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Sanford Health & Good Samaritan Society Writing Style Guide

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Purpose of this guide

We strive for consistency and accuracy in our writing style. In addition to helping create familiarity and trust, a uniform approach to our internal and external written communications ensures professionalism and credibility. We follow the Associated Press Stylebook with exceptions specific to Sanford Health noted in the guide.

Style rules change and entries are continually added, so check the guide often.

Contact: Marketing Standards

How to search this guide

Click on Page Contents above to access the table of contents, then click on the desired entry.
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Use the alphabet bar to jump to a letter section.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

3D

Not 3-D

A

academic degrees

See “credentials / academic degrees, licensures and certifications / job titles“

accept, except

Accept means to receive or believe something; except means excluding or but (if not the fact that).

We do not accept out-of-state checks.
No one outside the organization except you knows about the takeover

acronyms

Spell out what the acronym stands for in the first reference with the acronym in parentheses behind it with no periods; in subsequent references, the acronym can be used without the parentheses. Also see “Credentials.”

Do not include an acronym if there is no second reference

active voice

Whenever possible, use active voice: the subject of the sentence takes on the action of the verb.

Active voice: The staff presented awards to the volunteers.
Passive voice: The volunteers were presented awards by the staff.

Administrator in Training (as a title)

Not “Administrator-in-Training” or “administrator-in-training”; follow same punctuation and capitalization guidelines as listed in the “Job Titles” entry.

“AIT” is acceptable on second reference

Administrator in Training program

Not “Administrator-in-Training program.”

“AIT program” is acceptable on second reference

addresses

Punctuation for addresses:
- Use standard punctuation; place a comma between the city and state. If address is listed on one line, place a comma between the address and the city. Do not use superscripts in street names that are numerals.

Example when written as an address block:

               Sanford Clinic               
               222 N. 7th St.
               Bismarck, ND 58501

Example when written on one line:

               Sanford Clinic, 222 N. 7th St., Bismarck, ND 58501

Street names:
- Only abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. with a numbered address when not written in copy. Always spell out words such as suite, circle, road and drive.
  - Examples:
    - 394 Main St.
    - Located on Main Street.
    - 992 Serenity Drive
      - Incorrect: 992 Serenity Dr.
- Lowercase when using in a sentence or when listing more than one address or street name.
  - Examples:
    - Turn left on the next avenue.
    - It’s located by Madison and Solberg avenues.
- Do not use superscripts.
  - Correct: 22nd Ave.
    - Incorrect: 22^nd Ave.
- Use numerals, even if it’s less than 10, though sentences should not start with a number unless it’s a year.
  - Example:
    - The clinic is located on 7th Street

Compass point directions – cardinal and quadrant (or ordinal) direction abbreviations in addresses
- Both before and after street names, include periods with the abbreviations for north, south, east and west (N., S., E. and W.) But do not include periods with the abbreviations for northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest (NE, NW, SE and SW) unless it appears at the end of a sentence. This is a recent change for Sanford Health as of October 2020 and matches AP Stylebook.
  - Examples:
    - 904 Fifth Ave. NE
    - 414 10th Ave. SW
    - 394 E. Main St.
      - Incorrect: 394 East Main St.
    - 2400 32nd Ave. S.

Compass point directions – regions
- Lowercase when used as an adjective or to indicate compass directions (“he’s from northern California,” “the wind came from the west”); capitalize when it’s a noun, designating a region or proper name of a place (“the Midwest was hit hard by the blizzard,” “his grandfather came from South Korea”).
  - General adjectives are lowercase: north, northern, east, eastern, south, southern, west, western
    - He drove east to get on I-90.
    - She lives in western North Dakota.
    - Examples of proper nouns and definitive regions to capitalize: the Midwest, the South, the North, South Dakota, North Carolina, East Coast, West Coast
    - Some words can be both general adjectives and proper nouns (e.g., the western United States, a Western religion, the Midwest)—use context to determine which capitalization is correct

State names:
- Use United States Postal Service abbreviations when listing a full address. As in AP Stylebook, spell out the full state name in the body copy and abbreviate in headings.
- Washington, D.C.
  - In copy, use a comma after Washington and periods after D.C. A comma goes after the last period when the term is used in the middle of a sentence (e.g., “We went to Washington, D.C., to see…”). But there are no periods in the postal code: Washington, DC.

PO boxes:
- Don’t use periods in PO. This matches USPS standards.
  - Example:

               1305 W. 18th St.
               PO Box 503
               Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5039

adult day services

Do not use “adult daycare services” or “adult day care.”

adverbs

Any word ending in –ly is never hyphenated.

A highly successful company, not a highly-successful company; the accurately described man, the fully functioning equipment).

advisor

Not “adviser.” This is a recent change as of June 2020. Research shows that the spelling “advisor” has a higher search volume on Google and this spelling is much more common on sanfordhealth.org.

advisory board

No need to capitalize as “Advisory Board.”

affect, effect

Affect as a verb (more common) means to influence.

A poor diet can adversely affect the heart.

Affect as a noun is used less commonly and mostly in the field of psychology to refer to the description of a mood or emotion. The first syllable is stressed when used as a noun.

Patients with flat affect do not lack emotion, but their emotions are thought to be unexpressed.

Effect as a noun (more common) means the result of a change.

The effect of the medication was tolerable to the patient.

Effect as a verb, it means to cause or bring about.

The research scientists wanted to effect change in the field of rare diseases.

affordable housing

Use this instead of “subsidized housing” or “HUD.”

Also acceptable is: “budget-friendly senior apartments”

aftercare

Not “after care”

ages

Always use figures (the girl is 5 years old; her grandfather is 74 years old).

Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun (a 67-year-old retiree asked) and as substitutes for a noun (an 8-year-old answered)
Do not use apostrophes with ages (the woman is in her 30s)

aid, aide

Aid can be a noun (assistance or something that gives assistance) or a verb (to assist); aide is a noun that always refers to a person (a helper or assistant).

along with

Redundant. Just use with.

The Society’s preferred phrasing when referring to memory-related disorders.

Do not capitalize “disease” in “Alzheimer’s disease”
OK to use shortened terms within body copy after the preferred phrase has been used (e.g., “Alzheimer’s,” “dementia”)

amount, number

Amount is how much you have or the mass of something; number represents a specific number of things that can be counted.

and, ampersand

In most references, the word “and” should be used instead of an ampersand (&).

Exception: if an ampersand is part of a business’ name (Sanford Seventh & Thayer Clinic, Barnes & Noble)

Annual Business Meeting and Annual Operations Conference

Replaced the Society’s Annual Meeting in 2013
May be referred to jointly as “Annual Business Meeting and Operations Conference”

anti-

Hyphenate most, but don’t hyphenate words that have specific means of their own. For example: antibiotic, antibody, antidote, antiseptic.

anti-inflammatory

antiseptic

Apostle

Capitalize when referring to one of Jesus’ 12 Disciples (“the Apostle Paul says…”), but lowercase when referring to apostles generally (“He was an apostle of prayer”).

apostrophes (‘)

Apostrophes help show possession. Most singular nouns need a simple ‘s at the end, but when a singular common noun ends in s, an ‘s is also used, unless the end word also starts with an s.

the surgeon’s scrubs
the president’s speech
the hostess’s invitation
the hostess’ salad
When a proper noun ends in s, use only an apostrophe without the s.
- Hippocrates’ contributions to medicine
- Dr. Williams’ office
When a plural noun ends in s, use only an apostrophe without the s.
- Construction began on the physicians’ lounge.
When a plural noun does not end in s, add ‘s.
- She is a physician at Sanford Children’s.
- There are showers in the men’s locker room.
Pronouns do not need an apostrophe when in the possessive form: hers, theirs, yours, ours, its.
- The free scrubs were theirs for the taking.
- Sanford Health is known for its excellent care (not it’s, which is a contraction for it is).
Do not use an apostrophe for figures, plurals of acronyms or with multiple letters.
- HMOs
- MDs
- Dakotas
- 1980s

apostrophe with year

Use an outward-facing apostrophe before the numeral to indicate the deletion of “19”; do not use an apostrophe to indicate a decade with “s.”

Correct: ’90s, 1990s
Incorrect: ‘90s, 90’s, 1990’s

Arizona location names

For legal reasons, the full names of Arizona locations begin with “The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.”

Example: The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society – Prescott Valley
Logos for Arizona centers should have “The Evangelical Lutheran” above them (like the corporate logo)
It is not necessary to use the full name in copy when the logo is used somewhere in the publication
- This reference applies to usage in newsletters and publications, as long as the publications carry the corporate logo

as well

No comma before this phrase if it ends a sentence.

Correct: “She took this cup as well.”
Incorrect: “She took this cup, as well.”

as well as

This phrase is always preceded by a comma.

Example: “She took this cup, as well as a spoon.”

assisted living

Do not use “congregate living” or “assisted living plus.”

Approved terms for the people and buildings associated with assisted living:
- resident
- community
- campus (if applicable)
- location (if applicable)
- apartment, unit
- caregiver (staff)
- fees
Do not use the following terms for the people and buildings associated with assisted living:
- occupant
- client
- patient
- center
- agency
- neighborhood
- household
- unlicensed personnel
- rent

assure, ensure, insure

Assure means to tell someone something positively or dispel doubt; ensure means to make sure or certain; insure means to cover with an insurance policy.

attributions – says / said ^SH

When attributing a person’s paraphrased idea or direct quote, use says or said.
- Most news stories and press releases will use said.
- All ad copywriting uses says (exception to the AP Stylebook)
- The website at www.good-sam.com will also use says which is an exception to the AP Stylebook.

