Train every team to write and speak clearly
ClearComm Academy builds clear-communication skills a few minutes a day. Staff take short lessons in 15 languages. Then they practice hard conversations with a simulated patient, by voice or text: Teach-Back, Motivational Interviewing, shared decision-making and warm handoffs. Coaching shows them what to try next.
ClearComm Academy and Teach-Back
What it does
- Six dimensions, from readability to actionability, in 15 languages.
- A daily challenge, streaks, badges and skills checks build the habit.
- Teach-Back practice aligned to IHI's published elements.
- Motivational Interviewing practice with a patient who may push back.
- Shared decision-making and warm handoff practice, by voice or text.
- Formative scores with coaching on what to try next.
ClearComm Academy
Practice the conversations that matter
Reading about a skill is not the same as using it. Staff talk with a simulated patient or client, by voice or text. Then a skills review shows what went well and what to try next. Every scenario is fictional.
Teach-Back
Explain a care plan, then ask the person to say it back in their own words. Coaching after every turn. Aligned to IHI's published teach-back elements.
- Voice or text
- Simulated patient
- Interpreter mode
Motivational Interviewing
Talk with a patient who isn't sure about a change. Practice open questions, reflections and respect for their choice. Four scenarios, from beginner to advanced.
- Voice or text
- Simulated patient
- Six-skill review
Shared decision-making
Help a patient weigh their options against what matters to them. The review covers five skills: seek participation, explore options, assess values, reach a decision or defer, and plan follow-up.
- Voice or text
- Simulated patient
- Five-skill review
Warm handoff
Connect a client to a community resource, and confirm the connection sticks.
- Voice or text
- Simulated client
- Formative review
Motivational Interviewing
Practice with a patient who isn't ready yet
The simulated patient pushes back, the way real people do. As you listen and reflect, their stance can shift. Afterward, a review looks at six skills. It quotes your own words and suggests a next try. Not changing is a valid outcome.
Quitting smoking
Illustrative · synthetic example
Patient's stance · ended at motivated
- Resistant (reached)
- Ambivalent (reached)
- Exploring (reached)
- Motivated (reached)
PatientResistant
"Everyone keeps telling me to quit. I've smoked for 30 years. It's the one thing that calms me down."
- Reflective listening
You
"Smoking really helps you handle stress. What would you miss most if you cut back?"
PatientAmbivalent
"The quiet break, I guess. But I get winded on the stairs now, and that scares me."
- Personal reasons for change
You
"Part of you values that break, and part of you worries about your breathing. What matters most to you about it?"
PatientExploring
"I want to keep up with my grandkids. Maybe I could skip the morning one?"
- Autonomy and partnership
You
"That's your call. Would it help to talk about what a morning without one could look like?"
PatientMotivated
"Yes. Let's start with the morning one."
Skills review
- Open questionsEffective
- AffirmationsNot observed
- Reflective listeningEffective
- SummariesNeeds practice
- Personal reasons for changeDeveloping
- Autonomy and partnershipEffective
"Smoking really helps you handle stress."
- The patient's view
- I felt heard, not lectured. It was my idea to start with the mornings.
- Next try
- Add one affirmation. For example, notice that they came in ready to talk about it.
Taking medications consistently
Illustrative · synthetic example
Patient's stance · ended at motivated
- Resistant (reached)
- Ambivalent (reached)
- Exploring (reached)
- Motivated (reached)
PatientResistant
"I feel fine. I don't see why I need a pill every day."
- Open questions
You
"You feel well, so a daily pill seems like a lot. What have you noticed when you skip it?"
PatientAmbivalent
"Nothing, mostly. My last blood pressure reading was high, though. And I forget half the time."
- Affirmations
You
"You keep your appointments and you watch your numbers. That takes effort."
PatientExploring
"I guess I could keep the bottle by the coffee maker."
- Summaries
You
"So you feel fine, the high reading worried you, and the coffee maker might help you remember. Did I get that right?"
PatientMotivated
"Yes. I'll try the coffee maker this week."
Skills review
- Open questionsDeveloping
- AffirmationsEffective
- Reflective listeningNeeds practice
- SummariesEffective
- Personal reasons for changeNeeds practice
- Autonomy and partnershipDeveloping
"So you feel fine, the high reading worried you, and the coffee maker might help you remember."
- The patient's view
- Hearing it back helped me see my own reasons.
- Next try
- Ask what matters most to them about their health before talking about a plan.
