YM Voice & Tone

Yale Medicine’s voice is grounded in patient-centered care and clinical expertise. It prioritizes clarity, empathy, and reassurance—helping patients understand complex medical information and feel confident in their care decisions. YM communications should be plainspoken and supportive, avoiding jargon and academic framing. While still authoritative, the tone should always feel welcoming, respectful, and focused on patient needs and outcomes.

It’s important to keep in mind that the audience visiting the website has specific needs and goals. Site visitors who are doing organic search on health-related topics (the vast majority of our traffic at present) are potentially already concerned about their health or the health of a loved one. The digital voice should make users feel supported and directed toward the healthcare solutions that are right for them.

Writers and editors can evaluate content against the traits and characteristics below to make sure a piece of content fulfills each of them. In this way, these function as a checklist, ensuring that the voice of the site is realized. Of course, different content types on the site require subtle changes in emphasis.

The examples below demonstrate how Yale Medicine’s voice and tone principles come to life in everyday content. They show how these guidelines can be applied across patient-facing and public-health communications to make information easier to understand, more compassionate, and more supportive during moments of need. Below are a few quick tips to keep in mind:

• Use short paragraphs, and short sentences
• Use plain English—even when describing something medically complex
  
• Write as if you’re speaking to a smart, anxious friend
  
• Use “you” rather than “the patient,” “someone,” or “one”
• Show empathy and understanding of patient concerns
• Always center the person, not the disease

Yale Medicine's voice is relatable, assured, and direct. That doesn’t mean aloof or casual. Instead, it means empathetic and respectful, without the overly formal language that can be associated with medical writing. It’s our job to speak to users on their level, so they can make informed choices.

When writing about medical topics, be mindful that certain words can carry an emotional charge. Avoid language that suggests that something is wrong with the user—whether or not the user has a diagnosis, they should not be made to feel “sick.” In particular, avoid using possessives in sentences that could incorrectly suggest illness to healthy users.

Copy can’t sugarcoat difficult subject matter and must present all possible outcomes honestly. However, it’s possible to frame the conversation so that users get all the facts they need, while still feeling hopeful about their results.

One question to continually ask is “What will this copy do for the user?” Ultimately, we want to present just enough information, in the clearest actionable way, to allow users to take the next appropriate step—whether they want to find a doctor, join a program, or drill down deeper for more information.