Chandigarh — In a landmark ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it mandatory for doctors across Punjab, Haryana, and UT Chandigarh to ensure that all medical prescriptions and diagnostic notes are legible, preferably in capital letters, or issued in typed/digital form.
The Court held that the right of patients to clearly understand their treatment and diagnosis is integral to the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri observed that ambiguity caused by illegible handwriting in medical documents could endanger lives and compromise patient safety.
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Directions for States, UT, and Centre
The High Court issued comprehensive directions to the states of Punjab, Haryana, UT Chandigarh, and the central government, which include:
- Capital letters mandate: Until computerization is adopted, doctors must write prescriptions/diagnoses in capital letters.
- Awareness and sensitisation: State governments, with support from State Medical Commissions, should organise district-level meetings supervised by civil surgeons to inform and sensitise doctors.
- Policy framing: Governments must work toward a comprehensive policy for computerised and digital prescriptions, with provisions for financial support to smaller clinics and doctors where required.
- National standards: The Centre was asked to expedite notification of minimum national standards under the Clinical Establishments Act, covering digital record-keeping and e-prescriptions.
Role of National Medical Commission and Medical Curriculum
The High Court directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to incorporate the importance of legible prescriptions into the curriculum of medical colleges and institutions nationwide. The court stressed that medical students must be trained from the beginning to write prescriptions that patients can understand without ambiguity.
PGIMER’s Digital Prescription Initiative
During the hearing, PGIMER Chandigarh informed the bench about its upcoming “Doctor Desk” module, integrated into its hospital information system. The module will generate typed, legible e-prescriptions accessible via a mobile app. Justice Puri directed PGIMER to roll out the initiative within two years, making it a model for other medical institutions.
Judicial Concern Sparked by Illegible MLR
The orders came during the hearing of a criminal case from Haryana, where Justice Puri noted that a Medico Legal Report (MLR) had handwriting so illegible that it was incomprehensible. Highlighting this as an example of a systemic problem, the Court reiterated that the right to health under Article 21 includes the right to legible medical records and prescriptions.
Justice Puri acknowledged the dedication of doctors to national service but stressed that protecting patients’ fundamental rights is equally important.
Box: HC’s Key Observation
“Right to Life and Personal Liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution encompasses the Right to Health, which further includes the Right to Know one’s legible Medical Prescription/Diagnosis/Medical documents and Treatment.” — Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri
