Despite progress in technology and the invention of super -solid computers, handwritten medical prescriptions remain constant throughout India. Poor manuscript of doctors who are so busy that the fast scribbles illegal recipes have long been an subject to fun memes and jokes. Many of these recipes are difficult to understand, often decodable only by pharmacists and people who raise significant concern for patient safety.When he saw this, Punjab and Haryana High Court in India had a new decision in favor of their citizens and have given an urgent need for clear recipes and that handwriting lessons are incorporated into medical education. The government has also been directed to implementing digitized prescriptions within two years. Until then, all recipes must be clearly written in capital letters to prevent confusion and potential health risks. The Court gave this decision in connection with “right to life” under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, reported by BBC
What was justice Puri’s decision
In its order, Justice Puri led the government to ensure that medical students receive manuscript training as part of their curriculum and set a two -year time frame for digitized recipes to be adopted to a large extent. Until technology is completely in place, he instructed doctors to write prescriptions in block letters that can be read without doubt.
How did this decision come into the game
During a guarantee for a case for rape, fraud and forgery, just Jasbirpreet Singh Puri, did not find a single word in the Medico-Legal report readable. He called the report “incomprehensible” and noted that the illegality itself was a matter of serious concern for the medical system. Justice Puri pointed out that patients have a fundamental right to readable medical prescriptions and warn that an unclear note can mean all the difference between correct medication and a medical error.In larger cities and cities, digital recipes become more common, but in smaller cities and rural areas, unclear handwritten recipes remain a major problem.
Legal problems
Previous court decisions in various Indian states have also expressed concern about writing unreadable medical notes and prescriptions, and noted that poor writing has compromised patient care. Internationally, research has linked careless manuscript to thousands of preventive deaths each year. For example, a 1999 report from the Institute of Medicine in the United States estimated that poor manuscript contributed to about 7,000 deaths annually due to medical errors. In Scotland, a patient suffered chemical damage after receiving the wrong medication due to prescription confusion.
Government and general efforts
Efforts from both the government and healthcare professionals are required to address the ongoing issue of unreadable handwritten recipes. Official guidelines now recommend that recipes are written readable, in generic names and capital letters.While city centers gradually go towards printed or digital recipes, widespread adoption remains a challenge. Ensure clear communication in medication for patient safety but also to avoid medication errors that can lead to serious, sometimes deadly consequences.
