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, heard by Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri. After examining a medico-legal report composed by a government doctor, Justice Puri found it incomprehensible, prompting his ruling.
It shook the conscience of this court as not even a word or a letter was legible, he wrote.
Furthermore, the court has directed the government to incorporate handwriting lessons into the medical school curriculum and establish a two-year timeline for transitioning to digital prescriptions. Until then, all doctors are required to write prescriptions clearly in capital letters.
Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, president of the Indian Medical Association, acknowledged the hardship faced by doctors due to long work hours but expressed commitment to improved practices following the new guidelines.
Justice Puri's ruling adds to previous warnings issued by Indian courts regarding the illegibility of doctors' handwriting, spotlighting an ongoing challenge in medical practice that has far-reaching consequences for patient safety.
