IMA pledges support as HC deliberates on Doctors' illegible handwriting
Chandigarh: The case of illegible handwriting in medical prescriptions has taken a positive turn, as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) president has informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court of his consent to help the Bench find a solution.
The move comes in response to longstanding concerns over the challenges patients and pharmacists face in interpreting handwritten prescriptions, which can sometimes lead to serious medical errors.
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has also stepped forward, seeking a week to coordinate with its faculty members and develop a concrete strategy to tackle the problem. The institute aims to work closely with doctors and medical staff to implement clearer, more readable prescription practices, ensuring patient safety and better communication in healthcare settings, reports The Tribune.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that referring to the doctors' illegible handwriting in medico-legal reports as astounding and appalling in the era of computers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought the assistance of Advocates-General of Punjab and Haryana, along with UT senior standing counsel and the National Medical Commission (NMC) to lay down remedial measures in this regard.
Further, the HC bench comprising Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri also appointed Advocate Tanu Bedi as the Amicus Curiae in the matter. Referring to this, the HC bench comprising Justice Puri observed, "It is very surprising and shocking to note that in this era of computers, the notes on the medical history and on the prescriptions by the government doctors are written by hand which cannot be read by anybody except perhaps some doctors.”
This came after a plea was filed against the State of Haryana through Advocate Aditya Sanghi. However, the court noted that this was not an isolated incident but rather a systemic issue prevalent in the State of Punjab.
