Computers have come as a boon and in many case not so, but then in todays scenario, you can find its use everywhere, including the hospitals. But then despite the revolution there are some place where its use still has not caught up, especially with the doctors, but then it is in cases where the doctor prescriptions are written in his /her own handwriting which he understands and expects the world to understand it too.
Through the ages it has been accepted that the doctors handwriting has to be illegible and you would have difficulty to decipher what exactly is written. The doctors handwriting cannot be over emphasized, the Pharmacists and nurses have a real tough time reading what the physicians have written and are always finding ways to be as correct as possible while dispensing and administering the correct medication to patients.
I seriously feel that the implication of poor writing of the doctors can be grave as it could lead to poor performance of nurses and support staff, administration of drugs and doses or even improper treatment schedules. Here I would like to add that medication errors are though to cause at least 7000 deaths in a year in United states, out of which a quarter of them are due to mix-ups in drugs.
Just like anyone else I sometimes ponder and wonder what could be the possible reasons, and plausible explanation for the doctors handwriting? Is it Indifference?, something to do with less time? Busy Practice, or maybe too many patients or hospitals/ clinics to attend to? Or because they themselves don’t know the correct spelling of the medication, and by scribbling he is trying to mask his ignorance? Or could be he takes illegible handwriting to be the trade mark of a busy medical professional, and thinks that the is just following in the footsteps of earlier generation?
What ever may be the answer, but at the end of the show …. I feel that the doctor should show some respect to his patients by providing him the information in an proper clean handwriting, which the pharmacists, nurses, or even the patient himself can understand.
