Do I Have Time to Use MI?
A common concern from providers about using a motivational interviewing (MI) approach is that it may take too much time. After all, MI involves listening, exploring, and understanding; in a typical MI conversation, the patient or client is talking more than the provider. It is reasonable to think that these conversations may take longer. However, many providers find that an MI approach actually saves time. How can this be? Here are three main reasons I’ve heard:
“I don’t spend time telling people things they already know.”
Many providers who start using MI realize that they often wasted time giving patients information that they had already heard. For example, instead of telling someone how often they should be brushing and flossing, asking someone about their current habits might reveal that they already have great dental hygiene practices.
“I don’t waste time getting into debates.”
MI teaches us that debating, confronting, and arguing are counterproductive. While these behaviors are tempting, especially when someone is sharing misinformation or disinformation, trying to change someone’s mind in the absence of empathy and understanding is unlikely to result in positive change. Instead of reflexively trying to “fix” another person, we can use MI skills to engage and guide in a much more effective manner.
“When I do provide recommendations, my patients seem more accepting of them.”
An important practice in MI is to ask permission before sharing a recommendation; this simple strategy typically makes people more open to hearing recommendations and helps them to feel a greater sense of respect from the provider as well. Additionally, if we have spent some time learning about someone’s concerns, our recommendations are more likely to be appropriate to the situation. For instance, our medical director, Ryan Hassan, MD was once speaking with a patient who was hesitant regarding the COVID vaccine; Dr. Hassan took the time to inquire about his hesitancy, and the patient shared that his primary concern was around mRNA technology. Dr. Hassan then asked the patient if he’d heard about Novavax, a non-mRNA option. The patient was very open to this option.
When Bill Miller, a founder of MI, was asked, “Can you do MI in a few minutes?” He responded, “Can you play the piano for a few minutes?” Although it’s true that we can only explore so much in a short consultation, we might as well employ evidence-based strategies in whatever time we have available. A brief, connecting conversation can pay dividends down the road.
Want to learn more about MI? Join us at a free upcoming webinar! https://www.boostoregon.org/webinars
-Carrie Bader, MPH, MOT
Training Director, Boost Oregon
Member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers
