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 by a woman and Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri was hearing the man's petition for bail.
The woman had alleged that the man had taken money from her promising her a government job, conducted fake interviews with her and sexually exploited her.
The accused denied the charges - he said they had a consensual relationship and the case was brought on because of a dispute over money.
Justice Puri said when he looked at the medico-legal report - written by a government doctor who had examined the woman - he found it incomprehensible.
It shook the conscience of this court as not even a word or a letter was legible, he wrote in the order.
At a time when technology and computers are easily accessible, it is shocking that government doctors are still writing prescriptions by hand which cannot be read by anybody except perhaps some chemists, Justice Puri wrote.
The court asked the government to include handwriting lessons in the medical school curriculum and set a two-year timeline for rolling out digitised prescriptions.
Until that happens, all doctors must write prescriptions clearly in capital letters, Justice Puri said.
Dr Dilip Bhanushali, president of the Indian Medical Association, stated their willingness to find solutions to this issue, noting the rise of digital prescriptions.
However, he emphasized the challenges faced in rural areas where clear prescriptions are still a struggle.
This is not the first time Indian courts have intervened regarding doctors' handwriting. Previous instances in other high courts highlighted similar concerns about readability and the potential dangers of illegible medical documents.
Experts stress that the focus on handwriting is not just about aesthetics; misinterpretation of unclear prescriptions can lead to severe health risks, and numerous cases have been reported linking errors due to illegible handwriting to patient harm.
In conclusion, the court's decision pushes for a critical shift toward ensuring that health professionals prioritize clarity in their communication, ultimately advocating for the welfare of their patients.
