'You write like a doctor' is not a funny stereotype anymore. Reports suggest that prescriptions scribbled in bad handwriting can be more fatal than the disease itself. Prescriptions are often misinterpreted by pharmacists and wrong medicine can wreak havoc.
But there is treatment available for those doctors with sloppy handwriting. An NGO organised it into a movement in 2012 in Mumbai and in Bangalore Dr Shantagiri Mallappa has taken it up as a mission through the Karnataka State Doctor's Handwriting Improvement Association (KSDHIA).
Dr Mallappa started on this path himself around 10 years ago and went from door to door, educating doctors, asking them to write in capital letters. And finding inspiration from the organised work by the NGO in Mumbai, he launched KSDHIA three weeks ago.
Through this movement he wants to conduct workshops free of cost for doctors and give them proper training in handwriting. He has invited professional graphologists on board for conducting the workshops.
"Over the years I read a lot of reports where the issue of bad prescriptions was highlighted by the media," he said.
Being in this profession himself, this doctor has over the years trained himself to write only in capital letters so that patients and chemists can interpret the prescriptions easily. "I realised that the problem was bigger than we thought when I could not interpret what other doctors had written. Being a doctor, if I too could not read those prescriptions, how do we expect the lay man to?" he asked.
After the movement picks up in Bangalore, Dr Shantagiri plans to take it to rual areas. "In cities we still have computers and printers, but the main problem is in villages where the chemists are also not educated," he said.
Graphologists Dr Shivananda Nayak and Dr Phaneendar BN will also help Shantagiri in this initiative. "A doctor’s job is very stressful which results in bad handwriting,” said Dr Mallappa. “We will be giving the doctors three pages a day to practice which is approximately 60 minutes. There are so many brand names in the market. 'D' can be easily interpreted as 'B' and that's where the problem begins," he said.
Dr Prasana Kumara, a consultant Diabetologist is also part of the team. "Some doctors have adopted clean handwriting already but still there are many that have to be trained. Also every doctor should also mention the Medical Council Number in the prescriptions. This makes it easy to track the doctor,” he said.