Clinician Motivational Interviewing Training Evaluation

NCT07814521 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: 2026-0493
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) training for Geisinger clinicians on their patients' health outcomes. Clinicians will be randomly assigned to attend or not attend mandated MI training, which will be provided at one of several sessions offered beginning in August 2026. Randomization will be stratified by department to ensure participant balance and that participating departments maintain necessary staffing levels during the training period. The study will assess whether there is a significant increase in patients' positive health behaviors and outcomes, as reflected in an index measure of multiple outcomes that may reasonably be facilitated by MI training: vaccinations and health screenings as reflected in electronic health record care gaps. Smoking cessation and other lifestyle modifications, preventive medication adherence, and behavioral health use may also be examined as part of an overall measure of MI impact. For each clinician assigned to the study, all patients they see in the 90-day period following the (would-be) date of that clinician's training will be identified and enrolled in the study. Outcome timeframes will then be relative to each unique patient's first encounter following (would-be) training.

Conditions

Behavior Change Interventions; Evaluation; Training Effectiveness; Health Services Research; Healthcare Provider Training; Patient-provider Communication

Keywords

Behavior change interventions; Evaluation; Training effectiveness; Health services research; Healthcare provider training; Patient-provider communication; Motivational interviewing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Proportion of care gaps addressed

  Proportion of open care gaps closed

  Within 180 days following initial patient encounter, as of day following (would-be) assigned MI training session

Study Arms (2)

MI training

EXPERIMENTAL

Clinician is assigned to attend an MI training session

Behavioral: MI training

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Clinician is not assigned to MI training

Interventions

MI training BEHAVIORAL

Clinicians will be instructed to register for one MI training session that will be conducted live and in person, with possible virtual training available for those unable to attend in person

MI training

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Employed by Geisinger throughout study period
• Working in the Community Medical Service Line (CMSL) or 65 Forward
• MD, DO, PA
• \>= 18 years of age
• Attended a CMSL or 65 Forward encounter with an enrolled clinician at least once during the study period, following the MI training

You may not qualify if:

• N/A

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Geisinger Clinic: lead

Study Sites (1)

Geisinger Health System

Danville, Pennsylvania, 17822, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Amir Goren, PhD

  Geisinger Clinic

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Clinicians will be aware of whether or not they are receiving MI training. Patients will not be informed about whether their clinicians received MI training, but they will be able to observe clinician behaviors affected by the training.
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director, Geisinger Program Evaluation

Model Details: The design is intent-to-treat, such that clinicians randomized to training will be included in the treatment group, regardless of whether they attended the (in-person) training session.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 17, 2026
• First Posted: September 11, 2026
• Study Start: August 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Last Updated: September 11, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)