Testing a Brief Reassurance Message Before a Musculoskeletal Clinic Visit (NCT07330492) | Clinical Trial Compass
Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable
Testing a Brief Reassurance Message Before a Musculoskeletal Clinic Visit
United States144 participantsStarted 2026-01-10
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a brief, reassuring pre-visit message affects patients' expectations and planned follow-up care in adults with common musculoskeletal conditions. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does reading a brief reassurance message before a clinic visit change how interested patients are in additional care, such as follow-up visits, tests, injections, or surgery?
* Does the message affect whether patients actually schedule follow-up care after the visit?
Researchers will compare participants who receive the pre-visit reassurance message to those who receive usual care to see if the message changes patients' enthusiasm for care or their follow-up decisions.
Participants will:
1. Read a short, easy-to-understand message about musculoskeletal symptoms and options for care (for those in the intervention group)
2. Complete a brief questionnaire rating their interest in follow-up visits, tests, injections, or surgery
3. Have their scheduled follow-up care recorded after the clinic visit
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Adult (18+ years)
* English or Spanish language literacy
* Seeking musculoskeletal specialty care
* Diagnosed with any non-traumatic musculoskeletal condition
* New or return patient to clinic
Exclusion Criteria:
* Cognitive or other impairment precluding completion of a survey on a tablet
* Acute traumatic pathophysiology (fracture, dislocation, sprain/strain)
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1This trial is testing whether a reassurance message sent before a clinic visit changes how eager patients are to seek extra tests or treatments — how might receiving or not receiving that message actually affect my own care plan at this appointment?
2Since this study is 'active, not recruiting,' I can't join it now, but could you tell me what the researchers are trying to learn about how patient expectations before a visit influence the kinds of care people ask for?
3The trial focuses on non-traumatic musculoskeletal conditions like mine — based on what studies like this are exploring, do you think my own mindset or expectations coming into appointments might be affecting the treatment path we're choosing together?
4If reassurance messaging before visits is being studied as a way to reduce unnecessary additional care, does that mean there's a concern that patients with my type of condition are sometimes over-treated, and is that something we should weigh when planning my next steps?
5Are there any findings from this kind of research that you already use in your practice — like how you frame information before I come in — that might be relevant to how we approach managing my musculoskeletal condition?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.