Both says and said are acceptable, as long as the present or past tense is consistent throughout a piece of written content.

August “Dad” Hoeger

The Rev. August “Dad” Hoeger is the founder of the Good Samaritan Society.

“the Rev. Hoeger” and “Dad Hoeger” are both acceptable on second reference

B

baby boomer

Not Baby Boomer

basic care

This is a specific legal term in North Dakota for a service line similar to assisted living; assisted living also exists in North Dakota, but it’s more similar to other states’ definitions of senior living.

Check with marketing operations for clarifications of the use of the term “basic care”

benefiting and benefited

Not benefitting or benefitted

beta blocker

Bible

Capitalize this noun when referring to the Holy Bible.

Capitalize when used as an adjective (e.g., “Bible stories,” “Bible verse”)
Lowercase when using “bible” in a non-religious context (e.g., “the bible of French cooking techniques”)

biblical

Lowercase this adjective in all uses, even when referring to a figure from the Holy Bible (e.g., “the biblical Good Samaritan”).

biblical pronouns

Lowercase when referring to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Examples:

he
him
himself
his
one
thee
thou
thy
who
whose
you
your

For other religious capitalizations, see “religious references” in the AP Stylebook.

biblical reference punctuation

In body copy, include the book, chapter, verse and Bible version in parentheses after the quote, with the end punctuation going outside the parentheses

Example: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16 NRSV).

The book, chapter and verse may instead be a part of the sentence introducing the quote

Example: John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (NRSV).

As a standalone quote being used as a graphic element, close the quote with applicable end punctuation, followed by an en dash with full spaces around it, followed by the book, chapter and verse, followed by the Bible version in parentheses

Example: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NRSV)

Note: It’s not absolutely required to include the Bible version, but it is considered good practice for attributions

biblegateway.com is a good reference for checking excerpt accuracy and finding version abbreviations

bio card

Not “biocard.” Two words, like “panel card.”

biweekly

Not “bi-weekly.”

Board of Directors

If using “national” to describe the Good Samaritan Society Board of Directors, do not capitalize “national.”

“the Board” is acceptable on second reference

boys basketball, tennis, etc.

Not boy’s or boys’. See “possessives.

brackets

Do not use when denoting missing information in quotes; instead, use parentheses.

break room

Not “breakroom” or “break-room.”

breastfeeding, breastfed, but breast milk

bullets

Don’t include end punctuation in a bulleted list, unless each bullet is a complete sentence in and of itself, or the bulleted list is in the middle of a sentence that precedes and follows it (semicolons or commas would be used at the end of these bullets).

Capitalize the first word in a bulleted list, don’t use semicolons and use periods only after complete sentences. Use a complete sentence or phrase to introduce a list to avoid separating a verb and its object. In presentations, consider using graphics or other elements to avoid overuse of bullets.

Example:

The care team:

Medical director
Clinic director
Nurses
Chaplain
Social worker

The NIAHP’s plans:

Focus on new research to address training and competition challenges for youth and other populations.
Provide individually customized strategies to athletes and other active individuals that will reduce injury risk, optimize performance, and minimize rehabilitation and return-to-play time.
Partner with sport and sports medicine national governing bodies in developing new educational initiatives.

C

capitalization in the naming of organizations, institutions, departments, etc.

See “naming, capitalization in“

canceled, canceling

Not cancelled, cancelling. But cancellation.

cannot

Not “can not”

care

Avoid using in the same sentence as both a noun and a verb to avoid being repetitive or confusing.

We give quality care because we care about those we take care of in our facilities.

care center

OK to use on the second reference, after a location has previously been described as a “rehabilitation and skilled care center.”

caregiver, caregiving

Not “care giver” or “care giving”

CareWatch

Not “Care Watch” or “Carewatch”

cell phone

Not “cellphone” or “cell-phone”; use in place of “cellular phone.”

center

Do not capitalize when standing alone; the word “center” is preferred to the word “facility.”

Note: “location” usually can often replace the terms “center,” “campus” and “agency” in internal communications.
For external communications, the term “center” is often the preferred terminology.

Center For Solutions

“For” is capitalized; in a sentence, use “the Center For Solutions.”

Example: If you have questions, please contact the Center For Solutions at (877) 447-7237 or cfs@good-sam.com.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Note the plural “Centers.” “CMS” is acceptable on second reference.

certifications

See “credentials / academic degrees, licensures and certifications / job titles“

checkup (noun), check up (verb)

chickenpox

Not chicken pox.

child care

Preferred term over daycare or day care. Not childcare.

child day care services

Preferred terminology for service listings.

Christian care or Christ-like care

Avoid; instead, use phrasing like “provide care in a Christian setting” or “provides care that models Christian teachings and beliefs.”

Christian community

Do not use to describe a Society location.

chronically confused dementing illness

In most copy, avoid use when possible.

Exception: “chronically confused dementing illness” is the official term used by the state of Iowa, often used in relation to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia units; the acronym CCDI also is used

CI Ops

Not “CIOps,” “C.I. ops,” etc., when abbreviating Clinical Informatics Operations.

clichés

We use clichés every day when we talk. But before you use it in the written word, make sure there isn’t a simpler, more direct way to say what you mean. Among clichés to avoid:

each and every one of us (all of us)
at this point in time (now)

CMA

Do not use when referring to a certified medical assistant.

The Good Samaritan Society is not authorized to use the abbreviation CMA and can be held liable for the unauthorized use of it; the American Association of Medical Assistants has a trademark on the abbreviation CMA, and it can be used only by authorized people at the Certifying Board of the AAMA

Colombia

Not “Columbia

colon

The first word after a colon ( : ) should be lowercase unless it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.

One trend is clear: Our family continues to grow.
He had only one passion: helping others.

comma

In lists: Use a comma to separate items listed in a series. But do not put a comma before and or or at the end of the series (Oxford or serial comma), unless the last part of the series contains and or or, or a complex series.
- The first aid kit contained bandages, ointment and alcohol swabs.
- The patient had orange juice, ham and eggs, and toast for breakfast.
- It’s important to consider whether the athlete is ready to compete, if they have the stamina to endure the training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude.
In clauses: A nonessential word or clause (one that can be removed without changing the meaning) should be set off by commas. But an essential word or clause (one that’s required for the sentence to make sense) does not. (Hint: If the clause can stand alone as a sentence, use a comma.)
- The physician worked long hours, but he enjoyed the work.
- The physician worked long hours but enjoyed the work
Do not use a comma after conjunctions (and, but, or, yet, for, nor, so), even when they begin a sentence. See “conjunctions” for example.

Communion

Capitalize only when referring to the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist; also “Holy Communion.”

complement, compliment

Complement
- As a noun:
  - 1) a thing that completes or enhances
  - 2) a number or quantity that is required to make and group complete
    - Example: A full complement of diagnostic and surgical equipment.
- As a verb: to enhance or improve; to make perfect,
Compliment
- As a noun: praise or admiration
- As a verb: to politely praise or congratulate

composition titles

See “titles of works, composition titles, publication names, etc.”

congregate living

Do not use.

conjunctions

Do not use a comma after conjunctions (and, but, or, yet, for, nor, so), even when they begin a sentence.

Correct: “I took him a sandwich. But he didn’t want it.”
Incorrect: “I took him a sandwich. But, he didn’t want it.”
Exception: when the conjunction and the phrase it is connecting is separated by a parenthetic/nonessential clause
- Example: “I took him a sandwich. But, much to my surprise, he didn’t want it.”

Continuing Care Retirement Community

This is a specific type of tiered senior care community; the Good Samaritan Society’s only current CCRC is in Hot Springs Village

Other Society locations may refer to a more general continuum of care
“CCRC” is acceptable on second reference

continuum of care

This phrase (all lowercase in all cases) can be used by Society locations that offer multiple levels of care (usually senior housing, assisted living and skilled care), but it is not a service line in and of itself.

The phrase “continuum of care” is likely perceived as jargon, so try to reword it and/or explain it in real terms when writing copy for external audiences
It is considered useful for digital SEO in many locations

copay, copayment

Note: This is a recent change from co-pay and co-payment to align with the AP Stylebook as of September, 2020.

copyright and ©

countries

See “states and countries.”

core services

OK to use to generically describe service lines.

corporation

Use “organization” or “not-for-profit organization” when referring to the Good Samaritan Society.

