You are likely familiar about the jokes and comments made about doctors’ handwriting. A physician’s handwriting often looks more like scribbles than anything else does. However, it is nothing to laugh at, because misread handwriting has led to patient injuries and death. A misread number or letter on a patient’s medical records or prescription order can lead to the wrong treatment or drug order. Even a minor error can have deadly consequences.
The issue is so prevalent that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) released a video and report reminding healthcare workers to pay special attention when reading handwriting on the job. According to the ISMP, over 50 percent of errors are a result of misreading the letter “l” for the number “1.” They look the same even on a computer monitor. The other common errors are misreading the letter “Z” and the number “2,” and misreading the numbers “1” and “7.”
According to the ISMP, block writing is safer than cursive writing, but the issue extends beyond writing. Numbers and letters can look confusingly similar when typed out as well, as noted in the example in the above paragraph. The ISMP also advises to get clarification if you cannot read the handwriting. A guess can mean a patient’s life.
Mistakes are surprisingly common in the health care field. Call our office at 504-522-7885 if you are the victim of a medical mistake. Feel free to visit our web page for more information about medical malpractice.
Harrell & Nowak, LLC – New Orleans medical malpractice attorneys