Graphic oncology discharge instructions win pet parent preference
Bottom line
Pet parents whose animals were receiving chemotherapy preferred oncology discharge instructions presented in a graphic design format over text-only instructions, even when the two versions had identical readability, according to a new survey-based study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The study surveyed 114 pet parents at the Animal Medical Center in New York City between August 2024 and March 2025, using fictionalized discharge instructions with the same content in two formats: text and graphic. The finding adds to a growing body of veterinary literature suggesting that comprehension and usability aren’t just about reading level, but also about layout, visual organization, and how information is delivered. (amcny.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary teams, especially in oncology, discharge instructions often carry high-stakes information about adverse effects, home monitoring, medication timing, and when to call the clinic. Prior research has found that oncology discharge summaries and other veterinary discharge materials often exceed recommended readability levels, and a 2024 study linked harder-to-read postoperative instructions with higher complication rates in companion animals undergoing sterilization. This new study suggests that improving design, not just simplifying wording, may help practices better support pet parents during emotionally difficult treatment periods. (openalex.org)
What to watch: Expect more attention on whether veterinary practices redesign client-facing handouts, portals, and chemotherapy take-home materials to emphasize usability as well as readability. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)
A new JAVMA study suggests that when pet parents are sent home with oncology discharge instructions, design matters. In a survey of 114 pet parents whose pets were receiving chemotherapy at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, respondents preferred a graphic design version of discharge instructions over a text-only version, even though both used the same content and had identical readability. (amcny.org)
The result lands in a part of veterinary communication that has already been under scrutiny. Earlier oncology-focused research found that discharge summaries given to pet parents of newly diagnosed cancer patients exceeded readability levels recommended in human health communication guidance and were above the average reading level of many US adults. More broadly, veterinary health literacy experts have argued that written materials should use plain language, clear organization, white space, and visual elements to make information easier to use in real life. (openalex.org)
That context matters because oncology discharge instructions are doing a lot of work. They may need to explain expected side effects, medication schedules, home safety precautions, follow-up timing, and thresholds for calling the hospital. AAHA’s current oncology guidance emphasizes that chemotherapy in veterinary medicine is generally aimed at maintaining quality of life, and that side effects, while often manageable, still need to be recognized and acted on appropriately by pet parents at home. (aaha.org)
The new study’s core takeaway is narrower than a claim of better medical outcomes: it found preference for the graphic format, not necessarily improved adherence or complication reduction. Still, that preference is meaningful. Human healthcare literature has long shown that pictographs, visual cues, and simpler discharge materials can improve perceived clarity and patient knowledge, and veterinary educators have increasingly made the case that communication tools should be built for usability, not just technical accuracy. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
There’s also reason for the profession to take the issue seriously beyond client satisfaction. In a 2024 Veterinary Record study, discharge instructions with higher reading grade levels were associated with postoperative complications in dogs and cats undergoing sterilization, and only 2% of instructions met the sixth-grade readability benchmark commonly recommended in human medicine. That study did not involve oncology, but it strengthens the broader argument that communication quality can have clinical consequences. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Industry commentary has been moving in the same direction. Educational pieces for veterinary teams have stressed that cancer conversations are hard for pet parents to process, and that written follow-up materials can reinforce what was discussed in the exam room. Guidance on veterinary health literacy similarly recommends organized layouts, graphics, plain language, and teach-back methods to confirm understanding rather than assuming it. (dvm360.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this study is a practical reminder that “readable” and “usable” aren’t the same thing. A handout can hit the same grade level and still be harder to navigate when a pet parent is anxious, sleep-deprived, or trying to remember chemotherapy precautions at home. In specialty oncology and in general practice follow-up, better visual design may be one of the lower-cost ways to improve communication without changing the medical content itself. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)
What to watch: The next question is whether preferred design formats also improve recall, adherence, fewer callback misunderstandings, or clinical outcomes, and whether similar findings hold outside a single tertiary-care oncology setting. If follow-up studies show that graphic formatting changes behavior, not just preference, discharge document redesign could become a more concrete quality-improvement target for hospitals and practice groups. (amcny.org)