COVID-19

Do not use:

Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Novel coronavirus
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

co-worker

Not “coworker.”

credentials / academic degrees, licensures and certifications / job titles

Credentials
- Exception from AP Stylebook: In the first reference, a person’s abbreviated health care credentials follow their name set off by commas (Jane Smith, MD, joined the team). In any following reference, use the abbreviated title as a prefix (Dr. Smith joined the team). Do not include an acronym if there are no following references. Also see “acronyms” entry.
  - Example:
    - Daniel I. Choo, MD, is available Monday. Then: Dr. Choo
- Note: A physician’s first name should never be used by itself. But for those without a doctoral degree, you can use either the first or last name, depending on the context, the target audience and the overall desired tone of the piece, in any following reference.
  - Example:
    - Mary Stevens, RN, is available Monday. Then: Mary or Stevens
- Limit credentials to one set and include the most recent or most prestigious.
  - Exceptions:
    - If the individual has both an MD and a PhD, list both.
    - If the piece is written for other health care professionals, you may include all relevant credentials.
- Some credentials may be spelled out depending on the context, audience and clarity needed (e.g., if a credential isn’t a widely known acronym).
- Do not use periods in abbreviations (RN, CNA)
- Do not use apostrophes for plurals (RNs, CNAs)
- Do not use acronyms or abbreviate fellowship credentials (such as FACS) with a person’s title.

Academic degrees, licensures and certifications:
- Except in news releases and on Sanford Health News, use capital letters without periods
  - Correct: MD, RN, CNA, PhD, BS, BA, MS, MBA, MPH, SLP, RPh, DDS, DO
- Use the degree, licensure or certification in the first reference. After that, use the courtesy title with periods. Do not use the redundant, Dr. Joe Padilla, MD.
  - Correct: H. Eugene Hoyme, MD, graduated from the University of Chicago. Dr. Hoyme specializes in genetics.
- When writing out an academic degree, the following are examples of all available correct formatting:
  - associate degree
  - bachelor’s degree
  - master’s degree
  - doctoral degree
  - Bachelor of Arts
  - Master of Science

Job Titles

We are proud of the work we do and the job titles we hold – but job titles are not proper nouns, and therefore are written in lowercase. Only capitalize titles, including professorships, when used immediately before a name, on business cards or letterhead. Do not capitalize a title after a person’s name, and use commas to set off the person’s title from the rest of the sentence.

Correct:
- Sanford Health President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Gassen made an announcement.
Correct:
- Bill Gassen, the president and CEO of Sanford Health, was proud to make the announcement.
  - Do not use the words “for” and “of” in a list of people including their job titles. But for clarity when used in a sentence, the words “for” and “of” are allowed.
Correct:
- Alexis Jones, vice president, communications
- Sam Wilson, manager, graphic design
- Carrie Smith, director, communications
When used in a sentence: Carrie Smith, the director of communications, told the group about the news.

Doctor vs. physician: Both terms are acceptable and can be used interchangeably.
- When writing an article or bio on a physician, include board-certified or board-eligible when appropriate.

Dr. vs. MD and DO
- To uphold consistency and brand standards of marketing materials and supply items, list providers’ credentials after their names separated by a comma in headlines and photo captions instead of preceding them with Dr.
- This also differentiates providers with advanced medical degrees from those with nonmedical PhD and honorary doctoral degrees.
  - Julia Christianson, MD
  - Matthew Holm, DO
- In descriptive copy, list credentials after names in the first reference, then use Dr. in subsequent references.
  - Matthew Holm, DO, specializes in orthopedics and sports medicine. Dr. Holm treats patients of all ages.

Advanced Practice Providers (APP): Includes physician assistants (PAs) and certified nurse practitioners (CNPs). Do not use the term mid-levels.

Our Teams
- When listing an entire team of professionals, list them alphabetically. Start with the physicians, followed by NPs and PAs.
  - When referring to a mixed group of physicians, NPs and PAs, the following are acceptable:
    - Medical team
    - Health care professionals
    - Providers

crippled

Avoid using.

D

Dad Hoeger

Use on the second reference only; use “the Rev. August ‘Dad’ Hoeger” on the first reference.

dash, en dash, em dash ^SH

Don’t use two hyphens (–) or a space on either side of a hyphen ( – ) to create a dash.

To create a pause in a sentence to emphasize a thought, use en dashes with spaces on either side – like this – by pushing alt+shift+-(hyphen).

Note that this is a Sanford Health exception. More commonly, an em dash with no spaces is used for this purpose. The aesthetic of marketing materials is the reason for this exception.

dates

Always capitalize the names of months and use numerals for dates without st, nd, rd or th
- Correct: March 1
- Incorrect: March first, March 1st, March one, 3/1

Spell out months March, April, May, June, July. The remaining months, Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec., may be abbreviated only when they are used with a specific date
- Sioux Valley Hospital admitted its first patient on Sept. 10, 1894.
- Thanksgiving will fall on Nov. 24 this year.

When using only a month and a year, spell out the month and do not separate the year with commas
- August 2010 was a hot month.

When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with commas
- Feb. 14, 1987, was the target date
  - Note: When using a date in a memo header, spell out the month; in a sentence, follow guidelines above

Spell out all names of months when they stand alone or appear only with a year and don’t use a comma when used without a specific date.
- It’s a long time from December to March in North Dakota. January 2011 was a cold month.

When writing days that span over a period of time, use a hyphen between the dates with no spaces before or after the hyphen:
- Oct. 15-16.
If that same span of time is being written in narrative form, use to or through instead of the hyphen:
- Gala week is Monday, Aug. 15, through Sunday, Aug. 21.
Use the days of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc., when referring to events within seven days before or after the publication date.
If an event is more distant, use the month and the date: April 22 is Earth Day.
Capitalize days of the week and do not abbreviate:
- The Gala on Saturday, Aug. 20, was a huge success.
- Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries:
- the 1970s

day care

Not “daycare.”

daylight saving time

Not “savings.”

department

Do not capitalize (“The activities department is the busiest place at the center”), unless it’s part of an official name (“The Department of Health and Human Services issued the warning”).

dialog and dialogue

A “dialog box” is a feature on a computer where you are prompted for information; “dialogue” is a conversation.

dietitian

Not “dietician.”

dimensions

See “units of measure” and “numbers“

directions and regions

See Compass directions and regions in “addresses“

disabled

In general, do not describe an individual as disabled unless it is clearly pertinent to a story; see the AP Stylebook for further clarification.

Another source for this topic is available from the National Center on Disability and Journalism – Disability Language Style Guide.

disc (body part), disk (computer)

Disciples

Capitalize this term only when referring to Jesus’ 12 Disciples as a group; all other cases are lowercase.

disinterested, uninterested

Disinterested means impartial; uninterested means not interested in.

disclaimer

All faiths or beliefs are welcome; Not “All faiths and beliefs are welcome.”

Note: In very small ads where the full disclaimer would not fit, “All faiths or beliefs welcome” is acceptable; use the full disclaimer whenever possible

doctorate, doctoral

A doctorate is a noun; doctoral is an adjective. You may have a doctorate or a doctoral degree, but not a doctorate degree.

dollar amounts

Use figures (“The committee raised $80”)

Only spell out the number if it’s at the beginning of a sentence (“Eighty dollars disappeared from the account”).

download

drive-thru

Not drive-through

drop-down menu

Not “dropdown menu” or “drop down menu.”

E

e-book

e-commerce

e-form

Capitalize only when the e-form

e.g. and i.e.

When you want to give an example of something, you can use “e.g.” before that example (generally, “e.g.” is equivalent to the phrase “for example”); when you want to clarify what you just said, you can use “i.e.” before the clarification (generally, “i.e.” is equivalent to the phrases “in other words” and “that is to say”).

“e.g.” and “i.e.” always include periods and are always followed by a comma
Since any clause that would use “e.g.” or “i.e.” is always a nonessential clause, they must be set off from the rest of the sentence by em dashes or parentheses
There is no need to include “etc.” at the end of an “e.g.” list, since it’s already implying the idea that the listed items are examples of a larger pool of options

Examples:

“They said that red foods (e.g., tomatoes, strawberries) taste better.”
- “The self-appointed queen of our vacation — i.e., my mom — said we couldn’t use our cell phones.”
- “Common names — e.g., Mary, John, Sarah, Eric — are easier to remember.”
- “I was told there would be major consequences (i.e., I would lose my job).”

either/or, neither/nor placement in comparative sentences

When writing a sentence with two comparative objects or actions, carefully note the placement of the word “either”:

If two nouns/things are being compared, put “either” after the verb
- Correct: “I want either red or purple streamers at my party.”
- Incorrect: “I either want red or purple streamers at my party.”
If two actions are being compared, put “either” before the first action verb
- Correct: “She hoped to either finish the book or attend the concert this weekend.”
- Incorrect: “She either hoped to finish the book or attend the concert this weekend.”
Note: This same placement rule applies to “neither”

electronic medical record

No need to capitalize.

“EMR” is acceptable on second reference
Note: “electronic health record” and “EHR” are incorrect when referring to Good Samaritan Society initiatives

elderly

Avoid; use “seniors.”

email

Not “e-mail”, “E-mail” or “Email” (“Email” if it begins a sentence).

email addresses

Also see “website addresses, URLs and redirects“

In all Sanford Health and Society documents, email addresses are formatted in regular, lowercase text (not underlined, not blue).

Correct: Questions may be sent to coord@good-sam.com or communications@sanfordhealth.org
Incorrect: Questions may be sent to coord@good-sam.com.
- Note: An email address may be bolded for emphasis
Do not break an email address across lines; use a soft return or force break a line so that the entire address fits on one line

emergency department/ED

Not “emergency room”

employee (not “associate”)

“Employee” is the preferred term to use when referring to people who work for the Good Samaritan Society.

