An interventional study of Pre-intake appointment informational messages in Behavioral Health, sponsored by Geisinger Clinic. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-31.
Sponsored by Geisinger Clinic · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research
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.
Before beginning any therapy, patients must complete an intake appointment, involving initial assessments and a determination of whether 1:1 or group therapy is appropriate for the patient. However, many patients are unaware that a group therapy recommendation (vs. 1:1 therapy) is a potential outcome of the intake appointment, and/or are unaware of the benefits of group therapy.
We will test whether messages informing patients about the benefits of group therapy sent ahead of the routine intake calls can increase the uptake of group therapy, helping patients get care sooner. Patients will be randomized to the message group or the no-message control group (i.e., current standard of care).
Patients in the message group will be sent messages soon after their intake appointment is scheduled. The messages will describe the goal of the visit ("Your upcoming visit is a one-time appointment to plan what's next for your care.") and emphasize the benefits of group therapy (e.g., "Groups usually start sooner than individual sessions and offer plenty of days and times to fit your schedule."), with a link to a flyer with more group-therapy details. The same information will be added to the patient instructions for the visit for those in the message group.
Messages will be sent via the MyChart patient portal for those with an existing MyChart account. Those who do not have MyChart but can be sent a text message will get a text message with a link to activate their MyChart account to view the patient instructions.
Patients will be enrolled for one year, with about 6200 expected in this time frame.
Geisinger Clinic is the lead sponsor of 127 studies on the registry; 17 are open to participants now.
Of its 9 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 7 (78%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria:
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.
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
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.
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
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Time to first group 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 group psychotherapy appointment
Time frame: 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
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 1:1 psychotherapy appointment
Time frame: 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)
Completion of a psychotherapy appointment, either group or 1:1
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Completion of group psychotherapy appointment (y/n)
Completion of a group psychotherapy appointment
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Completion of 1:1 psychotherapy appointment (y/n)
Completion of a 1:1 psychotherapy appointment
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Behavioral health intake appointment completion (y/n)
Completion of a behavioral health intake appointment
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Time to first behavioral health intake appointment completion
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 behavioral health intake
Time frame: Within 6 months after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Number of group therapy sessions attended
Count of group therapy sessions attended
Time frame: Within 1 year after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Behavioral health-related emergency department (ED) visits (y/n)
Had at least one behavioral health-related ED visit
Time frame: Within 1 year after the intervention message is sent (or the corresponding index date for patients assigned to usual care)
Plan to share: No
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