The methodology used in this study is data-driven and evidence-based. This approach strengthens the credibility of findings drawn out of the two corpora in Chinese and English. Most medical discourse studies focus primarily on spoken data, but this study focuses on written data, and the online data is the first written corpus of its kind. New findings regarding shared and culture-specific features of EL shed light on how and why language users stretch their words to increase efficiency of health communication. This study not only contributes to the conceptualisation of EL in healthcare discourse but also affords methodological significance to cross-cultural research of health communication. By examining pragmatic variations in the use of EL, we can develop strategies for improving communication in healthcare discourse. The findings also benefit the public by showing healthcare professionals how medical information may best be communicated through EL. The new insights and resources may also inform policy making by highlighting EL use as an important skill for healthcare professionals.