Examples: Our organization has 19,000 employees
- While “employees” should be the default term used, other terms — e.g., staff members, caregivers, co-workers — may be used to give greater contextual meaning to a piece; other terms should not be used simply to create variety in a long, written piece

E-newsletter at the beginning of a sentence.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Foundation

Capitalize “The” when using the full name
“the Good Samaritan Foundation” is acceptable when the full legal name isn’t needed (note that “the” isn’t capitalized when this term is used)
“the Foundation” is acceptable on second reference

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society

See also “the Good Samaritan Society“

Do not capitalize “the” when using the shortened name (the Good Samaritan Society) unless it begins a sentence. But when writing the full, formal name (The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society), always capitalize “The.”

Employees at The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society are happy to talk to residents.
Employees at the Good Samaritan Society are happy to talk to residents.
The Good Samaritan Society has locations in 24 states.

On second and subsequent references, “the Society” is acceptable.

“The” should NOT be used when the location name is the subject or object of the sentence.

The residents at Good Samaritan Society – Prairie Creek like going for walks.
Good Samaritan Society – Luther Manor is located by Augustana University.

If the Good Samaritan Society modifies a noun, “the” isn’t needed:

When we spoke to Good Samaritan Society employees, they said they were happy to talk to residents.

Do not use “Good Samaritan,” “Good Sam” or “GSS” when referring to the Good Samaritan Society.

everyday and every day

One word only when it’s used as an adjective before a noun (“an everyday activity”); two words all other times (“we do this activity every day”; “every day is special”).

e-visit

evidence-based

F

facility

Acceptable in Sanford Health copy but avoid in Good Samaritan Society copy; instead, use “center,” “campus,” “community,” “location”

fall prevention

Not “falls prevention.”

Also: fall-prevention tips, tips for preventing falls

Falls Prevention Service Project

The Foundation changed the formerly named Founder’s Day Service Project to this.

family-centered care

farther and further

“Farther” refers to physical distances (“Frank’s house is farther away than Marie’s house”); “further” refers to figurative distances (“He took the argument further than necessary”; “The couple sank further into debt”).

fewer, less

Fewer refers to a smaller number of countable things, less refers to a smaller amount.

firsthand

Not “first-hand”

floor plan

Not “floorplan”

fluff words

Don’t dilute your sentences with fluff words. It makes them weak. Beginning to, striving to, seeking to and in order to are examples of such words.

Correct: The department is implementing a cost-savings program.
Incorrect: The department is beginning to implement a cost-savings program.

Correct: We need your full cooperation to meet the deadline.
Incorrect: We need your full cooperation in order to meet the deadline.

flyer

Not “flier.”

follow-up (noun or adjective), follow up (verb)

fonts / typography

See Typography: Marketplace and Typography: Operational under the Graphics & Printing tab.

form numbers

Use a nonbreaking space ( ) (control-shift-space) and # sign between “GSS” and the number.

Example: GSS #254

Founder’s Day

Not “Founders Day” or “Founders’ Day.”

the Good Samaritan Society’s Founder’s Day is Sept. 29

Founder’s Day Service Project

No longer in use. It has been changed to “Falls Prevention Service Project.”

freewill

One word as an adjective (e.g., “freewill donations” not “free-will donations”).

full-time and full time

Hyphenate when being used as an adjective before a noun; use as two words (not “fulltime”) in all other instances; Examples:

“This is her full-time job now”
“The job offer was for a full-time position”
“The job is full time, with the possibility for overtime”
“She goes to school while also working full time”

fundraiser and fundraising

Not “fund-raiser” or “fund-raising.”

Note: “fundraise” is not a verb (e.g., “Why do we fundraise?”) — do not use
“fundraiser” is a noun, “fundraising” is an adjective, “to raise funds” is a verb

G

girls basketball, tennis, etc.

Not girl’s or girls’. See “possessives“

Good Samaritan

Capitalize both “Good” and “Samaritan” when referring to the biblical Good Samaritan, or when referring to an individual as a Good Samaritan.

Do not use alone when referring to the Good Samaritan Society

the Good Samaritan Foundation

See “The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Foundation“

Don’t capitalize “the.”

Good SamaritanNET Purchasing System

Abbreviated GSNPS (also known as DSSI).

the Good Samaritan Society

Employees at The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society are happy to talk to residents.
Employees at the Good Samaritan Society are happy to talk to residents.
The Good Samaritan Society has locations in 24 states.

On second and subsequent references, “the Society” is acceptable.

“The” should NOT be used when the location name is the subject or object of the sentence.

The residents at Good Samaritan Society – Prairie Creek like going for walks.
Good Samaritan Society – Luther Manor is located by Augustana University.

If the Good Samaritan Society modifies a noun, “the” isn’t needed:

When we spoke to Good Samaritan Society employees, they said they were happy to talk to residents.

Do not use “Good Samaritan,” “Good Sam” or “GSS” when referring to the Good Samaritan Society.

Good Samaritan Society data (as of August 2019)

the largest not-for-profit provider of senior housing and services
more than 380 locations
24 states
more than 19,000 employees
more than 30,000 people served daily

Good Samaritan Society DBA (“doing business as”) names

Use an en dash (–) (alt+hyphen) with a full space on either side (“Good Samaritan Society – Millard”). For materials that can be designed in InDesign or website coding that allows it, use thin spaces (command+option+shift+space) instead of full spaces around the en dash.

“The” should NOT be used when a location DBA name is the subject or object of the sentence.

The residents at Good Samaritan Society – Prairie Creek like going for walks.
Good Samaritan Society – Luther Manor is located by Augustana University.

Note: Not all location DBAs begin with “Good Samaritan Society – .” Some locations are joint ventures or managed locations. Refer to the Society Directory for more information on a location’s DBA name.

Also see the Good Samaritan Society and The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society entries.

Gospel

Capitalize “Gospel” when referring to the books of the Holy Bible written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (“Luke’s Gospel illustrates that…”; “In the Gospel according to Mark, we see…”).

Lowercase “gospel” when using it as a general term meaning “good news” (“Paul took the gospel to the Romans”) and in non-biblical references (“that’s the gospel truth”; “the gospel singer performed”)

governing body

Lowercase.

Exceptions: when referring to the HCBS Governing Body or Governing Body of the Society

great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren

Each use of “great” must be hyphenated when referring to the descendants of a family member (without a hyphen, they’re just fantastic grandchildren).

This hyphenation rule applies to all generations of family members (e.g., great-great-uncle, great-grandmother, great-great-great-great-grandniece)
Note: There is no hyphen after “grand” in familial terms (“granddaughter” not “grand-daughter”; “grandnephew” not “grand-nephew”)

GreatLIFE Fitness Center at National Campus

OK to use “GreatLIFE Fitness Center” for better readability

groundbreaking

Not “ground breaking” or “ground-breaking.”

GSS

Don’t use, unless it’s part of the name of a form.

GSS form

The title of a GSS form goes first in boldface italics with every word capitalized, followed by the form number in parentheses in regular font.

Example: Mechanical Total Lift Competency Verification Checklist (GSS #670)

H

hand-foot-mouth disease

Not “hand, foot and mouth disease” or “hand-foot-and-mouth disease.”

handheld

Not “hand-held.”

handicap-accessible

Avoid; use “wheelchair-accessible.”

handicapped

Avoid; please refer to AP Stylebook.

headlines

In copy, capitalize only the first word of a headline and any proper nouns within the headline.

Avoid ending headlines with a preposition (also avoid splitting lines to end on a preposition)
Use single quotation marks in a headline, but double quotation marks in the story
Use numerals in headlines, unless it starts the sentence
- Exception: On the external website, numerals should be used in all cases, even if it begins the sentence

Healing Touch

When referring to the integrative medicine therapy Healing Touch, capitalize both words. Not Healing touch.

health care

Not “healthcare” (unless “healthcare” is part of an official name).

health care reform

Lowercased when referring generally to proposed changes in laws, bills and regulations; specific laws should be capitalized (e.g., the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).

Health Cooperative / Health Co-op

The first reference of “Health Cooperative” should be written out. Then shorten to “Health Co-op” in subsequent references.

health maintenance organization

“HMO” after first reference.

HERE FOR ALL. HERE FOR GOOD. / Here for all. Here for good.

This phrase appears all uppercase only when used along with the Sanford Health wordmark in marketing materials approved by management. In copy, always use sentence case.

Examples:
- The Sanford Health campaign “Here for all. Here for good.” focuses on extending health care to rural and underserved communities.
- By connecting with patients where they are and extending our specialty services to more remote, rural areas, we will be “Here for all. Here for good.”
- We’re here for all. We’re here for good.

HIPAA

Per AP Stylebook: Where possible, avoid using the term, which is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Instead, refer to privacy laws or the federal law restricting the release of medical information. If HIPAA is used in a quote, explain it.

Hoeger Scholarship and Loan Program

This is the complete name for this scholarship; through this program, nursing students can qualify for financial assistance of up to two-thirds the cost of tuition and books.

home- and community-based services

Note the punctuation; no need to capitalize this phrase.

“HCBS” is acceptable on second reference internally, but avoid using this jargon in external communications

home care

General umbrella term for all HCBS services, including home health, Services@Home and hospice; home care is not a service offering in and of itself.

People who use home care services are “clients” (not “residents”, “occupants”, “patients”)
Home care is provided by an “agency” (not “center”, “community”, “campus”)

home health

A Society service line that includes medical services delivered at home.

