HC seeks assistance on doctors’ illegible handwriting, calls for remedial measures

Chandigarh: Observing the widespread issue of doctors' handwriting being unreadable, which is often decipherable only by some chemists, the Punjab and Haryana high court has sought assistance from the govts of Punjab, Haryana, UT Chandigarh, and the National Medical Council (NMC). The court has urged the states and the medical council to assist in identifying corrective measures to address the illegibility of medical notes and prescriptions by both govt and private doctors.
The HC was of the view that having knowledge about the medical prescription by the doctor and the note on the medical history is prima facie a right vested in the patient or the attendants to peruse the same and apply their mind, especially in today's technological world.
"It will not be out of place to even note that the right to know the medical status of a human being can also be considered a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Health and the treatment given to a human being is a part of life and therefore, it may be considered part of the Right to Life," the HC held.
Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri passed these orders while noticing the ineligible handwriting of a doctor pertaining to the Medico Legal Report (MLR) of a victim in the case. The court was hearing a criminal matter pertaining to the state of Haryana. Justice Puri observed that the handwriting in the aforesaid MLR was absolutely illegible and could not be understood at all.
"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 govt doctors are written by hand, which cannot be read by anybody except perhaps some doctors," observed the judge. It was further noted that the court has also seen a number of cases where even the medical prescription is written in such handwriting that nobody can read except perhaps some chemists. The same is the position in the state of Punjab and probably in UT Chandigarh also.
"Considering the aforesaid seriousness of the issue," the court asked the advocate generals of Punjab, Haryana, and the senior standing counsel for UT Chandigarh to assist on this issue. Further observing the assistance of the National Medical Commission (NMC), the HC has asked Ravi Sharma, advocate, who is on the panel of NMC, to assist the court on the issue. The court has also directed the appointment of Tanu Bedi, advocate, as amicus curiae in the present case.