At a time when most people use keyboards to write, does handwriting really matter?
Yes, say Indian courts, if the writer is a doctor.
Jokes around the notoriously bad handwriting of many doctors that can only be deciphered by pharmacists are common in India, as around the world. But the latest order emphasising the importance of clear handwriting came recently from the Punjab and Haryana High Court which said that 'legible medical prescription is a fundamental right' as it can make a difference between life and death.
The court order came in a case that had nothing to do with the written word. It involved allegations of rape, cheating, and forgery. Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri was hearing the man's petition for bail and found a medico-legal report written by a doctor unintelligible.
It shook the conscience of this court as not even a word or a letter was legible, he wrote in the order.
The court has called for hospital doctors to adopt handwritten prescriptions that are clear and in capital letters until a transition to digital prescriptions is in place.
Justice Puri emphasized the necessity of this change, questioning why medical professionals still use hard-to-read handwriting in an age where technology is overwhelmingly prevalent.
Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, president of the Indian Medical Association, asserted that while larger cities have seen a rise in digital prescriptions, rural areas still struggle with the issue of poorly written documents due to increased patient loads.
This issue of illegible prescriptions is not new, with various courts in India previously addressing it. Studies suggest that poor handwriting can lead to misinterpretations, posing severe risks to patient health.
The court's directive not only addresses a legal aspect but also highlights a pressing need for implementing more effective means of medical documentation to ensure patient safety.
