Evaluating Clinician Motivational Interviewing Training to Improve Patient Outcomes

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.