Such people bring bad name to the profession

A patient from Eastern India recently came to consult me. He had brought with him three prescriptions from a local doctor who was a specialist physician, MD and MRCH from UK. He was also a former professor and Head (Medicine) and principal of a medical college. After seeing his prescription, I asked the patient in which language had the doctor written the prescription as I could not make out head and tail of the prescription.

Had it been simply a case of bad handwriting, the name of the patient, age also would not have been legible but the same could easily be read on the top in all the three of his prescriptions.

I could only read the words ‘referred to AIIMS’ in one of the prescriptions which was legible.

Out of curiosity, I asked the patient from where did he buy the medicines. The patient told me that his handwriting could only be understood by a chemist in the neighborhood of the doctor and had to be procured only from that chemist. No other chemist in the whole city would be able to read and give medicines on that prescription.

Such prescriptions bring bad name to the profession.

I would give the benefit of doubt to the medical doctor and not claim that he has a nexus with the chemist but it gives a perception to the people that there is a nexus.

To avoid such perceptions, even if we have the worst handwriting, we should at least write the medicines in capital letters of English so that they are easily understood by all. Internationally, the practice is of electronic prescription but in India, I think, expecting that from all doctors all across the country would be too much. At least the State Medical Councils all across the country should send a circular to all doctors in their jurisdiction to write medicines in ‘BOLD CAPITAL/ UPPER CASE ENGLISH LETTERS’.

(The scanned copy of the prescription are attached and name and address of the doctor have been withheld)