Comments on: Physician handwriting and prejudice http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75484 Anonymous Sat, 26 May 2007 16:08:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75484 There is no excuse for illegible prescriptions or orders other than irresponsibility. On the other hand, difficult to read handwriting is sometimes not only acceptable but serves a laudable purpose. Confidentialy of health records has virtually collapsed. Gazillions of buerocratic gnomes look at everything. It is sometimes desirable to make notes that can only be interpreted by you in a deposition. This was pointed out to me by a child psychiatrist once who made a point to produce notes that could only be read by him. <br/><br/>"These kids are living the most embarrassing moments of their lives. I am required by law to make a record and need to do so for my own protection. They are going to go through life coerced into signing releases of information or doing so mindless of the consequences. This way, they wil only be able to see dates of service, diagnosis codes, and meds--if anyones actually wants detail of who did what to whom, they are going to have to go through me."<br/><br/>I thought it a very good point and now have a new respect for the time and place for scrawls. Unlike an EMR, it isn't going to metastasize on hard drives all over the universe. There is no excuse for illegible prescriptions or orders other than irresponsibility. On the other hand, difficult to read handwriting is sometimes not only acceptable but serves a laudable purpose. Confidentialy of health records has virtually collapsed. Gazillions of buerocratic gnomes look at everything. It is sometimes desirable to make notes that can only be interpreted by you in a deposition. This was pointed out to me by a child psychiatrist once who made a point to produce notes that could only be read by him.

“These kids are living the most embarrassing moments of their lives. I am required by law to make a record and need to do so for my own protection. They are going to go through life coerced into signing releases of information or doing so mindless of the consequences. This way, they wil only be able to see dates of service, diagnosis codes, and meds–if anyones actually wants detail of who did what to whom, they are going to have to go through me.”

I thought it a very good point and now have a new respect for the time and place for scrawls. Unlike an EMR, it isn’t going to metastasize on hard drives all over the universe.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75429 Anonymous Fri, 25 May 2007 01:15:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75429 when i was in residency. there were a few doctors whose handwriting you could easily read.. and maybe 5 who were very difficult to read. my writing is pretty neat. at least when i know its important for someone to be able to read it. when i was in residency. there were a few doctors whose handwriting you could easily read.. and maybe 5 who were very difficult to read. my writing is pretty neat. at least when i know its important for someone to be able to read it.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75426 Anonymous Thu, 24 May 2007 23:41:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75426 More med errors are caused by computer entry errors than by illegible handwriting.<br/><br/>This is all about getting docs to accept EMR so the controllers can control healthcare at the point of service. If you value freedom and privacy, don't fall for it. If you don't, please get out of my country. More med errors are caused by computer entry errors than by illegible handwriting.

This is all about getting docs to accept EMR so the controllers can control healthcare at the point of service. If you value freedom and privacy, don’t fall for it. If you don’t, please get out of my country.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75420 Anonymous Thu, 24 May 2007 21:49:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75420 This is like the canard about cops sitting on their asses at Dunkin Donuts, or the thing about Richard Gere and the gerbil. It's passed into the realm of urban myth. There's no going back. The joke will morph into something else when all records, prescriptions etc. go completely electronic.<br/><br/>Examine an ear: Hey doc, do you see any daylight on the other side? <br/>-Har har. That's the first time I ever heard that one!<br/><br/>The dentists stil get the stupid Hey doc while your'e in there drilling, if you strike and oil I'll go 50/50 with you on it. <br/>-Har har. That's the first time I ever heard that one!<br/><br/>It'll never end. This is like the canard about cops sitting on their asses at Dunkin Donuts, or the thing about Richard Gere and the gerbil. It’s passed into the realm of urban myth. There’s no going back. The joke will morph into something else when all records, prescriptions etc. go completely electronic.

Examine an ear: Hey doc, do you see any daylight on the other side?
-Har har. That’s the first time I ever heard that one!

The dentists stil get the stupid Hey doc while your’e in there drilling, if you strike and oil I’ll go 50/50 with you on it.
-Har har. That’s the first time I ever heard that one!

It’ll never end.

]]> By: Meganhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75411 Megan Thu, 24 May 2007 17:59:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/physician-handwriting-and-prejudice.html#comment-75411 Oh, but the problem is, bad handwriting in most professions is an inconvenience, not a danger. Oh, but the problem is, bad handwriting in most professions is an inconvenience, not a danger.

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