Note: “home health care” is a term that could be used generally to describe the services being provided, but the preferred term for the Society’s service line is “home health”

homebound

Avoid; try “those who cannot leave their homes unassisted.”

homelike

Not “home-like” or “homey.”

homepage

Not “home page” or “home-page.”

honorarium

Use “honorary gifts” or “in honor of.”

hospice

Approved names and terms to use when describing this service line:

hospice care
terminal diagnosis
end-of-life care
final days
final stages of life/life’s journey
last steps of the journey

Approved names/terms to describe the people/buildings:

patient
hospice agency
location
agency

Names and terms not to use when referring to hospice:

resident
occupant
client
center
community
campus
provider (referral use only)

Only hospice agencies can use the word “hospice”; all other references must use “hospice contracted services” or “end-of-life care” or “help arranging hospice services”

HUD/subsidized housing

Use “affordable housing” or “budget-friendly senior apartments” when referring to the Society’s service line.

Some affordable housing properties are subsidized by HUD programs, while others are LIHTC communities; refer to the specific community for appropriate terminology and program names to use

hyphens

Also see “ranges”

Hyphens are joiners and should be used to avoid confusion or to form a single idea from two or more words: health and well-being.

They are also used to avoid the occurrence of duplicate vowels and consonants: anti-intellectual.

Hyphens should be used with compound proper names and adjectives.
- Dr. Smith-Jones

Hyphens are also helpful in avoiding ambiguity.
- She recovered from the surgery quickly.
- He re-covered his chair.

Hyphenate compound adjectives before nouns
- It was a well-lit foyer
- The up-to-date report
  - Use a hyphen when the modifier that would be hyphenated follows the noun and a “to be”
    - The report is up-to-date
  - Compound adjectives that follow the noun and a non-“to be” verb (or any other word) don’t need to be hyphenated
    - The report will keep you up to date

Hyphens and adverbs ending in -ly Any word ending in –ly is never hyphenated.
- A highly successful company, not a highly-successful company; the accurately described man, the fully functioning equipment).

Hyphens are used with some prefixes and suffixes but not all. See the AP Stylebook or Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

I

i.e.

See “e.g. and i.e.” entry.

impact

Unless it refers to a blow of force, consider affect or another word to avoid overuse.

in-house

independence / independent

Avoid; if necessary, use “as independent as possible.”

inpatient

Not “in-patient.”

interact

Avoid this overused word. Use descriptive terms such as communicate or share ideas as appropriate.

interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary

internet, intranet

Not “Internet”, “Intranet.”

The internet is the electronic communications network that connects computer networks and facilities around the world. Intranet refers to an internal website that is available only to employees or members of a specific organization. At Sanford Health, it is Inside Sanford.

invalid

Avoid.

irregardless

This is not a word. Use “regardless.”

italics

See “titles of works, composition titles, publication names, etc.”

It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L)

Note the lowercase “i” in the acronym.

J

job titles

See “credentials / academic degrees, licensures and certifications / job titles.”

K

kickoff (noun), kick off (verb) ^AP

L

lab coat

lectern, podium

Lectern is a stand for holding notes or a microphone; podium is a platform.

She stood at a lectern to give her presentation.
He stood on a podium to speak to the audience.

less, fewer

Less refers to a smaller amount, fewer refers to a smaller number of countable things.

Level II trauma center

(Roman numeral two)

licensures

See “credentials / academic degrees, licensures and certifications / job titles“

lifelong

Not “life-long”

LISTSERV

Not “list serve” or “Listserv.”

livestream, livestreaming, livestreamed

One word in all uses.

Examples:
- Register to livestream.
- The event is livestreaming on our website.
- The event was livestreamed on Monday.

LivingWell@Home

Remove any references. This service line ended in February 2018.

location

The Society’s preferred term for speaking generally about centers, agencies, campuses, etc. in internal communications.

Examples:

“You can find this service at any of our 18 locations in the state”
“We have more than 380 locations across the country”
“Contact us to find a location near you”
Note: When referring to a specific service line’s location, refer to the service line’s entry in this style guide for the preferred terminology for that service

The Lodge

Can be used on second reference in body copy; capitalize both words (“Welcome to The Lodge of Howard Lake. Some amenities you’ll find at The Lodge include…”).

Note: Capitalize “the” only when it’s part of the location’s proper name

log in, log out, log on, log off

These are all action verbs and two words. Examples:

“When are you logging in?”
“Log out and give your supervisor a call.”
“Are you able to log on?”
“Let’s log off and go to lunch.”
Note: users “log into” a website

These are all nouns and one word.

Examples:

“What is my login?”
“My logout isn’t functioning.”
“Our logon is at 4 p.m.”
“I don’t know why the logoff occurred.”

long-term care

Always hyphenated; not “longterm care” or “long term care.”

longtime

Not “long-time.”

Lord

Not necessary to use “LORD.”

lose, loose

Lose is unable to find; loose is not tight.

Don’t lose your keys.
My pants are too loose.

M

maternal-fetal^SH

mature adults

Avoid; using “seniors.”

managed care

MDS

Stands for “minimum data set.”

In copy aimed at an external audience, try to use “employee” (or “nurse,” if that’s accurate) to describe the person who coordinates MDS; if a more general term will not suffice because credentials need to be established, spell it out as a job description after the person’s name
- Example: “The initiative works well,” says Jane Anderson, the minimum data set coordinator for the center. In her position, Jane assists in assessing the healthcare needs of residents.
In an employee directory, “MDS coordinator” is acceptable

Meals on Wheels

Medicaid

Always capitalized.

Medicare

Always capitalized.

medium, media

Medium is singular; media is plural.

The medium of radio has spawned numerous talk show personalities.
The news media are resisting attempts to limit their freedom.

memory care

Preferred terminology when referring to the service line.

terms and descriptions like “special care unit,” “Alzheimer’s care” and “dementia care” can be used to refer to named parts of a building or the type of care provided, but they all are part of the memory care service line

memory care assisted living

Note that assisted living and memory care assisted living should not have interchangeable language. It should be “Memory care assisted living” as a headline/bullet point or “memory care assisted living” in copy.

Approved terms to use when referring to people and buildings associated with this service line:
- resident
- community
- caregiver (staff)
- household
- room
- suite
Terms not to use when referring to this service line:
- congregate living
- assisted living plus
- memory care (used alone)
- assisted living (used alone)
- assisted living memory care
  - exception: this term may be used internally on manuals and policies and procedures; it should not be used on marketing or communications materials
- occupant
- client
- patient
- center
- agency
- unit (this is a skilled term; use “neighborhood” or “community” instead)
- MCAL
In the text of a story or article, memory care assisted living should be lowercased
- The ONLY exceptions will be:
  - In the color bars on the graphics materials – the color-coded brochures. Memory Care Assisted Living is part of the graphic element there.
  - In the customized name of a specific service unit, as in “The Evergreen Memory Care Assisted Living Center in Podunk, Nebraska.”

midlife

mind, body and soul

Not “mind, body and spirit” when referring to the Society’s dimensions of care, service or well-being.

motto

“In Christ’s Love, Everyone Is Someone.”

multidisciplinary

Not “multi-disciplinary.”

music therapy program and music therapist

Use “music therapy program” only if there is a certified music therapist on staff; otherwise, use “therapeutic music program.”

“Music therapist” is a term for a specific healthcare professional

My Sanford Chart

My Sanford Chart is the preferred term for the portion of the Sanford Health app where patients can message their provider, check results and request appointments. In select cases, materials that may be used by affiliate partners who have purchased the right to use our license should instead reference MyChart. The preferred term when communicating to Sanford Health employees who are using the non-patient side of the technology is One Chart. Also see One Chart.

N

naming, capitalization in

Capitalize the full names of organizations, institutions, departments, units and groups since they are proper nouns, but use lowercase letters in an informal reference.

Examples with the formal/proper name and acronym or second reference:
- Sanford Health Board of Trustees/board of trustees or the board
- Sanford Health Human Resources Department/human resources department
- Medical Association/AMA or the association
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/CDC
- National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions/NACHRI or the association
- University of South Dakota/USD or the university
Examples of common nouns that are lowercase and their acronym:
- intensive care unit/ICU
- maternal-fetal medicine/MFM
- neonatal intensive care unit/NICU
- pediatric intensive care unit/PICU

names (proper) with descriptors: punctuation

If the descriptor before a name limits who the phrase is referring to (thus making the person’s name nonessential), the person’s name should be set off by commas. Examples:
- “Harry’s wife, Sally, visited yesterday.” (Harry only has one wife)
- “Jason’s sister, Olivia, is coming to dinner.” (Jason only has one sister)

If the descriptor before a name doesn’t limit who the phrase is referring to and is simply an adjective describing the person (thus making the person’s name essential to the meaning of the sentence), the person’s name should not have commas around it. Examples:
- “My friend Lisa asked the question.” (I have more than one friend, but I’m specifically referring to Lisa here)
- “Peter’s daughter Emma gave the gift.” (Peter has more than one daughter, but it was Emma who gave the gift.)

