart or text message before a scheduled behavioral health intake call. The MyChart messages explain that the intake call is a one-time appointment to determine the most appropriate treatment plan, describe potential benefits of group psychotherapy, and provide a link to additional educational information about group therapy. Patient instructions with the same information added to the appointment within MyChart. Patients who do not have MyChart but can be sent text messages will get brief text messages with a link to MyChart to view patient instructions with information about group therapy.

Pre-Intake Appointment Messages

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patient is age 18 years or older
• Patient is referred for outpatient behavioral health psychotherapy services at Geisinger
• Patient has a scheduled behavioral health intake appointment
• Patient is eligible to receive pre-appointment messages through MyChart and/or SMS

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Geisinger Clinic: lead

Study Sites (1)

Geisinger Clinic

Danville, Pennsylvania, 17822, United States

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Gail Rosenbaum, PhD

  Geisinger Clinic

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Gail Rosenbaum, PhD

CONTACT

570-243-1199; grosenbaum@geisinger.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Patients are assigned to the intervention arm will be aware of the message and visit instructions, but they will not know that some patients do not get the message and visit instructions.
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Program Director, Geisinger Behavioral Insights Team

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 24, 2026
• First Posted: August 27, 2026
• Study Start: August 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2028
• Last Updated: August 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)