All those stupid doctors who...

I never had this kind of problem, usually the pharmacist is able to read the handwriting or what I don't know is the pharmacist calls the doctor for clarification.. Considering my handwriting, I should be a doctor, but I can't stand blood and needles...

The patient or the care giver should know what medicine has been prescribed. And this one can get to know as the doctor is prescribing the medicine. It is at that time also the doctor normally gives dosage instructions. I know of an educated lady who is taking a maintenance dose for years now and till today she does not know the name of the medicine. I not only know the name of whatever medicines my doctor may prescribe I also go on the net to find out if there are any side effects and later call up the doctor and discuss the issue.

There is more wrong with the medical field than just poor handwriting! I have stories that would "curl your hair". I like to pick up the phone and ask questions. One doctor actually got mad at me and left the room!? They don't like their feelings hurt.

Hi,shibham. I saw your profile,you live in India. I am a Chinese, in our country, doctors similar with your country. The doctor in our conutry who CRAZY Handwriting is so Crazy. You know, Chinese character is harder to write than English character. Indian character is so hard too. For example, "EäòxpùÒªÉ Ë½þnùÒ ºÉƺlÉÉxÉ ", I think the normal handwriting is hard to distinguish too. If the doctor you met who write English character so crazy, I think he mustn't punished. I hate the zhangbility(Chinglish) doctor too. My English so poor, please forgive me. [en]blush[/en]

Hi Shibham, This is a common problem across India. I am not sure if it is the same in other countries as well. I have seen few doctors in the recent past whose hand writing is readable and a common man like me can also read it. I feel the 5 year MBBS course in India should include a hand writing subject in probably every year, may be that will improve the hand writing of the future doctors of India. :)

It's certainly not a deadly game, and I highly doubt it's something that doctors desire. Like many other things, handwriting is very subjective to the person that's using it. The doctor can most likely understand everything he writes- but unless someone tells him that others have difficulty understanding his handwriting, he'll probably never know that his handwriting is bad (and come on, how many people actually straight up tell a doctor that their handwriting is terrible?) It's also a bit of a habit kind of problem. I think you're assuming a bit too much about the doctors- People have many reasons for having terrible handwriting. In this day and age, a lot of us type rather than write, and in those cases it can be pretty hard to adjust back to writing. The doctors definitely aren't writing like that on purpose, and the handwriting has nothing to do with how busy they are or how smart they are (I've met plenty of less academically skilled students who have terrible handwriting and vice versa, and it's the same with busy people). What I'm saying, I guess, is not to blame the doctors for it. Maybe gently tell them that it might be a little tough for the pharmacist to read the writing. I do believe doctors also write in shorthand to make things faster (remember, you're not the only one that's sick- They have a dozen other patients, each of which could easily have a deadly illness. That's why they need to rush things), though I can't really verify that. That said, though, I hope your father recovers.

Oh this has happened to me long ago with the doctor and they did call him and he came to the hospital to read what he wrote. It was a big pain in the youknowwhat though. Then this same dr again that my mother also goes to did something again like that and they almost couldn't give mom her prescription cause he was on a vacation!

Hi, you are right. This happens many times. Doctors prescribes medicines in very bad handwriting. The chemist or medicine shopkeeper cannot read it. Why some doctors do this. They don't have enough time to write properly. So it would be better to buy the medicines and again show them to the doctor who has prescribed it.

Those doctors with crap handwriting should consult another doctor if they have any numbness of finger muscles as they always tend to write all unreadable fking handwritings. I think those crap famous writer are nuisance, anoyance or troubles to the patients. However, do all doctors of your country visit all concerning dutty patients with skill, passion and dedicacy? Or they involved in private clinic bussiness ignoring his or her asigned patients? Or what? But in my country doctors are giving false medical treatment to the patients and so the patients are to stay in hospital or clinic for longer time and are to spend a lot extra money. Actually those doctor's quaqeness is making us suffer and procastinate. In my country doctor dont know drive the new medical equipments, appliances or machings. Rather they spend much time fighting with those machings rather than giving service with them. They are raising at lot of money from the risky or sensitive patients in the name of modern diagnosis. I feel always pity for those docs always fight with the second hand or old or recondition appliances rather than driving them skillfuly. In my country all richmen keep indian medical visa all the time in their pockets. Serious patients go to Madraj, chennai or other provinces famous for medical service whenever they need. TC

That is really an issue if the pharmacist cannot read the doctors handwriting, she or he might give you another medicine, good enough they are honest to inform that they cannot read the doctors handwriting.

Yes doctors handwriting sucks but they do it on purpose to prevent forgery. I hate the fact patients can't read it but other people in the health perfession are trained to read it!

So sorry to hear about your father. I feel that sometimes doctors do act as if they are too busy or better than their patients because of their education. The handwriting aspect may be because they are rushed and over booked with too many appointments. However, some people just really do not have legible handwriting

I thought its something personal, it doesn't apply to all because I used to have a pediatrician that wrote very clearly. Shame though that these doctors don't step it up a notch for a person's life :(

I have a very weak protective system. I get illnesses all the time but I mostly never consult a doctor for those illnesses even if I have a medical service provider from my company. Reason: Here in my country, you have to wait for a doctor for 2-3 hours until they come in. Once they come in, they will still make rounds before you get checked up. If you don't come early, you are at the end of the line.

Hello shibham.. Oh yes getting a dr to write so it can be read is a challenge. Here we seldom carry our prescriptions to the pharmacy any more. The Dr usually calls it in or sends it by the internet. Penmanship is not a priority these days. I think it should be. When My son was in the military he did all his paper work with printing. They all did.

Most of those physicians who practice English medicines make out prescriptions in the worst illegible manner whereby one finds it quite hard to read and learn it.It is strange and unbelievable that the pharmacists who stock medicines find it less difficult to decipher what is being prescribed by the doctors.

Hello Shibham, If I am in your place, definitely I will call the doctor or go to him/her personally to ask what she/he has written. We are paying for their service and we have the right to ask or question them. I will think about a change of doctor for sure, but before changing I will get the answer from the same doctor. They can think, smart or busy or whatever they want, but they are responsible to treat a patient the way the patient deserves, They can’t play with the life of common people. Here, doctors prescribed any medicine, it will be available in the medical shop situated near to that Clinic, if you go for another medical shop then it wont be available. Here the doctors are taking commission from medical shop to prescribe particular medicines. Ok we can leave that, since it is not harming anybody. But in your case, the doctor is responsible to answer it.

shiby, Just ask the doctor to write it clearly :xxx

Suppose u scan the image ..may be we can decipher it..:)

shib, sad to hear about this, most of the doctors having bad hand writing and pharmacist have the ability to understand it, i wonder why the pharmacy person don't found out the medicine using the doctor's writing? anyway go back to the doctor and tell about your problem, it is the only way to solve this issue. Sorry to hear about your father's health. Take a lot of care about him