For more general descriptors before a name or title, you can also look at the word that precedes the descriptor to determine if the name is essential (no commas around it) or nonessential (commas around it) — “the” creates an essential clause, while “a” creates a nonessential clause. Examples:
- “Have you read the book Ever Forward?” (There is more than one book that exists, but I’m specifically asking about Ever Forward here)
- “I received a book, Ever Forward, for my birthday.” (I only received one book, and I’m letting you know what the title of it is)

Nathan Schema

The Good Samaritan Society’s president and chief executive officer since January 2022.

“Nate” or “Nathan” may be used.

National Campus

The Good Samaritan Society’s National Campus is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

In external communications, it may be more effective to use a general term, such as “national headquarters”

Nativity

Capitalize when referring to the birth of Jesus and representations and depictions of his birth.

neither/nor

See “either/or, neither/nor placement in comparative sentences“

Newsfeed

The central location for Good Samaritan Society news and information for employees.

Newsfeed URL: http://socialmedia.corp.good-sam.com/Communications/
Newsfeed is an internal blog specifically for Society employees; news and information for an external audience is communicated on the good-sam.com website and the Society’s social media channels

nonprofit

Not “non-profit.”

Note: Some organizations are legally categorized as nonprofits, while others are not-for-profits

nonsurgical

Not “non-surgical”

not-for-profit organization

The Good Samaritan Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Note: When typing this term, make sure the “(c)” in “501(c)3” is not autocorrected to a “©” symbol

numbers

Whole numbers:
- Except for the uses below, one through nine should be spelled out, and numbers 10 and higher get figures. The same applies to first through ninth. Examples:
  - The program had 12 residents and five interns.
  - The 10th resident fell in love with the fourth intern.
    - Note: This rule does not apply to ages, figures containing decimals, statistics, results of voting, percentages, sums of money, times of day, days of the month, degrees of temperature, dimension, measurements and proportion, numbers that are part of titles; these are always numerals
- If a number begins a sentence, always spell it out instead of using a numeral
  - Thirty-two whales began their migration; One hundred people signed up; Forty cupcakes were on the plate
- With four digits, use a comma (2,000 people attended), except in reference to a year (She graduated in 2000)
- Use numerals for the following, even if it’s less than 10, though sentences should not start with a number unless it’s a year:
  - Ages: By the age of 8, he knew he wanted to be a doctor.
  - Percentages: Last month, 5% of the students had the flu.
  - Addresses: The clinic is located on 7th Street. See “addresses.”
  - Height, weight, dimensions and other measurements: The patient was 7 feet tall and weighed 250 pounds.
  - Temperatures: The little boy had a fever of 101.2 degrees.
  - Years: 2010 was an exciting year for Sanford Health.

Telephone numbers:
- Use parenthesis for the area code with one space before the seven-digit number. The number 1 is not necessary:
  - (605) 333-1000
  - (701) 234-5000
  - (800) 445-5788
  - Note: If needed or desired, you can specify a number is toll-free in the text accompanying it. Examples:
    - Toll-free: (800) 123-4567
    - Call us toll-free at (866) 123-4567
- Format for teletypewriter (TTY) relay call numbers:
  - Call (877) 280-1649 (TTY: 711) for more information.

Money:
- When writing out money figures, decimals and zeros are not necessary for whole dollar amounts:
  - Bill’s share of the tab was $10, while Ted’s was $7.50.

Large numbers:
- Use commas where appropriate, round up or down when possible and write out long numbers that have lots of zeroes:
  - more than 2,300
  - 34,546
  - 7 billion

Decimal points:
- Use no more than two decimal points (round up or down) and use a zero in front of decimals that equal less than 1%.
  - 0.68%

Percentages: See “percentages” entry.

nurse-midwife

NuStep recumbent cross trainer

O

OB/GYN ^SH

This is an exception to the OB-GYN entry in the AP Stylebook.

OK

Not “okay,” “O.K.,” “o.k.,” “ok”, ‘Ok”

One Chart

Though it’s commonly referred to as Epic, One Chart is the preferred term to reference the system for electronic medical records (EMR) in communications to Sanford employees. See also My Sanford Chart.

ongoing

Not “on-going.”

online

Not “on-line.”

on-site

orthopedics

outpatient

Not “out-patient.”

P

parentheses

Use instead of brackets to denote missing information in quotes
Use around parenthetical information and to define terms within text to help make them easier to understand.
- The multinational study will evaluate the incidence and outcome of Staphylococcal sepsis (a kind of bacterial infection) in babies born between 24 and 33 weeks of gestation.
If what is inside the parentheses is not a complete sentence, the punctuation goes after the parenthesis.
- The man lost 50 pounds (after his heart attack).
Put a period inside the parenthesis if what’s inside the parentheses is a complete sentence. Add another period at the end of the sentence.
- The doctor determined it was not cancer. (It was a benign growth.)

part-time and part time

Hyphenate when being used as an adjective before a noun; use as two words (not “parttime”) in all other instances; Examples:

“This is her part-time job now”
“The job offer was for a part-time position”
“The job is part time, with the possibility for turning into a full-time job”
“She goes to school while also working part time”

patient-care provider, patient-care setting

patient-centered

payer

Preferred spelling, especially in use with Medicare, CMS and RAI documentation.

“payor” is also acceptable, especially in use with ARC documentation
Check for consistency within each document

percentages:

Use the % symbol with no space when paired with a numeral:
- She scored 100% on her exam.
Use decimals rather than fractions:
- The current unemployment rate in South Dakota is 2.5%.
When not pairing with a numeral, spell out percentage:
- Scientists have reported the percentage of water in the atmosphere on Mars.
However, if you must start a sentence with a number, spell out percent:
- Fifty percent of Americans believe in some conspiracy theory

period (and spaces)

In all forms of writing, use only one space between sentences.

personal emergency response system

Not “Personal Emergency Response System.”

Do not use the abbreviation “PERS” in official internal or external communications

phone numbers

See “Telephone numbers” under the “numbers” section.

physician assistant

Not “physician’s assistant”

pickup, pick up, pick-up

“pickup” is a noun (“the apartment has trash pickup”)
“pick up” is a verb (“we will pick up your trash weekly”)
“pick-up” is an adjective (“the pick-up services are included in your monthly fees”)

possessives

See the “possessives” entry in the AP Stylebook for a full listing; General guidelines when indicating a possessive:

Noun not ending in s: Add ( ’s ) (apostrophe and s)
Examples: Emily’s notebook, the bird’s wing, our religion’s belief, women’s rights, the alumni’s contribution, the children’s playground, the center’s needs
Noun ending in s: Add ( ’ ), just an apostrophe
- Examples: Jesus’ teachings, Kansas’ schools, the horses’ food, the campus’ needs, the centers’ needs
Possessive pronouns: no apostrophes
- Includes:
  - mine
  - ours
  - your
  - yours
  - his
  - hers
  - its
  - theirs
  - whose
- Be careful with homonyms of some of these possessive pronouns, which are actually contractions, not possessives:
  - “you’re” means “you are”
  - “it’s” means “it is”
  - “there’s” means “there is”
  - “who’s” means “who is”
Possessive apostrophes with multiple nouns:
- Use a possessive form after only the last word if the ownership is joint
  - Examples: Fred and Sylvia’s apartment, Fred and Sylvia’s children, a resident and her family’s celebration
- Use a possessive form after both words if the objects are individually owned
  - Examples: Fred’s and Sylvia’s books, a resident’s room, a resident’s or employee’s suggestion
Descriptive phrases such as sports teams:
- Do not add an apostrophe to a word ending in s when it is used primarily in a descriptive sense
  - girls basketball, not girl’s or girls’ basketball
  - boys tennis, not boy’s or boys’ tennis
    - But, women’s and men’s
      - See AP Stylebook for detailed explanation

post-acute rehabilitation services

A service line within rehabilitation/skilled care. It should be “Post-acute rehabilitation services” as a headline/bullet or “post-acute rehabilitation services” in copy.

Acceptable punctuation and wording when referring to the service line:
- post-acute rehabilitation services (recommended)
- post-acute rehab services
- post-acute rehab
Acceptable terms to help describe (but not replace) the term post-acute rehabilitation services:
- focused rehab
- inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation therapy
- inpatient and outpatient therapy
- inpatient rehabilitation therapy
- inpatient therapy
- occupational therapy
- outpatient rehabilitation therapy
- physical, occupational and speech therapies
- physical therapy
- post-acute care
- rehabilitation services
- rehabilitation therapy
- short-term rehab
- short-term rehabilitation
- skilled care
- speech therapy
- therapy
The following terms are not to be used in any Society materials or publications:
- long-term rehab
- long-term rehabilitation
- post-acute services
- rehab services
- short-term and long-term rehab, short- and long-term rehab
- short-term and long-term rehabilitation, short- and long-term rehabilitation
- sub-acute, subacute
- sub-acute care
- transitional care
- transitional care unit
Post-acute rehabilitation services should never be abbreviated to PA, PAR or PARS in materials, documents or publications
In the text of a story or article, the approved terms should be lowercased.
- The ONLY exceptions will be:
  1. In the color bars on the graphics materials – the color-coded brochures. Post-Acute Rehabilitation Services is part of the graphic element there.
  2. In the customized name of a specific service unit, as in “The Evergreen Rehabilitation Center in Podunk, Nebraska.”
People who use post-acute rehab services are “patients” or “guests” (not residents, clients, occupants)
People receive post-acute rehab services at a “center” (not community, campus, agency)
Outpatient therapy is a separately licensed service from post-acute rehab services, so it should be considered a separate/optional rehab service

post-grant, pre-grant^{^SH}

postcard

Not “post card.”

postoperative

postpartum

powwow^{^SH}

One word, not two.

pre-grant, post-grant^{^SH}

preexist, preexisting

Not pre-existing or pre existing.

preprinted

prepositions

Sentences should not end with a preposition such as for, with, of, to, by, over.