Starting an exercise routine
Illustrative · synthetic example
Patient's stance · ended at motivated
- Resistant (reached)
- Ambivalent (reached)
- Exploring (reached)
- Motivated (reached)
PatientResistant
"I work two jobs. When am I supposed to exercise?"
- Open questions
You
"Your days are packed. What would make moving more feel worth it to you?"
PatientAmbivalent
"My knees hurt, and my doctor says walking would help. But I'm so tired."
- Reflective listening
You
"You want your knees to feel better, and you're worn out. Both make sense."
PatientExploring
"Maybe a short walk at lunch. Ten minutes?"
- Autonomy and partnership
You
"That's your idea, and it sounds doable. How would you like to try it?"
PatientMotivated
"Mondays and Thursdays. I'll start there."
Skills review
- Open questionsEffective
- AffirmationsNeeds practice
- Reflective listeningDeveloping
- SummariesNot observed
- Personal reasons for changeEffective
- Autonomy and partnershipEffective
"That's your idea, and it sounds doable."
- The patient's view
- Nobody told me what to do. I picked the days.
- Next try
- Try a short summary before planning, so the patient hears their own reasons back.
Reducing alcohol use
Illustrative · synthetic example
Patient's stance · ended at exploring
- Resistant (reached)
- Ambivalent (reached)
- Exploring (reached)
- Motivated
PatientResistant
"I only drink on weekends. I don't have a problem."
- Reflective listening
You
"You don't see your drinking as a problem. What are your weekends usually like?"
PatientAmbivalent
"A few beers with friends. My wife says I'm different on Sundays. Maybe she has a point."
- Open questions
You
"You care how your wife sees things. What do you make of what she said?"
PatientExploring
"I'm not ready to stop. Maybe I'll keep track for a few weeks."
- Autonomy and partnership
You
"It's your decision. Keeping track is a real step. Can we check in on it next time?"
Skills review
- Open questionsDeveloping
- AffirmationsNeeds practice
- Reflective listeningDeveloping
- SummariesNot observed
- Personal reasons for changeDeveloping
- Autonomy and partnershipEffective
"It's your decision. Keeping track is a real step."
- The patient's view
- I didn't feel pushed. I'll think about it.
- Next try
- Reflect both sides: "Part of you enjoys the weekends, and part of you wonders about Sundays."
- Not observed
- Needs practice
- Developing
- Effective
An original HealthcareGPS rubric. Scores are formative, not a credential.
Teach-Back
Check how well you explained, not what they remember
- Explain. Share the few must-know points, in everyday words and small chunks.
- Check. Ask them to explain it back or show you. Never "Do you understand?"
- Re-explain. If something is off, say it a different way.
- Re-check. Ask again, until they can explain it in their own words.
- Coaching after every turn
- 8-item skills review
- Interpreter mode
- Supervisor confirms results
A daily habit
A few minutes a day builds the skill
Lessons are short and adapt to each learner. A daily challenge, streaks, XP, badges and skills checks keep people coming back. Lessons come in 15 languages.
Today
Illustrative
7-day streak
- M
- T
- W
- T
- F
- S
- S
Daily challenge · Numeracy
Which is clearer?
- "Your coinsurance is 20%."
- "You pay $20 of every $100." (the clearer answer)
7-day streak
Numeracy
Teach-Back
- ReadabilityShort words and sentences
- Plain LanguageSay it the way people talk
- Cultural CompetencyRespect and fit
- NumeracyCosts, doses and risks in plain numbers
- NavigationHelp people find the next step
- ActionabilityMake the action clear
15 languages. Staff learn in the language they work in.
Adaptive quiz. Questions adjust to each learner.
Skills Studio
27 practice tools in one place
Practice talking, writing, checking and learning. Learning pathways, a capstone, cohorts, attestations and community threads tie it together.
Communication 12 tools
- Teach-Back Simulator
- Warm Handoff Simulator
- Cultural Navigator
- Shared Decision-Making
- Motivational Interviewing
- Ask Me 3 Trainer
- Chunk-and-Check Lab
- Telehealth Communication Lab
- Patient Portal Navigation Coach
- Risk Communication Studio
- Emergency Communication Trainer
- SDOH Screening Practice
Creation 6 tools
- Plain Language Lab
- Visual Design Studio
- Consent Form Builder
- Medication Guide Writer
- Discharge Planner
- Scenario Builder
Assessment 6 tools
- Numeracy Coach
- Readability Analyzer
- Bias Detector
- Brown Bag Review
- CDC CCI Scorer
- Health Literacy Screening Practice
Adaptive learning 3 tools
- Adaptive Quiz Engine
- Daily Challenge
- Competency Assessment
Highlighted: the conversation practice tools shown above.
