Reports show that some doctors in Africa couldn’t understand their own writing in the prescription notes when asked to review after a few hours due to illegible handwriting. Are these doctors’ tough-to-read poor handwritings peculiar to Africa alone? Here is a revelation by Dr. Omotuyi Mebawondu, who on Platforms Africa e-Discourse, unveiled the cause and solutions to what was hitherto termed mere medical notes and their fatal consequences
From general observation, the prescription notes from doctors in Africa have tough-to-read-words. Do doctors just write in “bad handwriting” deliberately? What is your view on this?
The doctors are compelled to take many notes, but the prescription consists of 3 main parts: Name of the drugs, dosage, and duration. Sometimes, special instructions may be added. For example, the particular time of the day and dosing in relation to meals or other drugs.
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Given doctors prescription are codes and instructions meant for specific professionals like the nurses and pharmacists or lab scientists, but the legibility issue is causing quite noticeable harm. Across the globe, this has generated much concern due to medical errors and avoidable deaths resulting from such.
Why do doctors write in such ways?
The large number of clients and the speed needed to input medical findings is a big factor.
Secondly, the complex nature of the drug names, including sometimes varied dosages in different health conditions.
How do we improve ?
Writing in capital letters, hiring of transcribers, use of technology, and availability of electronic medical records have mitigated such errors.
Is this peculiar to Africa alone? If so, why?
Definitely NO..
Medical training and practices are similar world over.
We may not have the data of damages caused by illegible doctor’s handwriting in Nigeria or Africa, but studies have shown that in India for example, bad handwriting by doctors is responsible for as high as 7000 deaths every year.
Indeed, the Medical Council of India (MCI) insisted on the legible handwriting of doctors to reduce the number of potential medical errors that occur due to illegible handwriting and spelling mistakes. In Britain, medical errors were estimated to cause deaths of up to 30, 000 people per year and in the USA up to 100, 000 per year. Other authors have cautioned that illegible handwriting in prescriptions may lead to fatal consequences and is a leading cause of medication error.
So, this is a global phenomenon.
Some studies are ongoing on the danger this can have on wrong drug prescription and administration by the pharmacists. What are your personal views on this?
I’ve said so much on this in the previous post. But the danger is not limited to pharmacists alone as it cuts across the whole spectrum of the medical professional.
Here’s why:
1. Doctors rely on documentation of their colleagues to make decisions on continuous care and patient management through the notes written by previous colleagues who may not be on duty when the decisions are reviewed.
2. Nurses also refer to such notes to administer care and put down their reports
3. Laboratory scientists must understand your requisition to conduct relevant tests that can have an impact on the total spectrum of care. For instance, I ordered a viral load for HIV while the lab scientist did a viral load for HBV
4. Sometimes, the same doctor may not even understand his writing when reviewed a few weeks after, if so illegible.
This edition of e-Discourse, a weekly event organised by Platforms Africa, a forum created by award-winning African journalist, Adeola Yusuf, is moderated by Accra, Ghana-based veteran journalist, Francis KOKUTSE
