Odisha HC urges doctors to write in capital letters for better readability of medical documents

Odisha: The health department of the state has been instructed by the Orissa High Court to make sure that all physicians write medical prescriptions, post-mortem reports, and medico-legal documents in capital letters or in clear, readable handwriting.

Justice SK Panigrahi sent a directive to the Chief Secretary of the Odisha government, requesting that it be distributed to all medical facilities, private clinics, and medical colleges in order to improve accessibility and clarity for the public and the judiciary.

Following the death of his older son Souvagya Ranjan Bhoi from snakebite, Rasananda Bhoi of Hindol in the Denkanal district filed a petition with the court, which resulted in the order being issued. In order to ensure that medication names are clear, the directive emphasizes the importance of writing prescriptions in legible handwriting.

"In many cases, the casual approach of most of the doctors while writing the post-mortem report is affecting the comprehension medico-legal documents badly and the judicial system finds it very difficult to read those letters and come to a definite conclusion," the High Court noted.

The court noted that doctors now write in a "zig-zag" style, which makes it challenging for the general public and the legal system to read those documents.

The Orissa High Court issued a ruling akin to this in 2020. The judge at the time declared that a medical prescription ought to be clear-cut and unambiguous. It was approved after the judge had trouble understanding a prescription that a prisoner requesting temporary release for a month in order to care for his sick wife had submitted.