For managers
See where your team needs practice
Group staff into cohorts, confirm results and spot the skills to build next.
- CohortsGroup staff by team or program. Learning pathways and a capstone guide what each person practices.
- Supervisor-confirmed attestationsA supervisor confirms practice results. Scores stay formative: they guide coaching.
- Team skill gapsLoop-closure analytics show which skills the team needs to build.
Team skills · Care management cohort
Illustrative · synthetic data
Teach-Back practice sessions where the skill was rated Yes
- Everyday words11 of 12
- Open, shame-free questions9 of 12
- Small chunks7 of 12
- Close the loop5 of 12
Skill to build next: Close the loop
9 results confirmed by a supervisor this month
How it works
Step 1: Learn
Short daily lessons that adapt to each learner, in 15 languages. A daily challenge and streaks build the habit.
Step 2: Practice
Talk with a simulated patient by voice or text: Teach-Back, Motivational Interviewing, shared decision-making and warm handoffs.
Step 3: Get coaching
A skills review names what went well and what to try next. Scores are formative: they show what to practice next.
Step 4: Grow as a team
Managers group staff into cohorts, a supervisor confirms results, and team views show which skills to build.
Built for healthcare, compared with general-purpose AI
| What you need | General-purpose AI out of the box | HealthLiteracyCopilot | Rung |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce training | Not provided | ClearComm Academy and the Teach-Back simulator | L3–L4 |
Workforce trainingRung: L3–L4
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- ClearComm Academy and the Teach-Back simulator
See all 16 differencesHide the full comparison
| What you need | General-purpose AI out of the box | HealthLiteracyCopilot | Rung |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring against health-literacy standards | Can simplify on request; no built-in N-PLAT or PEMAT scoring | N-PLAT and PEMAT scores, item by item | L2 |
| Spanish measured as Spanish | No built-in Spanish readability measures | SOL, Fernández-Huerta and INFLESZ, with targets per document type | L1 |
| Meaning kept after a rewrite | Depends on the prompt; no automatic check | Meaning check and clinical integrity check on every revision | L2 |
| Your brand voice, glossary and content types | Re-entered in each prompt | Set once in profiles; every team inherits them | L2 |
| Answers grounded in your sources | General knowledge unless you add files | Your knowledge base, with citations; strict mode refuses rather than guess | L2 |
| Reviewer workflow and approvals | Not provided | Approve, edit or skip each change; a decision record for each document | L2 |
| Version history and audit trail | Chat history only | Locked versions and an append-only audit trail you can export | L2 |
| Accessibility review with evidence | Not provided | WCAG 2.1 AA review; a qualified reviewer decides; an attested record is kept | L2 |
| Accreditation evidence | Not provided | Evidence organized against the requirements you track, with binders and share links | L2 |
| Testing with simulated readers | Not provided as a method | Persona testing: cloze, teach-back, action and numeracy probes, with confidence bands | L3 |
| Journeys and channel previews | Not provided | Touchpoint matrix and channel previews for email, text, letter, web and more | L4 |
| Channel limits checked | Not checked | Text message segments and opt-out; email subject and preview text lengths | L2 |
| Numbers flagged for checking | Not flagged | A "Numbers to verify" card for every dose, date and dollar amount | L2 |
| Workforce training | Not provided | ClearComm Academy and the Teach-Back simulator | L3–L4 |
| Security and access | Varies by vendor and plan | HealthcareGPS is SOC 2 Type II audited and HIPAA compliant; separate tenant per organization; role-based access | Enable |
| An independent grade | Grades its own draft if you ask | The scorer never grades its own revisions; what it can't score with confidence goes to a person | L2 |
Scoring against health-literacy standardsRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Can simplify on request; no built-in N-PLAT or PEMAT scoring
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- N-PLAT and PEMAT scores, item by item
Spanish measured as SpanishRung: L1
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- No built-in Spanish readability measures
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- SOL, Fernández-Huerta and INFLESZ, with targets per document type
Meaning kept after a rewriteRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Depends on the prompt; no automatic check
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Meaning check and clinical integrity check on every revision
Your brand voice, glossary and content typesRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Re-entered in each prompt
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Set once in profiles; every team inherits them
Answers grounded in your sourcesRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- General knowledge unless you add files
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Your knowledge base, with citations; strict mode refuses rather than guess
