Posted By :  Admin1

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly criticized doctors for issuing illegible prescriptions that put patients at risk. The court observed that a readable prescription is part of a patient’s right to life and said the practice of unclear handwriting must be addressed immediately.

The bench, led by Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri, noted that in a recent case it could not understand the contents of a medico-legal report because of poor handwriting. The court said such ambiguity can endanger patient safety and called it unacceptable that in today’s digital age, doctors continue to issue notes and reports that are difficult to read.

The High Court recommended that the National Medical Commission should include handwriting lessons in medical education so that future doctors write clearly. It also directed that until prescriptions are fully digitalized, doctors should write in capital letters to ensure legibility.

The court further urged the Union Government to frame rules under the Clinical Establishments Act to make electronic record keeping mandatory in hospitals and clinics. It stressed that modern technology should replace outdated handwritten notes, ensuring that patients, lawyers, and courts are not left struggling to understand medical documents.