Correct: Send the invite to the physicians on this list.
Incorrect: This is the list of physicians to send the invite to.

preregistration

preoperative

preventive

Not “preventative”

principal, principle

Principal is most important or influential or person with controlling authority; principle is a basic truth or belief.

She is the principal investigator.
This style guide is a matter of principles.

pronouns

Personal pronouns change depending on whether they are the subject or object in a sentence.

Correct: The doctor offered mom and me advice on lowering our cholesterol.
Incorrect: The doctor offered mom and I advice on lowering our cholesterol.

Correct: Mom and I got advice on nutrition from a dietitian.
Incorrect: Mom and me got advice on nutrition from a dietitian.

Still not sure? It’s easy to check yourself by leaving out the other party.

I got advice
The doctor offered me

Use the simple personal pronoun as the subject.

Correct: My sister and I volunteered at the NICU.
Incorrect: My sister and myself volunteered at the NICU.

Though grammatically the proper pronoun for Sanford Health is it, using a personal pronoun like our is OK because it makes our communication more personal. Similarly, you may use they as a pronoun instead of he or she.

publication names

See “titles of works, composition titles, publication names, etc.“

Q

quotation marks

Generally, quotation marks (“ ”) should be used for direct quotes, dialog or conversation, and unfamiliar terms. In news releases, put quotes around composition titles such as books and movies but otherwise, put those titles in italics.

Quotations marks and punctuation
- The period and the comma always go within the quotation marks.
- The dash, semicolon and colon do not go within the quotation marks unless they are part of the quote.
- If the question mark or exclamation point is part of the quote, it stays within. The question mark and exclamation point only go outside the closing quotation mark if they are not part of the quote. Otherwise, the context of the quotation may be misread.
- HEADLINES: Use single quote marks in headlines.

See the AP Stylebook for a full explanation.

R

ranges

When stating a range of a quantity — such as pages, dates or Scripture verses — use a hyphen.

Examples of best practices:
- “see pages 47-52”
- “the event takes place June 4-8”
- “Luke 3:1-5”
Note: The hyphen takes the place of the phrase “from x to y”
- using both “from” and a hyphen (e.g., “from June 4-8”) is redundant; use either “from June 4 to (or through) 8” or “June 4-8”

re-admission

Not “readmission.”

regions

Good Samaritan Society regions should be capitalized.

Examples:
- Good Samaritan Society – Moscow Village is part of Region 31

rehabilitation

rehabilitation and skilled care, rehabilitation/skilled care, rehab and skilled care, rehab/skilled care

Preferred in most references when referring to Good Samaritan Society nursing home care and skilled nursing care.

When referring to the place where this service is offered, add the word “center” (“rehabilitation and skilled care center”)
People who live in rehab/skilled care centers are “residents” (not “clients”, “occupants”, “patients”)
OK to use “RSC” in internal communications and some collateral with abbreviations legends; avoid this abbreviation in body copy, though, for easiest readability

Relay For Life

Note the capitalized “For.”

remodel and remodeling

“Remodel” is a verb, and should not be used as an adjective (“our dining room remodel project”) or noun (“our dining room remodel is complete”)
“Remodeling” can be used as a verb or adjective
“Remodeled” is an adjective or past-tense verb
Correct examples:
- “As we remodel, we hope to…”
- “We are remodeling our dining room.”
- “Help us with our dining room remodeling project.”
- “We’ve completely remodeled our dining room.”
- “Our remodeled dining room features…”

rent and rental

Avoid; the circumstances for a fee to be considered rent are incredibly complex — “monthly fees” are a safer terminology.

reverend

Use “the Rev.” in body text and captions with the person’s name.

Example: “We asked the Rev. Julie Berndt to offer a prayer for…”

S

safe, safety

Avoid using in reference to service provided.

said / says

See “attributions – says/said.”

same-day vs. same day

When two words are used together as an adjective, use a hyphen. For example, both statements are correct:

They are having same-day surgery.
They will be able to go home on the same day as their surgery.

Sanford or Sanford Health

We are Sanford Health. While we might shorten our name to Sanford when we speak, it should always be written out as Sanford Health.

The exception is when writing about one of our Centers of Excellence. The parent brand, Sanford Health, has five centers of excellence and three core entities that are also proper names, so they should be capitalized but never shortened or abbreviated

Centers of Excellence

Sanford Women’s
Sanford Children’s
Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Sanford Heart
Sanford Cancer

Sanford Family

May be used with a capital “F” as a proper noun when addressing employees in an email or letter but otherwise should be used as a common noun, Sanford family.

Scripture

Capitalize when referring to the Bible.

seasons

The names of seasons are lowercase (examples: winter, spring, summer, fall, autumn) unless it is part of a title or a publication issue’s name (examples: “the Spring 2012 issue of The Disciple”).

secure

Do not use when talking about services (usually related to memory care); it’s too synonymous with the word “safe” and should not be used as it may imply promises in care we cannot guarantee.

OK to say “secured” (with a “d” at the end) when describing an environment, neighborhood, wing, hallway or door

semicolon

The semicolon ( ; ) is a great tool for separating lists or two closely related thoughts and when you want less emphasis than a period. Semicolons also separate independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction such as and or but.

She planned on taking a vacation in the summer; it didn’t happen until late fall.
She took numerous things: enough food for a two-week stay; clothing and gear for swimming, snorkeling and boating; and newspapers, magazines and books.

Send a Note

Use this format when referring to the Good Samaritan Society’s “Send a Note” website feature. Not “send-a-note,” “Send a note,” etc.

senior housing with services

Do not use “independent housing” to describe these services.

Approved terms for the people and buildings associated with senior housing with services:
- resident
- community
- campus (if applicable)
- location (if applicable)
- apartment, unit
- caregiver (staff)
- fees
Do not use the following terms for the people and buildings associated with senior housing with services:
- occupant
- client
- patient
- center
- agency
- neighborhood
- household
- unlicensed personnel
- rent

senior living

Note: This is not a service listing; the umbrella term of senior living includes the services of affordable housing, assisted living and housing with services; see the approved terms above for senior housing with services.

SharePoint

Not “Sharepoint,” “Share Point.”

short-term care

Always hyphenated; not “shortterm care” or “short term care.”

singalong

Not “sing-along,” “sing-a-long,” “sing along.”

skilled nursing facility (SNF)

This term and acronym are OK to use in documents related specifically to things like Medicare, EMR and billing (as appropriate and needed); see the “rehabilitation and skilled care” entry for the Society’s preferred wording in all other uses.

skin care

But if “skincare” appears in the official name of a product or company, it should remain one word to match.

smartphone

Not “smart phone,” “smart-phone,” “Smartphone,” “SmartPhone.”

sneak peek

Not “sneek peek,” “sneak peak,” “sneek peak.”

Capitalize “Social Accountability” when referring to the program or a grant a center received through the program; lowercase “social accountability” when referring generally to the concept of being socially accountable
“grant” and “program” do not need to be capitalized

Always capitalized when referring to the federal program.

Society

The Good Samaritan Society may be referred to as “the Society” in subsequent references as long as the context makes it clear that the writer is referring to the Good Samaritan Society, not society in general.

A generic word such as “the organization” also may be used
For longer stories, the full name may need to be repeated for clarity

SOPnet

SOP stands for Strategic Operational Plan.

special care unit

staff, faculty

These words take a singular verb when used to refer to the group as a whole.

The staff is having a party.
The staff members are having a party.

staff members

See “employee” entry.

stage II cancer

(Roman numeral two)

STAR Ministry

states and countries

Spell out state names when used in datelines and in a narrative style such as a report, web content, story or letter.

North Dakota
South Dakota
Minnesota
California
Washington, D.C.
- In copy, use a comma after Washington and periods after D.C. A comma goes after the last period when the term is used in the middle of a sentence (e.g., “We went to Washington, D.C., to see…”). But there are no periods in the postal code: Washington, DC.

Offset the state with commas when it’s used with a city: “Sanford Health has large operations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota.”

In non-narrative text, like a resume, social media, headlines or mailing address, use the US Postal Service two-letter abbreviation for states.

ND
SD
MN
CA
Do not use postal abbreviations to refer to states, unless it is part of a mailing address that also lists a ZIP code

When the state name accompanies a city, place a comma between the city and state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence or indicating a dateline.

Example: He was traveling from Nashville, Tennessee, to Austin, Texas, en route to his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

stepdown unit

Not “step down” or “step-down”; preferred is intermediate or transitional

style guide

Not “styleguide” or “Style Guide.”