Reviewer workflow and approvalsRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Approve, edit or skip each change; a decision record for each document
Version history and audit trailRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Chat history only
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Locked versions and an append-only audit trail you can export
Accessibility review with evidenceRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- WCAG 2.1 AA review; a qualified reviewer decides; an attested record is kept
Accreditation evidenceRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Evidence organized against the requirements you track, with binders and share links
Testing with simulated readersRung: L3
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided as a method
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Persona testing: cloze, teach-back, action and numeracy probes, with confidence bands
Journeys and channel previewsRung: L4
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Touchpoint matrix and channel previews for email, text, letter, web and more
Channel limits checkedRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not checked
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- Text message segments and opt-out; email subject and preview text lengths
Numbers flagged for checkingRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not flagged
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- A "Numbers to verify" card for every dose, date and dollar amount
Workforce trainingRung: L3–L4
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Not provided
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- ClearComm Academy and the Teach-Back simulator
Security and accessRung: Enable
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Varies by vendor and plan
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- HealthcareGPS is SOC 2 Type II audited and HIPAA compliant; separate tenant per organization; role-based access
An independent gradeRung: L2
- General-purpose AI out of the box
- Grades its own draft if you ask
- HealthLiteracyCopilot
- The scorer never grades its own revisions; what it can't score with confidence goes to a person
Can your team explain a copay in plain numbers?
Numeracy: explaining costs and doses in plain numbers. One ClearComm Academy module · about 10 minutes · 5 exercises · your score stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.
1. Which is clearest for a patient?
- "Take 1 tab PO BID."
- "Take 1 pill by mouth 2 times a day: once in the morning and once at night."
- "Take 1 tablet orally twice daily."
Show the answer
✓ "Take 1 pill by mouth 2 times a day: once in the morning and once at night."
It uses everyday words and says when to take each pill.
2. Which is clearest for a member?
- "Your premium is $588 annually."
- "You pay $49 each month. That's $588 a year."
- "Premium: $49/mo ($588/yr)."
Show the answer
✓ "You pay $49 each month. That's $588 a year."
It names the time period in words and gives both amounts.
3. Which explains the risk most clearly?
- "25% of people get a headache."
- "1 in 4 people who take this medicine get a headache."
- "Headache is a common side effect."
Show the answer
✓ "1 in 4 people who take this medicine get a headache."
"1 in 4 people" is easier to picture than a percentage, and it says who.
4. Which explains the cost most clearly?
- "After satisfying your $500 deductible, a $20 copayment applies per visit."
- "After you pay the first $500 of your covered care this year, each visit costs you $20."
- "$20 copay/visit after $500 ded."
Show the answer
✓ "After you pay the first $500 of your covered care this year, each visit costs you $20."
It puts the steps in order and says what the member pays.
5. Which liquid-medicine instruction is clearest?
- "Give 1 tsp q6h PRN."
- "Give 5 mL every 6 hours as needed."
- "Give 5 mL with the dosing cup that came with the medicine. Wait at least 6 hours between doses."
Show the answer
✓ "Give 5 mL with the dosing cup that came with the medicine. Wait at least 6 hours between doses."
It names the tool to measure with and how long to wait.
Turn on JavaScript to check your answers as you go.
Plan an Academy rollout for your team
Give us your work email and, if you like, your team size. We will email you to plan the rollout. Your score isn't sent.
Who uses it
Next step
HealthcareGPS is SOC 2 Type II audited and HIPAA compliant. How we protect your documents
Questions
What do the practice scores mean?
They are formative. They show each person what to practice next. They are not a credential.
How does the simulator relate to IHI guidance?
The Teach-Back simulator is aligned to IHI's published teach-back elements. IHI does not review or approve it.
What is Motivational Interviewing practice?
Staff talk with a simulated patient about a change, such as quitting smoking or taking medicines every day. The patient may push back. Afterward, a review looks at six skills, such as open questions and reflective listening. It quotes the learner's own words and suggests a next try. Not changing is a valid outcome.
Is the Motivational Interviewing review a credential?
No. It is an original HealthcareGPS rubric for practice and coaching. Scores are formative.
Is real patient information used in practice?
No. Practice scenarios are fictional, and practice text is screened for real identifiers.