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Course Details
Course Name: Patient Education: How to Communicate More Effectively with Patients
Course Code: HC0101WA24
Date & Time: This class is available on demand, 24/7. You can register and complete the course at any time! It will take approximately 1 hour to complete.
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced
Registration Fee: $45 per person
*Volume discount pricing is available. If interested in this option, please contact Sharon Gutterman at 848-932-7701 or gutterman@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Course Overview
This self-paced online course helps improve communication and understanding between healthcare providers/staff and the patients they serve by focusing on health literacy. Participants will learn what health literacy is, how to identify patients who may have low levels of health literacy, and how to best communicate with a patient depending on their level of health literacy.
Learn specific tools and strategies to improve your communications with different patients depending on their level of health literacy. The ultimate goal of this improved communication is better health outcomes and reduced readmission rates.
With extensive video of our highly rated instructor, self-assessment quizzes and interactive exercises, students will be engaged from start to finish.
Featured Topics
- Literacy vs. Health Literacy
- Why Are Patients at Risk?
- Who is at Risk?
- Red Flags for Low Health Literacy
- Universal Approach to Patient Education
- First Impressions
- Non-verbal Communications
- Using Plain Language
- Brown Bag Medication Review
- The Importance of Visuals
- Addressing Language Differences
- De-escalating Confrontations
How to Complete This Course
The course is comprised of three modules. To receive a certificate of completion, students must complete all three modules in order. At the conclusion of the course, students are required to complete a course evaluation survey. Upon submission of the survey, the student will be redirected to a page where a personalized certificate of completion will be generated and can be saved or printed.
Students may take a break at any time and resume where they left off; they are not required to complete the course in one session. Quizzes in the course are for self-assessment only; they will not be graded.
Who Should Attend?
The information shared in this course can benefit healthcare professionals who work in any setting that involves communication with patients.
Meet Your Instructor
Bill Jamison, Communications Specialist

Bill Jamison is a communications consultant and an accomplished public speaker who has been teaching courses through Rutgers University since 2002. He is certified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a Crisis Emergency Risk Communications trainer and has decades of experience as a communications specialist with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH).
Course Requirements and Policies
Technology Requirements
This online course is offered within the Canvas learning management system. It will take approximately 1 hour to complete.
After you register, you will receive an email from “Rutgers University Canvas” prompting you to click a link to finish setting up your Canvas account. If you do not see this message in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder.
Equipment you will need to access this training:
- A computer, tablet, or smartphone
Email Requirement
A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.
- If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
- If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
- Your full name
- The shared email address that needs to be changed
- Your unique email address
- A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions
Cancellations and Substitutions
The Office of Continuing Professional Education has the right to cancel this course. If this occurs, a full refund will be issued to the appropriate party.
There are no refunds for this program. Substitutions are NOT permitted.
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about Patient Education: How to Communicate More Effectively with Patients, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Senior Program Coordinator: Sharon Gutterman
848-932-7701
gutterman@njaes.rutgers.edu
For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.