Storefront

Storefront URL: http://www.goodsamstorefront.com

subacute care

Do not use; see “post-acute rehabilitation services” entry

subspecialty, subspecialist

T

teen, teenager

telehealth, telemedicine

than or then

“Than” is used to compare things (examples: he is taller than I am; I’d rather listen to music than watch a movie; Fred makes more money than Jimmy)
“Then” is used to denote time or a sequence of events (examples: wash your hair, then brush your teeth; he filled out the form, then waited in the lobby; preheat the oven first, then mix the ingredients)

that or which

That defines or restricts. Use when the clause is important to the meaning of a sentence. Do not use commas.
- The bus that broke down is in the garage. (Not just any bus.)
- The dissertation that she wrote is published. (Not just any dissertation.) Often, as in this example, that can be eliminated to simplify the sentence.

Which describes. When the sentence includes which, use commas to set off the descriptive phrase.
- The bus, which broke down last week, is in the garage.
- The dissertation, which she wrote while earning her PhD, is published.
From AP Stylebook: (Tip: If you can drop the clause and not lose the meaning of the sentence, use which; otherwise, use that. A which clause is surrounded by commas; no commas are used with that clauses.)

theater or theatre

Generally, “theater” is the preferred spelling, but either may be used as long as it’s consistent within a document.

their, there, they’re

Their means belonging to or associated with; there is a place, they’re is the contraction of they are. Also see “possessives.”

They’re going to the park over there to play their game.

third party or third-party

Do not hyphenate when using the term as a noun (“we contract that service through a third party”)
Hyphenate when using the term as an adjective (“that question is being directed to a third-party administrator”)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

time

Use numbers, except for noon and midnight. Also, it’s redundant to put a 12 in front of noon or midnight: The meeting starts at noon.

Use a colon to separate hours and minutes but don’t include :00 if something occurs on the hour. Use a space between numerals and p.m. or a.m. in lowercase with periods.
- The race begins at 7 a.m.
- The shift starts at 6:15 a.m.

Use words like to, until or through instead of a dash in narrative copy. Otherwise, use a hyphen without spaces.
- The open house is 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.
- She leaves work between 5 and 5:30 p.m.
- Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Hours: 1-5 p.m.

time frame

Not “timeframe,” “time-frame.”

timeline

Not “time line,” “time-line.”

titles of works, composition titles, publication names, etc.

For titles of books, movies, plays, albums, songs, speeches, works of art, television or radio programs, and other compositions: capitalize principal words and the first word if it’s fewer than four letters and put the title in italics (or quotes if writing for media):

The titles of complete/long pieces of work are italicized, including titles of:
- movies (e.g., The Shawshank Redemption)
- books (e.g., To Kill a Mockingbird)
- newsletters (e.g., Samaritan Times)
- magazines (e.g., National Geographic)
- newspapers (e.g., The New York Times)
- TV series (e.g., Seinfeld)
- CDs (e.g., Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits)

tracheostomy and tracheotomy

While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably (as long as they’re consistently used—one or the other), a tracheostomy is a hole/opening in a person’s neck through which a breathing apparatus is inserted and/or an air passage is opened, while a tracheotomy is the surgical procedure that creates this hole.

Note: With the distinction above, a Good Samaritan Society location’s rehabilitation program may offer “tracheostomy care”

transitional care

Do not use; see “post-acute rehabilitation services” entry.

twin home

Not “twinhome.”

type 2 diabetes

Numeric digit, not Roman numeral when referring to diabetes.

U

underway

One word is acceptable in all uses (no need to use “under way” as a verb).

unique

Avoid overuse. Either something is unique (without like or equal) or it isn’t. Do not say more unique or very unique.

units of measurement

Use numerals and spell out the units of measurement (e.g., inches, feet, yards, miles); hyphenate compound adjectives before nouns.

Examples:

He is 5 feet 6 inches tall.
The 5-foot-6-inch man asked for directions.
The storm left 5 inches of snow.
The 3-mile race begins at 9 a.m.
The rug is 9 feet wide and 12 feet long.
The 9-by-12-foot rug won’t fit in the room.
The 8,000-square-foot facility houses the clinic.

up-to-date, up to date

“Up-to-date” (as an adjective before a noun), “up to date” (elsewhere in a sentence)

See “hyphens” entry for examples

upcoming

Not “up-coming.”

URL addresses

See “website addresses, URLs and redirects” entry.

use, usage, utilize

Utilize and usage are not synonyms of use/use. Consider the precise definitions of each before choosing.
When in doubt, choose use over either utilize or usage.

utilize vs. use = yüz (verb)
- Utilize means to put something to use beyond its ordinary purpose.
  - Correct: We utilize our garage as a storage area for our extensive collection of bikes.
  - Incorrect: Please utilize this worksheet in the meeting today.
- Use means to take, hold or put into service as a means of accomplishing something.
  - I use a pen to write.

usage vs. use = yüs (noun)
- Usage refers to an established, habitual and accepted practice of something.
  - Correct: I learned about the usage of abstract nouns in the English language.
  - Incorrect: I appreciated the usage of his car when mine was in the shop.
- Use refers to the act of using something for a particular purpose.
  - I use a computer to conduct research.

V

verbs

If a subject is singular, use a singular verb; if a subject is plural, give it a plural verb.
- My father was a doctor too.
- Many children in the hospital are being treated for RSV.

Prepositional phrases can be tricky so pay attention when writing them. See below for examples of correct use.
- The group of students was introduced to the researchers.
- He is one of the smartest students who has joined the program.

Certain words are singular and require singular verbs: each, either, neither, none, everyone, everybody, nobody, someone.
- Neither student studies hard for the final.
- None of the candidates is a good fit for the job.

Village

Capitalize on the second reference when standing alone as a center name.

W

waiting list

This is the term used in forms and policies and procedures; “wait list” is also OK to use, as long as the terminology is consistent within the document.

Washington, D.C.

In copy, use a comma after Washington and periods after D.C. A comma goes after the last period when the term is used in the middle of a sentence (e.g., “We went to Washington, D.C., to see…”). But there are no periods in the postal code: Washington, DC.

web

Not “Web”; Also:

webcam
webcast
webmaster
webpage (not “web page,” “Webpage,” “web page,” “web-page”)
website (not “Web site,” “Website,” “web site,” web-site”)

webcam, webcast, webmaster, webpage, website

One word, not two.

website addresses, URLs and redirects

Use lowercase letters and omit www. Capitalize only if it starts a sentence and use a period if the address ends a sentence. There are no spaces or caps in any website addresses, URLs or redirects.
- Correct:
  - sanfordhealth.org
  - sanfordhealth.org/doctors
  - Sanfordhealth.org is the company website.
  - The company website is sanfordhealth.org.
- Incorrect:
  - SanfordHealth.org
  - Sanfordhealth.org/find a location
Format URLs in regular text (not underlined or in blue). Do not break a URL across lines; use a soft return or force break a line so that the entire address fits on one line.

weeklong

Not “week-long.”

weight loss

well-being

Always hyphenated.

well child care

well woman care

wheelchair-accessible

Preferred to “handicapped-accessible.”

wheelchair-bound

Avoid.

Who, whom

Who is a pronoun referring to the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase; whom is the object of a verb or preposition.

The doctor who performed the surgery was one of the best.
The patient to whom the room was assigned left it in disarray.

Who’s, whose

Who’s is a contraction for who is; whose means belonging to.

Who’s the person whose car is parked in my spot?
- Also see “possessives.”

Wi-Fi

Not “wifi,” “WiFi”

wise men

Lowercase, even when referring to the Magi who visited Jesus after his birth.

Note: No translation of the Bible specifies how many wise men there were; people guess/assume it was three because there were three gifts brought (gold, frankincense, myrrh)

word

Do not capitalize when referring to God’s word.

workers’ compensation

Not “Workers’ Compensation,” “worker’s compensation,” “workers compensation.”

workforce

Not “work force.”

worry-free

Avoid.

X

X-ray

Capital “X” and hyphen.

Y

year-end

Use a hyphen when writing as both a noun and an adjective.

year-round

Z

ZIP or ZIP code

Not “Zip” or “Zip code.”

“ZIP” is an acronym (“zoning improvement plan”), which is why it should appear in all caps

Purpose of this guide

How to search this guide

3D

A

academic degrees

accept, except

acronyms

active voice

Administrator in Training (as a title)

Administrator in Training program

addresses

adult day services

adverbs

advisor

advisory board

affect, effect

affordable housing

aftercare

ages

aid, aide

along with

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias

amount, number

and, ampersand

Annual Business Meeting and Annual Operations Conference

anti-

anti-inflammatory

antiseptic

Apostle

apostrophes (‘)

apostrophe with year

Arizona location names

as well

as well as

assisted living

assure, ensure, insure

attributions – says / said SH

August “Dad” Hoeger

B

baby boomer

basic care

benefiting and benefited

beta blocker

Bible

biblical

biblical pronouns

biblical reference punctuation

bio card

biweekly

Board of Directors

boys basketball, tennis, etc.

brackets

break room

breastfeeding, breastfed, but breast milk

bullets

C

capitalization in the naming of organizations, institutions, departments, etc.

canceled, canceling

cannot

care

care center

caregiver, caregiving

CareWatch

cell phone

center

Center For Solutions

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

certifications

checkup (noun), check up (verb)

chickenpox

child care

child day care services

Christian care or Christ-like care

Christian community

chronically confused dementing illness

CI Ops

clichés

CMA

Colombia

colon

attributions – says / said ^SH

dash, en dash, em dash ^SH